What started four years ago as a way for Brazilian Latter-day Saints to share their testimonies together through the singing of Church music, has grown from a small gathering at a stake center to now fill one of the Church’s most iconic venues.
Sunday night, June 9, at a devotional filled with music, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to an audience of nearly 3,000 Latter-day Saints and friends who came to hear him and to enjoy worshipful music in Portuguese at the historic Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square.
Elder Soares was accompanied by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares; Elder Kevin W. Pearson, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Utah Area; and Elder Emerson B. Carnavale, an Area Seventy in the Utah Area. Elder Carnavale, originally from Brazil, conducted the meeting. A video message was also shared with testimonies of Elder Carlos A. Godoy and his wife, Sister Mônica Godoy, who are both from Brazil.
In his introduction, Elder Soares said the music presented before his message helped set the tone for him to speak about the Savior’s call for all to follow Him. The Apostle shared ways he and others have had to follow Jesus Christ’s teachings in order to become better people and sanctified servants of Heavenly Father.
“We are all born with the seed of divinity in our spirit since we are sons and daughters of God,” Elder Soares taught. “This seed needs to grow, and it grows by using our agency righteously, by making correct decisions, and by using the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to guide us in the decisions we make throughout our lives. Our choices shape our souls.”
He shared how the Prophet Joseph Smith’s soul was shaped and refined through many challenging experiences and persecutions. And he invited those listening to consider what the Lord instructed Joseph at those moments of isolation and grief: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8).
Taking into consideration what Joseph Smith went through, Elder Soares taught: “No pain we suffer, no trial we experience in this life is wasted. They minister to our spiritual education, to the development of qualities such as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our character, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called children of God.”
“The Savior emphasized that all who are willing to follow Him must deny themselves and control their desires, appetites and passions, sacrificing everything — even their own lives if necessary — being entirely submissive to the will of the Father, just as He did. This is, indeed, the price to be paid for the salvation of a soul,” Elder Soares said.
He said that when an individual is sick, they seek medical attention and treatments to be healed. Doctors may prescribe medicine or other courses of action to help in the healing process. Spiritual pain has its own healing process.
“Metaphorically speaking, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the spiritual caretakers of our spiritual infirmities. We must turn ourselves over to Them — surrender to Their care.”
Elder Soares testified that Heavenly Father wants and knows what is best for His children. And He likewise wants them to look to Him for direction and instruction.
“Recognizing our dedication and perseverance, the Lord will give us that which we cannot obtain on our own. He will shape us because He sees our efforts to overcome our human imperfections and weaknesses,” Elder Soares said.
Following his message, the choir and Nathan Pacheco performed the song “Jesus Calls Everyone.” The song was originally a poem written by Elder Soares, and it was arranged by Elton Luz.
Following the devotional, Elder Soares said he was grateful for all of the music that was performed throughout the evening.
“The songs and the messages presented during the devotional were all centered on Christ and reminded us of His love and compassionate sacrifice for all God’s children,” he said, adding, “I love music and think it has the power to bring the Spirit of the Lord into our life.”
Hearing his poem sung by the choir was also a touching experience for Elder Soares as he heard a part of his own sacred testimony of the Savior sung back to him.
“The lyrics of this song express the importance of each of us in striving to come unto Him every day and for the blessings that are available to us as we adopt this pattern in our life,” he said. “My words are not enough to express my deep gratitude for the Savior and His love for me. This song will always remind me that as a disciple of Jesus Christ I need to seek Him in every thought, in every action, trusting that He will extend His peace and comfort to face my daily battles.”
With the help of an interpreter, Elder Pearson also shared a message at the devotional. He pointed out the way that beautiful music that is focused on the Savior and the doctrine of His gospel can help individuals feel the Holy Ghost. Likewise, he pointed out that some music prevents the Spirit from being present and denies individuals the blessing of Its guidance and protection.
“Are you listening to music that invites the Spirit or music that offends It?” Elder Pearson asked. “The decisions we make about the music and the media we consume are a sign to God regarding the importance we place on having the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives.”
As he invited those at the devotional to consider the importance they place on having the companionship of the Spirit constantly in their lives, Elder Pearson taught about the Holy Ghost’s nature and purpose.
“The Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead, bears witness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He is the source of personal testimony and revelation. He can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger. He is known as the Comforter, and He can calm our fears and fill us with hope. Through His power, we are sanctified as we repent, receive saving ordinances and keep our covenants.”
Elder Soares’ message of hope through the Savior came following almost an hour of musical performances from a variety of soloists, duets and choral arrangements. Singers included Mila Luz; Elton Luz; nationally acclaimed singer Nathan Pacheco; 11-year-old Sophia Barreiro de Andrade; Yaphet Bustos; Vitor Batista; and the Luz Divina Choir, made up of 250-300 members of Portuguese-speaking wards and branches from throughout the Utah Area.
The music, all sung in Portuguese, included the newly announced “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” or “Ó Senhor de toda bênção,” sung by Mila Luz and Nathan Pacheco. Mila Luz sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” or “O Passarinho Cuida.” And Andrade sang “When the Savior Comes Again” or “Quando o Salvador voltar” — the same song she sang for members of the media when the new hymns were announced on May 30. All three of these hymns are already available for Church members to sing through the Gospel Library and the Sacred Music app.
Pacheco was born in the United States and served in the Brazil Campinas Mission. His grandfather was from Curitiba, Brazil, but came to the United States during World War II. At that time, he met and married an American woman in Virginia where Pacheco would later grow up as a child.
He shared that he felt the Lord’s love for him as he served a mission in his grandfather’s home country and gained a stronger testimony of the Savior by serving during those two years. One of the things he learned most was Heavenly Father’s love for each of His children.
“Even though there are gajillions of us, I’m grateful He’s aware of the one and that He’s able to help us in accordance with our needs,” Pacheco said.
He bore his testimony between songs during the devotional and shared his love for the Savior and His sacrifice for all of mankind.
Similarly, Elder Soares concluded his remarks with his testimony and the words of his own poem-turned-song that the Savior lives and loves everyone.
“He continues to extend His loving arms to each and every one of us, and He calls to all, ‘Come unto Me.’”
This article was updated on June 14, 2024.
