You can watch Elder Soares’ talk here.

Elder Soares teaches that Jesus Christ is the “True Vine”—the essential and living source of all spiritual nourishment, strength, and growth. Drawing on John 15, he explains that just as branches must remain connected to a vine to live and bear fruit, we must actively and consistently abide in Christ to reach our full spiritual potential. 

Ultimately, the message is that true peace, growth, and spiritual survival come only by staying connected to Jesus Christ. 

Key quotes:

‘…just as the branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in Him and His gospel.’ (Paragraph 2)

‘Abiding in Christ is not an occasional or casual act; it is a constant, conscious, and sacred choice.’ (Paragraph 3)

‘As we place ourselves in His loving care and take upon us His yoke, we receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses, and sorrows of mortality—burdens often too heavy to bear without His redeeming help and healing influence.’ (Paragraph 4)

‘My beloved brothers and sisters, true wisdom in our technological day is found in using modern tools with spiritual discernment—through the Holy Ghost—without allowing them to replace the rightful voice of the True Vine.’ (Paragraph 8)

‘My beloved brothers and sisters, in a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.’ (Paragraph 11)

‘In this sacred Easter season, I solemnly testify that Jesus Christ is the True Vine. He lives. He rose from the dead, and His redeeming power is real. I bear witness that His voice is the voice of truth and life.’ (Paragraph 12)

Questions to discuss or ponder:

What does it mean to abide in Christ and His gospel? (Paragraph 2)

How can we abide in Christ in digital spaces? (Paragraph 3)

What habits help us stay spiritually nourished? (Paragraphs 2 and 9)

What voices or influences might be the ‘tangled vines’ in our lives? (Paragraph 7)

What lessons can we draw from the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus? (Paragraph 10)

Why is remaining connected to the True Vine essential to our spiritual survival? (Paragraph 11)

Invitations and application:

• Remain steadfast (paragraph  3)
• Rely on Christ and His strength during trials (paragraph 4)
• Exercise spiritual discernment (paragraph 8)
• Seek spiritual nourishment from the right source (paragraph 9)
• Stay connected to the True Vine (paragraph 11)

Connection to Christ is not accidental—it is cultivated through small, consistent, intentional choices.

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