Elder Soares Says Remembering the Savior Leads to Happiness

“Please remember that happiness and peace in this life and in the world to come depend upon remembering the Savior and your covenants with Him daily,” said Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Soares was the devotional speaker at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Tuesday, February 5, 2019. He was joined on the stand by his wife, Rosana.

“We have seen steadily declining moral values that have dramatically changed the world through the years,” the Latter-day Saint apostle told faculty and students gathered at the Marriott Center. “Modern communication has drawn people into the world and its values, and secularism has changed the way people see God’s hand in their lives.”

He continued, “We witness an increasing number of people who are confused about their identity as children of our Heavenly Father. They also have become confused about what really matters in life, and many who were once strong in faith have developed spiritual apathy.”

Elder Soares said the scriptures teach about the cycle of prosperity and pride that have affected people throughout history. He told the story of Uzziah, one of the kings of Judah mentioned in the Bible, who was struck with leprosy after “pride in his military triumphs, pride in his great power and wealth caused him to forget to Lord.”

“Let us not allow the rich and marvelous blessings we enjoy create confusion in our minds and hearts as they did with King Uzziah,” he admonished.

Elder Soares told the young adults that they are living in a significant time in world history and are blessed to be living in a time when there is “increased access to excellent health care, remarkable educational opportunities, and financial prosperity beyond any generation in time.”

“In many regards, you live a higher quality of life than ancient kings, queens, and emperors,” he added.

“I can assure you that the Lord Himself will inspire [our] decisions, guide us in our challenges, and assure that the harvest will be positive,” taught Elder Soares. “I definitely can assure you that we won’t be affected by the modern-day leprosies that are conducting people away from the path of righteousness.”

Elder Soares, a native of Brazil, was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018. He had been serving as a General Authority Seventy since April 2, 2005.

Visit https://speeches.byu.edu to watch or listen to the BYU Devotional in its entirety.