Elder Soares Strengthens Ties with Leaders in Brazil to Serve More of God’s Children

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Rosana, have concluded a five-day visit to Brazil, participating in outreach opportunities on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and meeting with members and missionaries.

“The people of Brazil are very faithful and they connect with the Savior Jesus Christ easily,” said Elder Soares, a São Paulo native. “It is wonderful to see the blessings the Lord has poured upon these people and upon this country.”

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Meeting with Governor Ratinho Junior

On Monday, November 17, 2025, Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior of the Brazilian state Paraná welcomed Elder Soares to Iguaçu Palace in Curitiba, Brazil. They were joined by many representatives of other departments and assemblies in the state government and Elder Ciro Schmeil of the Church’s Brazil Area Presidency.

“Our visit with the governor of Paraná was very impressive,” Elder Soares said. “He is very interested in working with the Church and in blessing the lives of the people of his state. We have found a good environment in which to share the love of the Savior through our humanitarian projects.”

During this meeting, many government leaders expressed gratitude to Elder Soares for the humanitarian aid the Church has provided in their state. For example, over the past four years, the Church has supported nearly 30 major initiatives in the area—including a recent project that provided senior citizen housing with refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, tables, beds and mattresses.

“We work with governments so they can see our sincere intention to share the love of God with the people, and to help and support them in their dealings with those who are suffering,” said Elder Soares.

The Apostle spoke to these Brazilian leaders about the importance of families in society and the Church’s efforts to promote peace throughout the world through our Savior Jesus Christ. He also invited them to attend the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s February 2026 performance in Brazil.

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To conclude the meeting, a state leader invited Elder Soares to offer a prayer.

“Being invited to pray in a government environment was deeply moving to me,” he said. “That shows the respect those people have for us, especially for the way we worship our Heavenly Father and the way we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

He continued, “It showed me their love for God, their desire to work with us, and their desire to have the influence of God in the work they do. I prayed that [the governor] would have the inspiration to find even better ways to support people.”

Improving Self-Reliance in Brazil Backlands

While in São Paulo, Elder Soares visited Amigos do Bem on Wednesday, November 18, where he announced a financial donation from the Church to support this nonprofit’s efforts to transform lives in the backlands of Brazil.

Speaking to the organization’s president, Alcione Albanesi, Elder Soares said, “Keep doing good [and] radiating the light of God in the lives of everyone. This is what the world needs. If we had more people like you in the world, we would have more peace, more unity, more joy.”

This northeastern region of Brazil has a dry, challenging climate, where a lack of rainfall and economic opportunities make life difficult for many families. Amigos do Bem has constructed what it calls “transformation centers” in three different locations. These centers work with over 10,000 children and young people to receive jobs, daily tutoring, cultural activities and vocational courses to help break the cycle of poverty prevalent in the area.

This most recent donation to Amigos do Bem continues an ongoing relationship with the Church that has helped more than 150,000 people.

Previous contributions include cashew tree seedlings to generate income, tractors for cashew cultivation, school buses, water trucks for village water distribution, sewing machines for vocational training and income-generating workshops, ambulances for emergency services, and food baskets for the neediest families.

“This partnership — God united us — so that in this difficult mission of ours, we could transform the lives of more than 150,000 people in the northeast of Brazil, in the rural interior,” Albanesi said.

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Commenting on why her organization does what it does, Albanesi said, “We must look around us and be instruments for good. This is the legacy Jesus left. We are not just living and occupying the space God granted us on the earth, but rather we need to show fraternity [and] solidarity and help those who do not have the same blessings we have.”

Inviting Others to Feel the Savior’s Love

While meeting with members of the Church of Jesus Christ in Porto Alegre, Elder Soares shared, “The Lord will do everything in His power to bring us back to the path. He will never tire of searching for us. He will always continue seeking us.”

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This message was exactly what Bruno Luz, a member of the congregation, needed to hear.

“I felt like [his message] was directed towards me and only me. It was so special to hear the words of an Apostle directed so precisely to my doubts and my questions,” Luz said.

His mother, Jaqueline, was also emotional during Elder Soares’ message, as she has been praying for her son to feel God’s love.

“I feel very grateful that through [Elder Soares] I heard answers to my prayers and felt the assurance that the Lord hears our prayers and that He has servants who speak and give us the answers we need,” she said. “[This] was very special because a special witness of the Lord touched the hearts of someone I love.”

“When people feel the Savior’s love, they are more inclined to walk on the covenant path and endure to the end,” Elder Soares concluded. “That is one of the main reasons we go [minister] around the world — and especially for me, here in my own country.”

Elder Soares also instructed missionaries in Porto Alegre, Curitiba, and at the São Paulo Missionary Training Center — a building constructed during his time as the Church’s director of temporal affairs in Brazil.