Elder Ulisses Soares, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Fortaleza Brazil Temple in three sessions on Sunday, June 2, 2019. Each session was broadcast to members of the Church throughout the temple district.

Elder Soares said he was grateful the First Presidency assigned him to dedicate the Fortaleza Brazil Temple. “They could have sent any other apostle, but they gave me the opportunity. It means a lot. It is my own country, my own language and my own people.”

The first Church apostle from Brazil explained, “It is something that touches my heart profoundly, because I see the hand of the Lord blessing our country.”

Assisting Elder Soares with the traditional cornerstone ceremony are Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Larry Y. Wilson of the Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Temple Department; and members of the area presidency, Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, president, Elder W. Mark Bassett, first counselor, and Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella, second counselor.

The temple was first announced by then President Thomas S. Monson in October 2009. The groundbreaking was held November 11, 2011. It is located on Avenida Santos Dumont in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.

On Saturday, June 1, a youth devotional was held in the Church meetinghouse adjacent to the temple. The devotional was broadcast throughout the temple district.

In April and May, the temple was open to the public to see inside the sacred building and learn more about why the Church builds temples.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels, where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered houses of the Lord where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.