Editor’s note: To support personal and family gospel learning, the Church News is publishing articles on messages from October 2025 general conference. It is recommended to listen to or read the full address in addition to reviewing these resources.
About this talk
- “The Good News Recipe”
- Elder John D. Amos | General Authority Seventy
- Sunday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference.
- Theme: The simple secret for happy living is to follow God’s recipe in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Amos’ message here.
Outline
- In Elder Amos’ home state of Louisiana, tasty dishes like gumbo and jambalaya often have a Creole seasoning added as a “secret ingredient” to compensate for imperfections. He and his wife, Michelle, served as mission leaders in Louisiana, where they would teach missionaries how to cook Sister Amos’ jambalaya recipe.
- Browsing through the Church Media Library, Elder Amos saw a short video with Church President Russell M. Nelson titled “Scriptures Are God’s Recipes for Happy Living.” Using the analogy of baking a cake according to a recipe, President Nelson taught Primary children his “secret” is called the scriptures.
- God’s recipe in the scriptures is the “Good News Recipe.” Embedded in the Good News Recipe is the “secret ingredient,” with the answer being Jesus Christ.
- All have moments when their ingredients are not good enough, they struggle to follow directions or they do something out of order or something happens out of their control. The remedy is always Jesus Christ.
- Speaking of what it looks like to add more Jesus Christ into one’s life, Elder Amos shared how as a mission president, he helped an elder with companionship challenges use Moroni 7:45 to seek charity. After a few weeks, both elders’ letters showed greater unity and love in their companionship and work.
- While following the Good News Recipe, remember President Nelson’s teaching that “whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.”
- When one needs to “hear Him” and know how to invite Jesus Christ into one’s life, Elder Amos admonished to follow the steps President Nelson taught about personal revelation, including finding a quiet place to regularly go and pray, to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, to listen and to record feelings and follow through with actions.
- Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer and has accomplished what one needs to return to Heavenly Father.
Reflection questions
How is Jesus Christ the “secret ingredient” in the plan of salvation?
When have Jesus Christ and His Atonement compensated for your imperfections?
In what ways is the “Good News Recipe” found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?
Think of ways an appeal to the scriptures has led you to find answers to life’s questions or problems.
How can you invite Jesus Christ more into your life and seek personal revelation?
Speaker quotes
- “What do you do if something goes wrong when following the recipe? Well, embedded in the Good News Recipe is the ‘secret ingredient’ to ensure you always get it right in the end. The answer is always Jesus Christ.”
- “The elder then looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Yes, President, but that is hard to do.’ I agreed and reminded him that he is a son of God with divine potential to do it together with the Lord.”
- “I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He has ‘accomplished everything we need to be able to return to [our] Heavenly Father.’”
Reference scriptures
- “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
- “Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.”
Invitations and promises
- “The simple secret for happy living is to just follow God’s recipe as detailed in the scriptures. I call it the ‘Good News Recipe.’”
- “We all have moments when we feel our ingredients are not good enough, or we struggle to follow the directions, or perhaps we do something out of order, or something happens that is out of our control, and so on. What’s the remedy? It’s simply to add more of what invites Jesus Christ into your life.”
- “As you follow the Good News Recipe for happy living, remember President Nelson’s teaching: ‘Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!’”
Stories
- In Elder Amos’ home state of Louisiana, there are tasty dishes, including gumbo and jambalaya. When he cooks one of those recipes, he does the undocumented final step of the taste test. At that point, if anything is missing, “the Creole cooking legends” whisper in his ear to add a special seasoning. That “secret ingredient” compensates for imperfections made while following the recipe.
- When Elder Amos and his wife, Michelle, served as mission leaders in Louisiana, they had a tradition of teaching the missionaries her special jambalaya recipe on their last night in the mission home. The missionaries returned home with testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and an appreciation for recipes.
- While serving as a mission president, Elder Amos met with a missionary struggling in his companionship. They knelt together and prayed, then turned to the scriptures, specifically Moroni 7:45, concerning charity. Together, the mission president and elder identified small things the elder could do for his companion. As the weeks went by, the elders’ letters reflected increased love and unity in their companionship.
From the footnotes
- 3. “The word gospel literally means ‘good news’” (“Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” published 2023, page 61).
Additional resources
- Related image: “#HearHim”
- Related video: “Seek Jesus Christ: Our Greatest Treasure”
- Related hymn: No. 193, “I Stand All Amazed”
Recent conference talks on happiness through Christ
- Elder Michael Cziesla: “Simplicity in Christ” (October 2025)
- Elder Patrick Kearon: “Jesus Christ and Your New Beginning” (October 2025)
- President Camille N. Johnson: “Spiritually Whole in Him” (April 2025)
Who is Elder Amos?
- Elder John D. Amos was sustained as a General Authority Seventy during the April 2025 general conference. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, Elder Amos worked as an engineering duty officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Siemens Energy Inc. engineering director and engineering adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida.
