He Spoke I Went

As a missionary serving in the South Africa Pretoria Mission, I have been deeply touched by the joyful spirit of the Saints here. It is something you feel even before you fully understand it — a quiet strength that radiates from smiling faces, even in the most difficult of living conditions.

You may look at a picture of a tin-roofed home or a dirt path winding through an informal settlement and feel pity. But when you meet the people who live there, your heart changes. You don’t walk away with pity — you walk away inspired. You walk away with your faith renewed.

Elder Carlos A. Godoy, in a recent General Conference talk, said:

“The greatness of our Saints in Africa becomes even more evident as they face life’s challenges and the demands of a growing Church. They always approach it with a positive attitude.”

I have not been inside homes located within informal settlements, but I have worshipped and served alongside many wonderful people who currently live in these areas. I have visited very humble homes — and what I have experienced in them has strengthened my testimony more than I can say.

These Saints live in what the world might describe as lack, but they are rich in the things that matter most. Their eyes shine with faith. Their words are full of love. Their smiles come from deep discipleship.

“We see their positive attitude because they center their lives in the gospel of Jesus Christ. They know where to find help and hope,” Elder Godoy continued.

Their strength is not born of ease. It is born of their relationship with the Savior. As He taught in the Book of Mormon:

“By their fruits ye shall know them.” (3 Nephi 14:20)

The fruit I see here is joy — not circumstantial, but spiritual. It’s the joy that comes from knowing who you are, whose you are, and where your help comes from. These Saints are true disciples of Jesus Christ, described in the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Disciples of Jesus Christ are those who receive His law and do it.”(Doctrine and Covenants 41:5)

In the homes I have visited, the gospel is not just spoken — it is lived. I have seen it in the reverence of family prayers, the warmth of hospitality, the strength of parents teaching their children to walk in the light of the Lord.

“They find joy despite their challenges,” Elder Godoy said.

“They have learned that our relationship with the Savior enables us to approach difficulties with smiling faces and grateful hearts.”

The pictures I am sharing are not meant to highlight poverty — they are meant to highlight power. The power of faith. The power of hope. The power of a people who have made Christ the center of their lives and who walk with Him, even when the road is hard.

As I have served here, my testimony has deepened: Christ walks with the humble. He knows the names and needs of His people — in every township, every village, and every heart. And He is smiling with them.

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25)

May we all learn from these Saints. May we center our lives more fully on Jesus Christ — not just in comfort, but especially in trial. Because in Him, even in the hardest circumstances, we can all have smiling faces and grateful hearts.

I have come to know that joy is not tied to our possessions or surroundings, but to our relationship with Jesus Christ. I testify that He knows each of us — rich or poor, seen or unseen — and He walks with those who walk with Him. I have seen the light of Christ in the eyes of humble Saints, and I have felt His Spirit in small, simple homes filled with faith. The people of South Africa have taught me what it means to be a true disciple — to smile through hardship, to serve with gratitude, and to live with hope rooted in Christ.