Establish ‘Divine Patterns’ for a Lifetime of Discipleship, Elder Soares Teaches Missionaries

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By Trent Toone, Church News

A close study of the life and ministry of the Savior Jesus reveals that He established “divine patterns” to accomplish His Father’s work.

These divine patterns were deliberate, eternal and rooted in love, reflecting the way the Savior accomplished His divine mission. Following them brings clarity and power to those who represent Him, said Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during a Tuesday night, March 10, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

While serving the Lord, missionaries can learn and adopt these divine patterns by studying the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

“When we align our service with the patterns the Savior Himself lived, our service gains spiritual consistency, our efforts are magnified and our hearts are changed,” he said. “These divine patterns not only help us fulfill our purpose as missionaries; they prepare us for a lifetime of faithful discipleship.”

In his message, Elder Soares offered four divine patterns taught and modeled by the Savior — “patterns that can help you remain focused on your purpose, filled with joy and strengthened in your sacred calling to represent the Savior to the world,” he said.

Elder Soares was accompanied by his wife, Rosana. The devotional was broadcast to all MTCs worldwide.

1. Chosen by Inspiration

One of the first divine patterns the Savior established in His ministry was to choose, by inspiration, the 12 apostles to bless, teach the gospel and lead his people, as recorded in Luke 6:12-13.

“Jesus spent the entire night in prayer, demonstrating that their selection was made under divine direction,” Elder Soares said.

“The pattern the Savior established 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 it was when Jesus spent the night in communion with His Father before choosing the Twelve Apostles. I testify that you have been called to represent the Savior and to assist His Apostles in this great work.”

2. Losing Ourselves in the Lord’s Service

Elder Soares said one of the most powerful patterns the Savior taught is the pattern of “losing ourselves in His service,” referencing Mark 8:35. He explained that forgetting oneself doesn’t mean ignoring personal needs or denying individuality. It means consecrating one’s desires and placing the Lord’s work above personal comfort, comparison, fear or self-doubt.

“Therefore, when we forget ourselves in the Lord’s work, setting aside personal distractions, we grow and flourish spiritually, our capacity to love others increases, and our perspective is enlarged,” he said. “Seeking to forget ourselves is not a loss — it is a sacred exchange. As we give our heart to the Lord, He enlarges it.”

3. Remain Focused on Purpose

The Savior exemplified remaining faithful to His purpose, even in the face of opposition, Elder Soares said.

“The Savior invited His disciples to rejoice even when they were rejected,” he said after reading Matthew 5:10-12. “He was also preparing them for the opposition, rejection and persecution they would inevitably face in His service.”

Opposition for a missionary could include fatigue, doubt, discouragement, homesickness, rejection and mistreatment.

“When our focus drifts from Jesus Christ and our purpose, discouragement follows,” Elder Soares said. “But when our focus remains on Him and on inviting others to come unto Him, joy becomes steady and resilient.”

4. Joy as a Source of Spiritual Power

“Joy is not merely an emotion; it is a covenant-centered choice rooted in faith,” Elder Soares said.

“Joy can [also] be understood as a deep, abiding sense of peace and assurance that comes from being connected to Jesus Christ. Joy is rooted in faith, sustained by hope and strengthened through covenant discipleship.”

He continued: “When you choose joy — especially in challenging moments — you invite divine power into your life. This divine power will bless you, strengthen your companion and touch the lives of those you teach. Joy is contagious, and in its sharing, it becomes a quiet testimony of Christ.”

Centered on Christ

Elder Soares said all divine patterns lead to one central truth — being 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 becomes enduring.”

Identify and Live ‘Divine Patterns’

Elder Soares said that adopting these divine patterns “will guide you not only during your mission but throughout your life.”

He invited the missionaries to study the Savior’s life and ministry to identify these and other divine patterns.

Elder Soares concluded with his testimony and witness of the Savior, along with a solemn promise: “As you follow these divine patterns exemplified by the Savior during his ministry, your heart will be filled with peace, your confidence will wax strong, and the promised joy will be yours.”

What Missionaries Learned

Following the devotional, missionaries spoke about what they learned from the Spirit while listening to Elder Soares.

With tears in her eyes, Sister Marley Ogao of Klamath Falls, Oregon, assigned to the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, spoke of feeling homesickness but said the Apostle’s words about the Savior’s love and “losing yourself in the work” uplifted and inspired her.

“The whole theme I heard was ‘turn outward,’ and I love how he emphasized that,” she said.

The devotional came the night before Elder Adam Baird, of Tooele, Utah, left the MTC for the West Virginia Charleston Mission.

“That pretty much felt like the Lord was speaking directly to me, saying, ‘Don’t worry, you are where you need to be. This is all for a reason, and you are going to do great,’” Elder Baird said. “When he said, ‘Jesus trusts us,’ that was my favorite part.”