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Elder Ulisses Soares, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visited the flood-stricken region of Spain on November 8, 2024. He was accompanied by Elder Rubén Alliuad, President of the Europe Central Area. Their visit aimed to provide comfort and support to the residents affected by flash floods in late October.
During their visit to Catarrojas, Spain, Elder Soares conveyed a message of faith and hope to local Latter-day Saints. "My dear brothers and sisters, we love you deeply and want to be close to you at this time. That’s why we are here. I hope you can feel our Heavenly Father’s love for you, as well as our love," he stated.
Helamán Rubío, a resident who lost four neighbors during the flood, expressed his gratitude for Elder Soares' visit. "We really needed Elder Soares to come. It has been like a miracle," said Rubío.
Elder Soares emphasized the importance of spiritual healing in times of crisis. "Perhaps, in this moment, the main need we have right now is a spiritual need. And our spiritual caretaker is the Savior Jesus Christ," he advised.
He also offered prayers and blessings for those affected by the disaster and personally greeted each attendee with his wife Rosana and the Alliuads.
Almudena Gómez shared her experience with Elder Soares' visit: “It has been a great blessing that … he came here to give us all his love.”
The Church's local meetinghouse has become a hub for community aid, providing meals and essentials to those in need. Gómez noted the support from both church members and others across Spain: “In the midst of this tragedy, we have felt a lot of support even before today."
Elder Soares also met with missionaries from the Barcelona Spain Mission who are assisting in relief efforts.
On November 10, 2024, Elder Soares addressed over 5,000 Latter-day Saints at a conference emphasizing strengthening spiritual foundations amid challenging times.
