During his recent ministry in the Philippines, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and also of each person’s divine identity as a son or daughter of God. He also encouraged people to seek spiritual guidance as they make important decisions in their life.
Referencing the outstretched arms of the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro in his native Brazil, Elder Soares said the Savior, Jesus Christ, is willing to embrace every person.
“His arms are extended to all of us,” Elder Soares said to young adults in Cebu, Philippines, reported the Church’s Philippines Newsroom. “I hope, sincerely hope, that you can feel His arms embracing you tonight through our comments, through our testimony and through the Spirit of the Lord.”
The Apostle’s nearly two-week ministry in mid-May included meeting with young adults in both Cebu in the Central Visayas islands and in Quezon City in Metro Manila; and teaching missionaries at the Philippines Missionary Training Center.
Elder Soares was accompanied by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, and Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Sister Shelley Nash. Also at various events, Elder Soares was accompanied by members of the Philippines Area presidency, who are all General Authority Seventies, and their wives: Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr., area president, and his wife, Sister Marites Revillo; Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, a counselor, and his wife, Sister Carol Lu Wong; and Elder William K. Jackson, also a counselor, and his wife, Sister Ann Jackson.
‘Turn your heart to the Savior’
In Cebu, more than 600 young single adults from the Cebu east area gathered in the Lapu-Lapu Philippines Stake Center on May 16.
“We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father,” Elder Soares said. “We have a divine identity. We were born with the goal to return to God’s presence and become like Him.”
Elder Soares also taught that all of God’s children are invited to draw closer to the Savior through obedience to the commandments, regardless of their personal circumstances.
In Quezon City on May 23, Elder Soares answered questions from the 450 young single adults gathered from six stakes. The questions included ones about faith in Jesus Christ, having hope and enduring life’s trials, reported the Church’s Philippines Newsroom.
To a question about hope for the future while striving to keep the commandments, Elder Soares said that “trials and discouragement are part of life” and reminded the young adults to turn to Jesus Christ.
“Turn your heart to the Savior because He understands pain,” Elder Soares said, teaching that Jesus Christ “understands physical, emotional and spiritual pain.”
Elder Soares also invited them to let their faith in Jesus Christ influence those around them.
“Start being a light to the people who are close to you,” he said. “Let your light shine, and invite people to know Jesus Christ through your exemplary life.”
In Cebu, Angel Leshamay Alba of the Cebu Philippines Liloan Stake said the devotional gave her hope. “This evening gave me peace about my future,” Alba said, adding, “Better days are ahead.”
In Quezon City, Hyrum Ballesteros Tandog, 23, shared that Elder Soares’ message encouraged him to continue trusting in the Lord.
“Choose the Lord first. Heavenly Father will support us. He will help us with the choices in life,” Tandog said.
Learning to recognize the Spirit
At the Philippines Missionary Training Center, Elder Soares and Elder Nash taught more than 340 missionaries on May 20. The missionaries included full-time missionaries in training, senior missionary couples and young service missionaries, reported the Church’s Philippines Newsroom.
Elder Soares encouraged the missionaries to seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost through studying the Lord’s word. Quoting Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, he said, “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word.”
Elder Soares compared the need for spiritual guidance to a smartphone’s dependence on a network connection.
“Just as a smartphone cannot function to its full capacity without being connected to a network, we as missionaries cannot truly fulfill our missionary purpose without the constant influence of the Holy Ghost, both during our missionary service and throughout our lives,” he said.
Also, missionaries should help those they teach recognize spiritual impressions.
“The Lord is the one who does that work through His Spirit. Our role as missionaries is to be an instrument in the Lord’s hand, love the people, help them to recognize that the feelings they are experiencing are divine,” he said.
The country is home to more than 905,000 Latter-day Saints, the fourth-largest in the worldwide Church. The same month Elder Soares was ministering in the Philippines, two temples were dedicated by other members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: the Davao Philippines Temple by Elder Dale G. Renlund on May 3 and the Bacolod Philippines Temple by Elder Neil L. Andersen on May 31.
