Two new apostles were called in the Saturday morning session of General Conference, to filled the vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares were sustained as the newest apostles. Elder Gong is the Church’s first Asian American apostle and Elder Soares is its first Latin American apostle.
Elder Gong’s previous service includes serving in the Asia Area Presidency from 2011 to 2015. Headquartered in Hong Kong, he concluded his time there as the Area President.
He and his wife Susan Lindsay are the parents of four children.
Elder Soares, a native of Brazil, a nation with 1.3 million members of the Church, has previously served in the Presidency of the Seventy. He also served as a counselor in the Africa Southeast Area and President of the Brazil Area. He and his wife Rosana Fernandes are the parents of three children and three grandchildren.
This was Elder Soares first address as an apostle.
Isn’t it a blessing to have prophets, seers, and revelators on earth in these days in which we live, who seek to know the will of the Lord and follow it? It is comforting to know that we are not alone in the world, despite the challenges we face in life. Having prophets is a sign of God’s love for His children. They make known the promises and the true nature of God and of Jesus Christ to Their people. I have learned that through my own personal experiences.
Brothers and sisters, from the bottom of my heart I testify that the prophets speak by the power of the Holy Spirit. They testify of Christ and His divine mission on earth. They represent the mind and heart of the Lord and are called to represent Him and teach us what we must do to return to live in the presence of God and His Son Jesus Christ. We are blessed as we exercise our faith and follow their teachings. By following them, our lives are happier and less complicated, our difficulties and problems are easier to bear, and we create a spiritual armor around us that will protect us from the attacks of the enemy in our day.
I liked this personal story Elder Soares shared about having faith. I wonder if I would have had such great faith. I pray that I will have experiences that will increased my faith.
Eighteen years ago, my wife and I received a phone call from President James E. Faust, then Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He called us to serve as mission president and companion in Portugal. He told us that we had only six weeks before we started the mission. Although we felt unprepared and inadequate, we accepted the call. Our most important concern at the time was to obtain the visas required to serve in that country because, according to past experience, we knew the process took six to eight months to complete.
President Faust then asked if we had faith that the Lord would perform a miracle and that we would be able to solve the visa problem faster. Our answer was a big yes, and we started making the arrangements immediately. We prepared the documents required for the visas, took our three young children, and went to the consulate as fast as we could. A very nice lady met with us there. In reviewing our papers and getting acquainted with what we were going to do in Portugal, she turned to us and asked, “Are you really going to help the people of my country?” We firmly answered yes and explained that we would represent Jesus Christ and testify of Him and His divine mission in the world. We returned there four weeks later, received our visas, and landed in the mission field within the six weeks, as a prophet of the Lord had asked us to do.
On this Easter day, I solemnly testify that Jesus Christ is risen. He lives and He directs this Church on earth through His prophets, seers, and revelators. I testify that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and that through Him we can be saved and exalted in the presence of our dear God. I love Him, I adore Him. I want to follow Him and do His will and become more like Him.
