Conversion helps us become something better.

Okay, I've been thinking a bit about what to write today. Last week after thinking about what to write, I wrote a poem (which can be found here if you're lazy ;) ) and it turned out better than I expected. Pretty sure today won't be another poem.

Anyway.

Today in sacrament meeting the topic was personal conversion. So I thought that I would address that because I feel like since conversion is an ongoing process, we need to be reminded about how to be converted quite often. 

• Conversion, as I said before, is an ongoing process. It's something we have to work at daily.
• Conversion is helping us become something better–a better version of who we were meant to be. If we're not becoming something, then we're not being converted.
• We will know that we are progressing when a couple of things happen: 1) When we lose our desire to do evil; and 2) When we see things, and people, as Christ does, and when we do what Christ would do.
• One thing that I loved that someone said was that personal conversion doesn't always happen because of some big event or some big thing. It's often because of small and simple things that great things are brought to pass (Alma 37:6).
• Another thing that I loved was that you can't become converted without a testimony. Your testimony is the basis of your conversion, and if you don't have a testimony, you can't become converted.
• Also, you can't share your conversion. Like, you can't say, "Hey, friend, I got converted because of this" and then your friend is converted. No–it doesn't work like that. You have to work on your conversion yourself. 
• Just like a testimony, your conversion begins with a seed. It is also deeply rooted to your testimony. 
• Our hearts should be continually changing. Because if it's not, then we're not being converted because conversion is a continual change/process; so, our hearts should be continually changing, too.
• This life was never designed to be easy. I'm sorry, but it's true. If it was meant to be easy, then we wouldn't have to go through such hard things, and we wouldn't be able to change our hearts and our selves. Trials make us stronger, can bring us closer to Christ, and they can help us on the path of conversion.
• Anything that stands in our way of personal conversion/testimony isn't worth it.

In Relief Society we talked about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. Kea shared a quote by President Howard W. Hunter that I loved: "No matter our status in life–no matter how much or how little money we have, no matter our possessions or careers–God can work through us and with us to do good in this world." I love that. Joseph Smith was a 14-year-old boy who had a question, and that question led to the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ on this earth. You don't have to be a giant world power or a famous person to be able to do something great for God, or to be able to speak to God, or to be able to receive an answer from God. Just be you.

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has shaped me into who I am today. Being able to depend on and turn to my Savior when I am going through something tough, or when I need forgiveness, or when I need comfort, has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. The other blessing is that I, in turn, get to help my friends and family (and sometimes random strangers). I get to help them physically, and emotionally, and spiritually, and it's the best feeling in the world!!! I love helping my friends and family with whatever it is they need help with. I love being Christ's hands. I know that He would love to be able to help us all physically, but He can't, so He sends us people. He sends us our friends and family, and sometimes He sends us random strangers. I love being the person that He sends. I love representing my Savior. I know that I won't always be able to represent Him as perfectly as I'd like to, but I do my best, and I am grateful that He is there to help me know what I need to do for each person whose life I touch. 

I'm not perfect, and I struggle with things, but the one thing I don't struggle with is helping others. I can't help it–seeing the smile on their face when I help them, or seeing the gratitude on their face, is worth it–it's worth more than all the mashed potatoes and gravy in the world. (FYI, mashed potatoes and gravy are my favorite food in the entire world, which says something about how much I love serving others: way more than my favorite food)

I'm so grateful for all of the opportunities that I've had and will have to serve those around me. I'm so grateful that those opportunities bring me closer to my Savior and my Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful for Their love and support, and I'm so grateful that They are there for me whenever I need them, and I'm so grateful for all of the people They've sent to me when I've needed them. I know that They love us, and that Jesus Christ died for us, to save us from our sins, and our sorrows, and our iniquities. I know that because of Him, we can live again. I know that we will be able to see those who have passed on again. Because of Him, we can be together again. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

A collection of simple messages. :)

There were lots of great messages today!! So I am just going to post them in bullet list form. :-)

Sacrament meeting: Specifically about missionary work/mission prep, but it also works for the Gospel in general:

• To be able to teach, we must first love the student.
• All refining comes with a price.
• The Plan of Salvation would be void without the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
• You know more than you think you know. 
• Doctrine and Covenants 38:30-"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

Relief Society: Simplicity ("It Works Wonderfully" by President Uchtdorf):

To become converted, you have to actively live the Gospel. Develop your own testimony. Study the scriptures and pray. That is how you become converted. Conversion is a life-long process. :)

These are a couple of thoughts that I had after our lesson in Relief Society:

• You are a child of God. And there is nothing that He wants more than for you to return and live with Him.
• People often forget that we are all human, and humans make mistakes. God does not make mistakes–His Gospel is perfect. It is the people living the Gospel who are imperfect.
• The message of the Gospel is love. It's the love that our Heavenly Parents and our Savior Jesus Christ has for each of us–They want us to return home to Them. 

I am trying so hard to be a good example. I'm trying so hard to be a better hand for the Lord. I'm not going to lie–sometimes it's difficult; sometimes it's really easy and fun. :-) Regardless of whether it's difficult or easy, it's always worth it to see a smile on someone else's face, or to make their life easier, or whatever the results end up being. 

Loving those you serve makes your life so much better. 

You know more than you think you know. Don't freak out so much. Take a breath and step back from your worries–believe me, I know how hard that is, but you can do it!–and think about it slowly and carefully. The answer will come to you in time. :)

The process of refining and changing yourself to be a better person comes with a price–you have to let go of who you were. I know that it is super difficult, but I also know that you can do it with the Lord's help and guidance. Trust me–Jesus Christ will help you, and He will not let you fail or fall. 

I know that this Gospel is true. I know that my Savior lives, and that He died so that we could all be saved. I know that He died so that we would never be alone in our troubles. I know that He sends people to us to help us. I know that He has sent me to help those around me. I know that conversion is a life-long process, and that your testimony can stop growing and disappear if you don't work on it daily. I know that God is always there for me. I know that He loves me. I know that He is always there for you; I know that He loves you. I know that you are a child of God–a daughter or son of an almighty King–and I know that He loves you with an infinite and endless love. That will never change. 

P.S. If you ever have any questions, you can ask me, or you can check out lds.org or mormon.org. These are a few of the Church's official sites. Mormon.org has a link where you can ask to meet with the missionaries. 

He trusts you, and He loves you.

I've been thinking about this for a little while, but I really thought about it a lot today during the sacrament. Sometimes the Lord just trusts us to do the right thing. He knows we can do it, and He knows we know the right decision. Sometimes He just lets us drive, but He'll take the wheel when needed.

Today in sacrament meeting, the topic was personal conversion. There are a few steps to personal conversion:
1. We have to want it.
2. We have to become humble, and get rid of our pride.
3. We have to study the Gospel–quality study, not quantity study.
4. We need to pray. About everything, but especially to have the Spirit in our lives.
5. We need to sacrifice. We need to fix our sins (as best we can; we're not perfect) and make good habits.

Conversion is becoming someone of the Gospel, and acting on your testimony.

You can't know the goodness unless you experience it or practice it.

It's called personal conversion. You have to do it for yourself. No one else can do it for you.

A testimony is personal knowledge of spiritual truth, while personal conversion is applying the knowledge of the Gospel.

You have to be persistent and patient, because it won't happen all at once.


I know that personal conversion is a lifelong journey, and I know that, with the Lord's help, you can become converted. I know that God trusts us enough to let us take the reigns because sometimes we can only learn what we need to learn if we make the decision by ourselves. He trusts us more than we trust ourselves. I know that He trusts you and He loves you. I also know that He will be there to catch us if we fall; He won't let us fall. He is always there to help us because He loves us so much. He also sends us people when we need them or their influence in our lives. Jesus Christ won't ever leave us alone because He knows our pains and sorrows and afflictions, and He knows how it feels to be alone, and He won't let us be alone. He won't leave you alone. He won't let you be alone.
I can't stress that enough: He won't let you be alone.

He loves you so much. Don't forget that. <3 <3