Hello, Doer of the word!
Let's dive into the invitations from Elder Carlos A Godoy's October 2025 General Conference address, "Smiling Faces and Grateful Hearts."
Invitations
1 - "Our relationship with the Savior enables us to approach difficulties with smiling faces and grateful hearts." Elder Godoy points out that these African saints have "a positive attitude because they center their lives in the gospel of Jesus Christ. They know where to find help and hope." It seems implied that we should do the same.
Application Idea: Honestly reflect on what is at the center of your life. To whom do you turn to find help and hope? Family, friends, and mentors are very important and you should continue to utilize their support, but if anyone other than Christ came to mind first, I suggest you work on developing the Christlike attributes of Faith and Hope. Preach My Gospel chapter 6 is an excellent resource for this.
2 - Elder Godoy included this invitation from a girl in Lesotho: "Trust in Jesus and always look unto Him, because through Him you’ll find peace, and He will help you in the healing process."
Application Idea: Talk with others who've been through hard things and appear to have spiritually healed well. Learn from them. Also study scriptural and general conference references for "Trust" to learn what prophets have said about trusting God.
3 - Elder Godoy also reiterated the Savior's invitation: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Application Idea: We rattle off this passage, but let's take some time to break it down, study its parts, and figure out what each means for us and which one we ought to put more effort into to allow the Savior to help with our burden.
Come unto me - What does that look like? What action must I take right now to come unto Him?
Labor, heavy laden, burdened - How heavy is my burden, really? All of us will carry some burdens that are nearly unbearable and other loads that we perceive as heavier than they truly are because our negative attitude adds weight.
I will give you rest - What "rest" do I crave right now? What's the difference between resting, taking a rest, feeling rested, and receiving rest as a gift from Jesus?
Take my yoke upon you - What's a yoke? (hint: it's not always a double animal harness where we're pulling together with Christ; that's just one type of yoke). What do the various types of yokes symbolize for my situation? What is my yoke? What is Christ's yoke? Why should I trade mine for His? What action is required to take it upon me?
Learn of me - How do I do this currently? What could I improve to learn more from Him? How have I learned from other people? What can I apply those methods to learning from the Savior?
I am meek and lowly in heart - Of all His matchless attributes, why would Christ call attention to these two? What will I do to seek these qualities myself?
Ye shall find rest unto your souls - What does it mean to "find" rest? (compare with #3). What is rest "unto your souls?" (hint: LDS theology says the soul = body + spirit).
My yoke is easy and my burden is light - What is easy or light for me now that used to be hard or heavy? (See Mosiah 24 and watch for what makes a burden light)
Additional Resources
General Conference Applied S6 E72. Mission Stories from Africa—Elder Carlos A. Godoy, "Smiling Faces and Grateful Hearts" - Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube. Mitch and Clay were joined by Greg Wilson, the guy who likely made the furniture you pull out for ward parties. Greg founded Mity (aka Mity-Lite) to create lightweight tables and chairs for the church. He grew it into a multinational company, supplying the church but also schools and other venues, before selling it 20 years ago. In retirement, the Wilsons served a mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where they experienced incredible things and made lifelong friends. Greg is one of the biggest advocates for everyone, but especially seniors, to serve missions. Hopefully his stories inspire you to put in your papers! This episode touches on gratitude, poverty, senior missionary service, Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, miracles, dedication, trusting the Lord, and much more!
External Resources Shared In This Episode:
President Gordon B. Hinckley, Converts and Young Men, April 1997 General Conference: "With the ever-increasing number of converts, we must make an increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way. Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with 'the good word of God' (Moroni 6:4). It is our duty and opportunity to provide these things."
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, No One Sits Alone, October 2025 General Conference
In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley Jr.
GCA S6 E46 – Thursday, January 1, 2026 – No Legs? No Problem! Service Missionaries are Incredible!—Elder James E. Evanson—"Go and Do Likewise" –Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Alma 26:11-12 - "I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things."
GCA S6 E25 – Sunday, November 23, 2025 – Australian Latter-day Saint's New Beginning in Christ – Elder Patrick Kearon – "Jesus Christ and Your New Beginning" – Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
President Dallin H. Oaks, Coming Closer to Jesus Christ, BYU Devotional: February 10, 2026
Dallas Jenkins, Five Loaves and Two Fishes, BYU Devotional: October 29, 2024
Take Action
Clay's Application: Improving our attitude by being grateful and turning to Christ reminded me of Elder Patrick Kearon's invitation:
"New beginnings are for more than just our sins and mistakes. Through the goodness and grace of the Saviour, we can have fresh starts that propel change in old mindsets, bad habits, grumpy dispositions, negative attitudes, feelings of powerlessness, and tendencies to blame others and avoid personal responsibility. You can actually change things about yourself that have been wearing you down for years. You can start again through the might of the Master of new beginnings."
I still need to do more personal work on this by pondering, prayer, and listening to the Spirit for any guidance specific to me.
Mitch's Application: I will do a better job of facing adversity with a smiling face and a grateful heart. And I will especially model this behavior to my children.
Reply to this email and tell us how you'll take action on one of these invitations and whether we can share your response in our newsletter, podcast, and/or on social media.
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