After many years of serving in Church leadership
positions, Elder Adhemar Damiani, of the Second Quorum of
the Seventy, was well schooled in receiving direction from General Authority
leaders. Nevertheless, it was an adjustment for him to think 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 said, “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
the new calling. He continued to serve as second counselor in the Brazil South
Area Presidency. His previous callings included 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 had two children.
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 brought years of administrative and leadership
experience gained in his work. This experience was helpful in training leaders for the
rapidly growing Church in Brazil.
But more important, Elder Damiani said, was his broadened
responsibility to testify of Jesus Christ.
His was a testimony built on truths he first learned
through the Book of Mormon’s witness of the Savior. It was a testimony that
had 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 was a testimony he delighted in sharing. “I have
no doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Gordon B. Hinckley is a prophet today.”
As a Seventy, Elder Damiani has served in many functions, most recently as president of the Campinas Brazil Temple.
On October 1, 2005, a grateful Church, assembled in General Conference extended an honorable release from the Second Quorum of the Seventy to Elder Adhmar Damiani, and with raised hands, gave him a vote of thanks for services long and honorably rendered.
