PROVO, Utah — A close study of the life and ministry of the Savior Jesus reveals that He established a “divine pattern” to accomplish the work of the Father.
These divine patterns are intentional, eternal, rooted in love, and reflect the way the Savior accomplished his divine mission. Elder Ulises Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said during a devotional on Tuesday night, March 10, at the Provo Missionary Training Center that following them brings clarity and power to those who represent the Lord.
As missionaries serve the Lord, they can learn and adopt these divine patterns by studying the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
“When we align our ministry with the Savior’s own way of life, our ministry gains spiritual coherence, our efforts are expanded, and our hearts are transformed,” he said. “These sacred patterns not only help us fulfill our purpose as missionaries, but they also help prepare us as faithful disciples for life.”
In his message, Elder Soares presented four sacred patterns taught and modeled by the Savior. “It’s a pattern that helps you stay focused on your purpose, filled with joy, and strengthened in your divine calling to represent the Savior to the world.”
Elder Soares was accompanied by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares. This devotional was broadcast to all MTCs around the world.
1. Choose by inspiration
As recorded in Luke 6:12-13, one of the first divine patterns established by the Savior in His ministry was the inspired selection of 12 Apostles to bless, teach the gospel, and lead His people.
“Jesus prayed all night long, proving that their choices were made with divine guidance,” Elder Soares said. “As missionaries, you too are called through the same divine pattern. Your calling was inspired by the Lord with proper authority. It is sacred.”
“The pattern established by the Savior in the meridian of time has not changed. As missionaries, you too are called through that same divine pattern. It is sacred. It is guided by prayer and revelation, just as Jesus spent a night in communion with the Father before choosing the Twelve. I testify that you are called to represent the Savior and to support the Apostles in this great work.”
2. Lose yourself in the service of the Lord.
Referring to Mark 8:35, Elder Soares said that one of the most powerful patterns taught by the Savior is that of “forgetting self and serving the Lord.” Forgetting yourself, he explained, does not mean ignoring individual needs or denying individuality. It means sanctifying our desires and prioritizing the Lord’s work over personal comfort, comparison, fear, and self-doubt.
“So when we put aside personal distractions and lose ourselves in the work of the Lord, we grow spiritually, we prosper, our ability to love others increases, and our perspective expands,” he said. “Trying to forget ourselves is not a loss; it is a sacred communion. When we give our heart to the Lord, He enlarges it.”
3. Stay focused on your purpose
Elder Soares said the Savior served as an example of remaining true to His purpose even in the face of opposition.
After reading Matthew 5:10-12, he said: “The Savior encouraged His disciples to rejoice even in the face of rejection.” “Jesus was also preparing them for the opposition, rejection, and persecution they would face as they served Him.”
Opposition to missionaries can include fatigue, doubt, discouragement, homesickness, rejection, and abuse.
“When our focus shifts away from Jesus Christ and our purpose, discouragement follows,” Elder Soares said. “But when our focus remains on the Lord and on inviting others to come unto Him, joy becomes steady and resilient.”
4. Joy as a source of spiritual strength
“Joy is not just an emotion; it is a covenant-centered choice rooted in faith,” Elder Soares said.
“Joy can also be understood as the deep and lasting sense of peace and assurance that comes from being connected to Jesus Christ. Joy is rooted in faith, sustained by hope, and strengthened as a covenant disciple.”
“When you choose joy, especially in difficult moments, you invite divine power into your life. This divine power blesses you, strengthens your allies, and touches the lives of those you teach. Joy is contagious, and when you share it, it becomes a silent witness of Christ.”
centered on Christ
Elder Soares said all divine patterns lead to one central truth, centered on Jesus Christ.
“He is the message. He is the power. He is the reason we serve,” he said. “When our ministry is centered on the Savior, our faith deepens, our joy increases, and our discipleship endures.”
Identify and practice “sacred patterns”
Elder Soares said that adopting these sacred patterns “will guide you not only during your mission, but throughout your life.”
He encouraged missionaries to study the life and ministry of the Savior to identify these and other divine patterns.
Elder Soares concluded with a testimony and testimony about the Savior with a solemn promise. “If you follow these divine examples modeled by the Savior in his ministry, your heart will be filled with peace, your confidence will be strengthened, and the promised joy will be yours.”
What the missionaries learned
After the devotion, the missionaries listened to Elder Soares talk about what they had learned from the Spirit.
Sister Marley Ogao of Klamath Falls, Oregon, who is assigned to the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, said with tears in her eyes that she felt homesick, but was encouraged and encouraged by the Savior’s love and the Apostle’s words to “immerse myself in the work.”
“The whole theme I heard was ‘going outward,’ and I loved how he emphasized that,” she said.
This devotional was held the night before Elder Adam Baird of Tooele, Utah, left the MTC for the Charleston, West Virginia Mission.
“It just felt like the Lord was saying directly to me, ‘Don’t worry, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. This is all happening for a reason and you’re going to be okay,'” Elder Baird said. “When he said, ‘Jesus trusts us,’ that was my favorite part.”
