What Is Conversion?
Jesus taught these same men about
conversion, which is far more than testimony. This process requires far more
than acquiring knowledge. To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel
challenges us to be “converted,” which requires us to do and to become. In
contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us
to become something.
How Does Conversion Happen?
True
conversion comes through the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit touches the heart,
hearts are changed. When individuals, both members and investigators, feel the
Spirit working with them, or when they see the evidence of the Lord’s love and
mercy in their lives, they are edified and strengthened spiritually and their
faith in Him increases.
President Russell M.
Nelson tied together learning and this converting change of heart when he
taught that as “the Holy Ghost gives conviction to the earnest seeker of
truth,” it fosters faith, which “promotes repentance and obedience to God’s
commandments.” These essential ingredients of conversion turn us “from the ways
of the world to … the ways of the Lord,” which “brings a mighty change of
heart.” This isn’t about knowing the names
of the twelve tribes of Israel or diagramming the allegory of the olives trees,
as useful as such exercises may be. This kind of learning is about changing
ourselves, about being different (better) because we know more of what God
knows.
The
Purpose of the New Curriculum and Sunday Block is Deeper Conversion
The goal of these adjustments is to
obtain a deep and lasting conversion of adults and the rising generation. We know the spiritual impact and the deep
and lasting conversion that can be achieved in the home setting. Years ago,
a study established that for young men and women the influence of the Holy
Ghost most often accompanies individual scripture study and prayer in the home.
Our purpose is to balance the Church and
the home experiences in a way that will greatly increase faith and spirituality
and deepen conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
World
conditions increasingly require deepening individual conversion to and strengthening faith in Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The Lord has prepared us, line upon
line, for the perilous times that we now face.
I hope we can see more than just
modified policies, new programs, and revised manuals. The Lord’s work has
always been ultimately about people, not programs. Whatever changes He directs,
what He’s really hoping to change is you and me. He wants to change our hearts
and enhance our future.
How to Study or Teach for Deeper Conversion
You can see that the kind of
learning I’m talking about is far too big to be wrapped up in a 50-minute
lesson. We wouldn’t expect our physical bodies to survive long on one meal a
week—even if it is a very good meal. Similarly, if a one-hour Church class is
the main setting for our “feasting upon the word of Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20),
then we are in danger of spiritual malnourishment.
Let me reassure you with two
thoughts: (1) You are teaching people, not lessons. (2). Remember that the best
way to invite the Spirit into our lives—and into our teaching—is to learn and
live the gospel ourselves. The Spirit is the ultimate teacher in this Church,
and fortunately, there is no limit to that influence.
I help [learners] see
connections between their lives and the precious doctrine in the scriptures.
Above all, I pray for inspiration in the moment to turn a fact into faith, to
turn a question into a quest. The true measure of success will not be how smoothly
the lesson went. Success depends on what happens in the life of the learner.
[There are] three basic ways or
methods of obtaining living water from the scriptural reservoir:
(1) reading the scriptures from beginning to end
(2) studying the scriptures by topic
(3) searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes.
Whereas reading a book of scripture from beginning to end provides a basic
breadth of knowledge, studying by topic increases the depth of our knowledge. In
my judgment, diligently searching to discover connections, patterns, and themes
is in part what it means to “feast” upon the words of Christ. This approach can
open the floodgates of the spiritual reservoir, enlighten our understanding
through His Spirit, and produce a depth of gratitude for the holy scriptures
and a degree of spiritual commitment that can be received in no other way.
Priorities
President Oaks: Spiritual
food is necessary for spiritual survival, especially in a world that is moving
away from belief in God and the absolutes of right and wrong. In an age dominated
by the Internet, which magnifies messages that menace faith, we must increase our exposure to spiritual
truth in order to strengthen our faith and stay rooted in the gospel.
President Ballard: Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Be wise and do not involve children or yourselves in so many activities out of the home that you are so busy that the Spirit of the Lord cannot be recognized.
President Ballard: Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Be wise and do not involve children or yourselves in so many activities out of the home that you are so busy that the Spirit of the Lord cannot be recognized.
Keep foremost in mind the sacred covenants you have made with the Lord as you write down your daily schedules.
Elder Christofferson:
You and I can put Christ at the center of our lives. We can begin by stripping everything out of our lives and then putting
it back together in priority order with the Savior at the center. We should
first put in frequent prayer and scripture study, thoughtful study of apostolic
teachings, weekly preparation to partake of the sacrament worthily, Sunday
worship, and recording and remembering what the Spirit and experience teach us
about discipleship.
