Elder Adhemar Damiani

Of the Seventy

After many years of serving in Church leadership positions, Elder Adhemar Damiani, newly called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy, is well schooled in receiving direction from General Authority leaders. It is an adjustment for him to think now in terms of giving counsel as a General Authority himself.

“It was only through the help of the Lord that I came to this point,” he says, “and it will only be with the help of the Lord that I will be able to carry out this work.”

He was an Area Authority Seventy before receiving this calling and continues to serve as second counselor in the Brazil South Area Presidency. His previous callings include mission president, counselor in the presidency of the São Paulo Missionary Training Center, regional welfare agent, counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, and bishop.

A native of Brazil (born 18 December 1939), he was baptized in May 1961 after being introduced to the gospel by the woman who would become his wife, Walkyria Bronze. She was baptized in March 1961. Married in March 1963, they have two children and five grandchildren.

His wife’s “complete support,” in both spiritual and emotional ways, and her many other strengths have helped make his service possible, Elder Damiani says.

His career was in business. He retired as owner and a partner in SEDA Tecnologia, a company specializing in customized software for business applications. He hopes that years of administrative and leadership experience gained in his work will be helpful in training leaders for the rapidly growing Church in Brazil.

But more important, Elder Damiani says, is his broadened responsibility to testify of Jesus Christ.

His is a testimony built on truths he first learned through the Book of Mormon’s witness of the Savior. It is a testimony that has been fed through service in the Church, particularly as mission president (Brazil Curitiba, 1995–98), when he saw the gospel change lives of both missionaries and the people they taught.

It is a testimony he delights in sharing. “I have no doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Gordon B. Hinckley is a prophet today.”