Elder Carlos A. Godoy — 'I Believe in Angels': The Mortal Angels Who Saved a Brazilian Teenager's Conversion (c. 1970s–2020)

Elder Carlos A. Godoy, a General Authority Seventy who served in the Presidency of the Seventy, shared his remarkable conversion story in the October 2020 General Conference address titled "I Believe in Angels." His testimony is a powerful modern witness that the Lord sends angels — not only heavenly beings from the other side of the veil, but mortal angels walking among us — to guide His children into the restored gospel.

Elder Godoy was a young man in Brazil when the gospel first came into his life. His parents were not willing to have the missionaries in their home, so he took the missionary lessons in a Church building. The first "angels" in his conversion were two sister missionaries: Sister Vilma Molina and Sister Ivonete Rivitti. He called them "the first angels that I will mention" — the ones who taught him the gospel. One month after these sister missionaries introduced him to the gospel, he was baptized.

But his conversion was not without struggle. As a new member, he felt uncomfortable and uncertain trying to fit into his new religion. He found the courage to participate in a three-day youth conference, hoping to make new friends. This is when the Lord sent him another saving angel: a young woman named Mônica Brandão.

She was new in the area, having moved from another part of Brazil. She quickly got Elder Godoy's attention and accepted him as a friend. He said she "looked at me more from the inside than the outside." Because she befriended him, he was introduced to her friends, who became his friends. They enjoyed many youth activities together.

Then two additional mortal angels were sent by the Lord: a seminary teacher who gave him a "daily dose of the good word of God" (Moroni 6:4), and a Young Men president named Marco Antônio Fusco who gave him assignments to teach and go on home teaching visits, trusting him "more than I trusted myself."

Thanks to all these mortal angels, Elder Godoy received enough strength to remain on the covenant path and gained a spiritual witness of the truth. And that young angel girl, Mônica? After they both served missions, she became his wife.

Elder Godoy's conversion stands as a powerful witness that:

— The Lord sends angels to help those who are seeking the truth. Not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some walk among us, "so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind" (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland).

— Sister missionaries can be the first angels the Lord sends. Elder Godoy credited Sister Molina and Sister Rivitti as the angels who first brought the gospel into his life.

— Fellowshipping angels are essential to conversion. Without Mônica's friendship, Elder Godoy might not have stayed. The Lord knew exactly what he needed and sent the right person at the right time.

— Leaders who trust and give assignments are angels. Marco Antônio Fusco trusted the young convert more than the convert trusted himself — a powerful example of how priesthood leaders can be angels in the lives of new members.

Elder Godoy concluded his conference address with a call to action: "Brothers and sisters, I believe in angels! We are all here today, a giant army of angels set apart for these latter days, to minister to others as extensions of the hands of a loving Creator. He knows who needs angelic help, and He will put them in our path. The Lord puts those who need angelic help in our path daily."

His conversion story is a powerful modern testament that the Lord is actively involved in bringing His children to the gospel, and that He does so through mortal angels — missionaries, friends, teachers, and leaders — who are willing to be instruments in His hands.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

Brothers and sisters, I believe in angels, and I would like to share with you my experiences with them. When I was 16 years old, I was introduced to the gospel by two sister missionaries, Sister Vilma Molina and Sister Ivonete Rivitti. They were the first angels that I will mention. They were so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. They were not even willing to have the missionaries in our home, so I took the missionary lessons in a Church building. That small room in the chapel became my “sacred grove.” One month after these angels introduced me to the gospel, I was baptized. I knew the Church was true, but I had a hard time feeling part of it. While uncomfortable and uncertain as I tried to fit into my new religion, I found the courage to participate in a three-day youth conference, which I thought would help me make new friends. This is when I met another saving angel, named Mônica Brandão. She had recently moved to our area from another part of Brazil. She was so kind and so welcoming that she quickly got my attention. She accepted me as a friend, and because of her, I was introduced to her friends, who became my friends. She looked at me more from the inside than the outside. Those activities were so critical to my integration into this new life. These good friends made a big difference, but not having the gospel taught in my home with a supportive family still put my ongoing conversion process at risk. My gospel interactions in the Church became even more crucial to my growing conversion. The Lord sent me another angel, a seminary teacher who gave me a daily dose of the good word of God. And then, the Lord sent me a Young Men president named Marco Antônio Fusco. He gave me assignments to teach and to go on home teaching visits. He trusted me more than I trusted myself. He was an angel who helped me to see who I could become. Thanks to all these mortal angels, I received enough strength to remain on the covenant path and gained a spiritual witness of the truth. And that young angel girl, Mônica? After we both served missions, she became my wife.