October 2026 General Conference › Lessons › Elder Thabo Lebethoa › Adults
More of His Light, One Day at a Time
From “Jesus Christ Is the Light and Life of the World,” by Elder Thabo Lebethoa · Sunday afternoon session, October 2026 General Conference
The big idea
Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world, and we receive more of His light as we daily build faith in Him, study the scriptures, and repent.
Objective
Learners will name one place in their life where they need the Savior’s light and choose one daily practice from Elder Lebethoa’s talk to invite that light this week.
Before you teach
- Read Elder Lebethoa’s talk, especially the story of the first disagreement and the three things we can do.
- Write on the board: Faith in Jesus Christ. Scriptures daily. Repentance daily.
- Bring slips of paper and pens for silent writing.
- Mark 3 Nephi 11:11, 29–30; Alma 7:11–12; and Matthew 11:28.
Lesson plan
Thirty minutes in 6 parts. Times are a guide; let the Spirit and the learners set the pace.
When a conversation goes wrong
- Begin with prayer. You might sing or read the words of “Come unto Jesus.”
- Tell the class that Elder Thabo Lebethoa of the Seventy said many of us have had a conversation with a spouse, child, friend, colleague, or neighbor that did not end as we hoped.
- Ask everyone to think silently of one such moment. No one needs to share details.
- Ask the question below and take two or three brief answers.
- In the hour after a conversation like that, what do you most need?
A verse that turned on the light
- Retell the story: Elder Lebethoa’s name means joy, and his wife’s middle name means eternal or endless. Shortly after they married, a discussion became their first serious disagreement, then an argument, then the silent treatment.
- Explain that while he pondered what to do, the Savior’s words to the people of Nephi came to his mind.
- Read 3 Nephi 11:29–30 in pairs. Ask pairs to find what the Savior says is not His doctrine and what is.
- Share that Elder Lebethoa said these words enlightened his mind and helped him know how to resolve the challenge, and that this enlightenment comes from the Savior. Read 3 Nephi 11:11 together.
- When has a verse of scripture come to mind and shown you what to do next?
- Why do you think the Savior’s light and a spirit of contention cannot stay together for long?
The answer is always Jesus Christ
- Read aloud the list of concerns Elder Lebethoa named: becoming self-reliant, demands at school or work, feelings of inadequacy, fear, and doubt, the loss of a loved one, or simply knowing what to do with our lives.
- Invite each person to write on a slip of paper one place where they need more light right now. They keep the slip; no one will read it.
- Read the key quote that begins “Whatever concerns” and the one that begins “Jesus Christ can bring light.”
- Discuss the question below. Help the class notice that Elder Lebethoa does not say the problem disappears; he says the Savior brings light and restores hope.
- What is the difference between having a problem solved and having light in the middle of it?
Three ways to receive more light
- Divide into three groups, one for each phrase on the board. A small class can take them one at a time together.
- Faith group: read Alma 7:11–12 and Doctrine and Covenants 6:36. Share President Oaks’s words from the aligned quotes about daily trying.
- Scripture group: retell the man who, after reading the Book of Mormon, took a shovel, dug a hole in his garden, and buried a newly purchased large tin of coffee. Read the key quote about consistency and sincerity.
- Repentance group: share Elder Lebethoa’s teaching that repentance means a change of mind and a turning of the heart to God, and read Sister Runia’s words from the aligned quotes.
- Give groups four minutes with the questions below, then ask each group for one insight in a sentence or two.
- What did Elder Lebethoa teach that makes this practice feel possible rather than heavy?
- What has this practice looked like on an ordinary day in your life?
Ponder a change
- Read Elder Lebethoa’s invitation from the invitations list. Mention the areas he suggested: how we use our time, the things we watch or listen to, and the language and tone we use with others.
- Give two full minutes of silence. Ask learners to turn over their slip and write one change to make and one daily practice from the board that will help.
- Remind them of his assurance that we do not need to go through this alone. The Savior is always ready to help.
- What is one thing the Lord would have you change this week, and which daily practice will you start with?
A new day
- As a check for understanding, ask one or two people to say in a sentence how we receive more of the Savior’s light.
- Share Elder Lebethoa’s promise: he testified that today can be a new day and tomorrow will be a better day for all who come unto Jesus Christ and receive His light. Read Matthew 11:28 and bear your own testimony.
- Tell the class that next week you will begin by asking what they noticed when they kept their daily practice.
Key passages from the talk
“Whatever concerns, challenges, and struggles we may have in our lives, the answer is always Jesus Christ.”
“Jesus Christ can bring light in our moments of darkness and restore hope where there is hopelessness.”
“Ultimately, the method, timing, and length of our scripture study matter less than the consistency and sincerity of our effort.”
“It is important to remember that we do not need to go through this alone.”
The speaker’s direct invitation
“Let us ponder about the changes that we need to make in our lives”
Scriptures
- 3 Nephi 11:29–30 Read in pairs after the story of the disagreement. Find what the Savior says is not His doctrine and what is.
- 3 Nephi 11:11 Read together to see how the Savior describes Himself, and connect it to the way His words enlightened Elder Lebethoa’s mind.
- Alma 7:11–12 The faith group reads it and lists what the Savior took upon Himself and why. Refer to verse 12 again during the silent pondering.
- Matthew 11:28 Read aloud at the close as the Savior’s own invitation, just before you testify.
Other voices that agree
“strong faith requires more than strong desire. It means daily trying, one step at a time, with prayer and scripture study”
“the invitation to repent is an expression of God’s love. Saying yes to that invitation is an expression of ours”
Three things to remember
- Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world.
- His light grows in my life through daily faith, daily scripture study, and daily repentance.
- I do not have to change alone; the Savior is always ready to help.
Ways to act this week
- Put your slip of paper where you will see it each morning and do the one daily practice you chose.
- Study the scriptures every day this week at a time that fits your circumstances, even briefly, and watch for one verse that shows you what to do.
- Before your next hard conversation, read 3 Nephi 11:29–30 and pray about your language and tone.
- Each night, ask yourself what you need to change, and ask the Savior for help with it.
Suggestions written for this lesson, not the speaker’s words.
Music
- Come unto Jesus
Adapting the lesson
- At home: skip the groups. Talk through the three practices together and let each person choose one for the week.
- Large class: let neighbors form the three groups by rows, and take only one insight from each practice.
- Short on time: keep the story, 3 Nephi 11:29–30, and the silent pondering. Mention the three practices from the board.
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.