On the morning of Thursday, August 22, a special session was held at the Legislative Assembly of Bahia, Brazil, to celebrate the construction of the Salvador Brazil Temple. This house of the Lord is open for public tours until September 7, 2024.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
In the special session, proposed by State Rep. Vitor Bonfim, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke about the importance of building a house of the Lord in the state so that “people have hope in the future and in eternity.”
Rep. Bonfim said the temple “has already become a postcard of Salvador. Thank you for gifting us with this temple, and also for caring for the hearts and souls of those in need.”
Elder Soares said gatherings such as this to celebrate of a house of the Lord are “inspiring and divine” because they help more people come closer to Jesus Christ.
“Humanity has been suffering from wars and afflictions of all kinds, and in this sense, the construction of temples provides healing and strength for our spiritual freedom,” the Apostle said. “Our faith teaches us to overcome inner weaknesses and injustices, enabling us to become a transformative force in society. And in this way, the Church of Jesus Christ unites efforts, builds bridges with other entities to offer relief and improve the conditions of God's children.”
Borrowing a metaphor from a New York Times writer, Elder Soares said the loss of values in society is similar to the weakening of mangroves (which protect the environment) in nature. Elder Soares said faith strengthens all who keep the commandments, which in turn strengthens society.
“We all have a divine nature and potential and are seen as equals before God,” he said. “In the temple, these [truths] are reinforced, especially for the youth who will play an important role in the future of humanity.”
Elder Joni L. Koch, Brazil Area President, also spoke during the special session. He highlighted the importance of Bahia’s nature and rich history. Brazil was discovered here, and Salvador was the first capital of the country. Notable figures come from Bahia, such as the poet Castro Alves and Rui Barbosa, who fought to abolish slavery, as well as Maria Filipa, the daughter of slaves who used guerrilla tactics to attack Portuguese ships that came to oppress those living here.
“What I most admire about these people is their courage to defend what is right, and not to be cowardly even when the majority is against their convictions,” Elder Koch said. “The construction of the Church’s temple here is a standard, a monument to the courage to do what is right, to preach what is right, even when the majority does not accept, does not understand, and attacks us. But Jesus Christ was never afraid. And we, as members of His Church, likewise cannot be afraid.”
Also participating in the special session were other members of the Brazil Area Presidency, Elder Ciro Schmeil and his wife, Alessandra, and Elder Mark D. Eddy and his wife, Annette.
A choir, composed of members from stakes in Salvador, concluded the meeting by singing the hymn: “Did You Think to Pray?” At the end of the session, Elder Soares presented a statue of Christ to Rep. Bonfim.