Don't Just Look at the Fruit
From “Fruit to Make One Happy,” by Elder Gary E. Stevenson · Sunday afternoon session, October 2026 General Conference
The big idea
We find out how sweet the gospel of Jesus Christ is by living it, and the joy gets bigger when we love, share and invite.
Objective
Youth will explain in their own words why living a gospel truth is different from knowing about it, and will choose one real person to love, share with or invite this week.
Before you teach
- Read Elder Stevenson's talk. He spoke partly to Primary children; tell the youth so, and that the three truths he taught are for every age.
- Write the three fruits on the board: child of a loving Heavenly Father; the great plan of happiness through Jesus Christ; the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Draw three empty columns on the board headed Love, Share, Invite.
- Ask youth to have scriptures or phones ready with the talk open in Gospel Library.
- The talk includes a man grieving the death of his wife. Tell it honestly and gently.
Lesson plan
Thirty minutes in 6 parts. Times are a guide; let the Spirit and the learners set the pace.
Describe it without naming it
- Start right after the prayer. In pairs, each person has 30 seconds to describe a favorite fruit without naming it while the partner guesses.
- Ask: Suppose your partner had never tasted that fruit. Would your description be enough? Why not?
- Read the first key quote (T34.07). Say that today is about tasting, not just describing.
Lehi's first bite
- Have everyone open 1 Nephi 8:10–12. Race to find three words or phrases that describe the fruit, and the first thing Lehi wanted after he tasted it. First to find all four stands.
- Explain what Elder Stevenson taught: the tree stands for the love of God, shown most of all in Jesus Christ. The fruit stands for the blessings that come through His Atonement, including the truths of the restored gospel.
- Ask the question below. Take honest answers, including the ones that are not polished.
- What is one gospel truth you have only looked at so far, and one you would say you have actually tasted?
Three fruits, three pitches
- Make three teams and give each one fruit from the board. Team 1 uses T34.08–10 and Romans 8:16. Team 2 uses T34.13–14 and Alma 42:8. Team 3 uses T34.16–17 and 2 Nephi 32:5.
- Teams have four minutes to prepare a 30-second pitch with three parts: one line from Elder Stevenson, one phrase from the scripture, and what living this truth looks like at school on a Tuesday.
- Hear the three pitches. After each, the other teams name the most real thing they heard.
- Add anything missed: Elder Stevenson called being a child of God our most important identity, and he listed the Holy Ghost's roles as to warn, to comfort and to testify.
When I don't feel good enough
- Say that many people wonder at times if they will ever be good enough. Invite a youth to read the key quote from T34.14.
- Briefly tell the story: in Japan, Elder Stevenson had a friend, a Buddhist temple priest, who was overcome with grief after his wife died. Elder Stevenson and a friend visited him and shared that in God's plan her spirit was in the spirit world, in a state of rest, happiness and peace. His countenance changed in that moment.
- Ask the questions below. Allow silence; do not rush to fill it.
- What is the good news in that quote, in your own words?
- The priest's sadness turned to hope when he heard one truth. Which truth of the plan of happiness gives you the most hope right now?
Love, share, invite
- Read Elder Stevenson's invitation and promise (T34.20). Note that he said to do it with words and actions.
- Give the class two minutes to fill the three columns on the board with things a teenager could really do this week. Push for specifics: sit with someone, send a verse that helped you, bring a friend to an activity.
- Read Elder Caussé's words about a testimony (T03.22). Ask how that takes the pressure off sharing.
- Each youth types into phone notes, or writes on paper: one name, and one thing from the board they will do for that person by a day they choose.
- Check for understanding: ask two volunteers to finish this sentence aloud: Knowing about a gospel truth is different from living it because...
Close
- Share one fruit of the gospel that is sweet to you and bear testimony of Jesus Christ, the strength of youth.
- Tell them you will open next week by asking who did it and what happened, and that a small try counts.
- Close with prayer.
Key passages from the talk
“But once we have tasted it, we know how much we like it. Gospel truths are the same.”
“This is your most important identity.”
“Even when we make mistakes and feel discouraged or wonder if we will ever be good enough, ‘there is good news—wonderful, hopeful news! Because God loves [us], He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself [our] sins so [we] can repent, be forgiven, and keep progressing.’”
“As you do so, I promise that you will not only feel joy and happiness that comes as you partake of fruit of the gospel but even greater joy as loved ones around you partake as well.”
The speaker’s direct invitation
“I invite you to do something that is as simple as gospel fruit is delicious: love, share, and invite.”
Scriptures
- 1 Nephi 8:10–12 Everyone searches for three descriptions of the fruit and the first thing Lehi wanted after tasting it.
- Romans 8:16 Team 1 uses a phrase from it in their pitch about being a child of God.
- Alma 42:8 Team 2 finds the name this verse gives to God's plan and uses it in their pitch.
- 2 Nephi 32:5 Team 3 uses it to explain what the Holy Ghost will do for those who receive Him.
Other voices that agree
“It need not be long, eloquent, or dramatic—it only needs to be true.”
Three things to remember
- I find out how sweet a gospel truth is by living it.
- Being a child of God is my most important identity.
- Jesus Christ is the strength of youth, and my joy grows when I share Him.
Ways to act this week
- Love: do one unasked act of kindness for the person whose name you wrote down.
- Share: send a friend or family member one verse or one line from this talk that helped you, with a sentence about why.
- Invite: ask one person to come with you to something you are already going to, such as a youth activity, seminary or church.
- Taste: choose one of the three fruits and live it on purpose for seven days; notice what changes.
Suggestions written for this lesson, not the speaker’s words.
Music
- I Know My Father Lives
- Gethsemane
Adapting the lesson
- At home or with two or three youth: skip teams. Each person takes one fruit and gives the 30-second pitch alone.
- Large class: make six teams, two per fruit, and hear one pitch per fruit.
- Short on time: do the opening game, 1 Nephi 8:10–12, and Love, share, invite.
This lesson is an independent study aid written for this site. It is not an official lesson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quotations are word for word from the official talk; paragraph numbers count the paragraphs of the talk as published at churchofjesuschrist.org, not counting headings or picture captions. The activities, questions and ideas for acting are suggestions; follow the Spirit and adapt them to those you teach.