Conversion = Awakening

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Ward Conference
Jan 6, 02

The Bishop has touched on some critical points which will bless us if we will but follow him. He has said:

I would like to add some thoughts related to the challenge that our Area Presidency has given us this year. They have told us that in this valley, there are ____ people who are members of the church and who don’t attend any meetings.

He is asking us why? The reasons for not coming are as varied as the people who don’t come. But the reason for coming back into activity should always be the same – because they have had a change of heart – an awakening – a turning to Christ.

I think this is what we call conversion. Let’s focus on this principle of the gospel for a few minutes, in an effort to help us see how to help.


WHO ARE CONVERTS?

Let me ask would everyone who is a convert to the church please stand up?

These are blessed people, for the Lord said, “”

Hugh B Brown once said – “I was in a meeting not long ago and asked how many were converts. Probably 50% raised their hands. I said, ‘I advise the rest of you to get converted.” In the years that have passed, and they are many, I have continued to be a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and for that I thank God”

The first thing to know about conversion – is that it happens to all who will allow themselves to listen. Which means that it will happen to our friends just as certainly as it happens to us – if they are in tune. And that will happen in the lords own time, but he uses us to deliver the message. Pray for opportunities to be the messenger.

what does it mean to be a convert to the church?

Typically we think of converts as people who get baptized. Is that what it means, to get baptized? No, that’s something that converts do.
Does it mean – to get the priesthood? No, that’s something that converts do.
Does it mean – to get married and sealed in the temple? No, again, that’s something that converts do – but it’s not what being converted is…

Elder Robert Sackley once said - Being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ means to walk in a newness of life. It means learning to yield to the Spirit and responding to the things that the Lord expects us to respond to. It means caring for and serving others with deep considerate feelings rather than pursuing the natural desires of our own lives.

Conversion is an awakening. An awakening of who we are, and who the Lord is, and an awareness that there’s an impossibly huge gap between us. But that he loves us and is aware of us anyway.

Marion Romney said – “Somebody recently asked how one could know when he is converted. The answer is simple. He may be assured of it when by the power of the Holy Spirit his soul is healed. When this occurs, he will recognize it by the way he feels, for he will feel as the people of Benjamin felt when they received remission of sins. The record says, ‘…the spirit of the lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscious.”

Alvin R Dyer said – “True conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ produces a compelling influence for good. It makes one more agreeable to live with, more kindly, more tolerant of others, less prone to criticize of find fault; more apt to strive for the better things in life, shunning the base and carnal; seeking always to restrain sordid inclinations and replacing them with gentle and righteous ones.”
.
These brethren teach us, Conversion is an awakening that happens within us. That when we are converted, we awaken a spirit of peace, gratitude and joy – a spirit which awakens in us a wholeness or completeness, and which then opens us up to begin to look out for the welfare of others. Conversion makes a change in us and we put important things first, and lesser things last.

What are the important things that converts love? What do they put first in their lives?

President Hinkley said – “When there throbs in the heart of an individual Latter-Day Saint a great and vital testimony of the truth of this work, he will be found [getting baptized and] doing his duty in the church. He will be found in his sacrament meetings. He will be found in his priesthood meetings. He will be found paying his honest tithes and offerings. He will be doing his home teaching. He will be found in attendance at the temple as frequently as his circumstances will permit. He will have within him a great desire to share the gospel with others. He will be found strengthening and lifting his brethren and sisters. It is conversion that makes the difference.”



WHY BECOME CONVERTED
Some might ask, “Why do I need conversion…” Why do I need to do the things that converts do?

1. Unless we are converted – or in other words, unless the spirit is constantly changing us and making us more like Christ, then we are good for nothing. Or as the scriptures put it – we are ‘unprofitable servants’ – we can work and work and work – we can become wealthy and build empires, but all of it will eventually come to naught. In a more dramatic scriptural statement by king Benjamin if we are not converted, then we are ‘less than the dust of the earth.’ Why? Because the dust of the earth remains obeys the command of God and we don’t.

My son Blaine is on a mission in Spain. And I was so pleased to get a letter from him recently where he described the essence of conversion. He was asked to teach a lesson in church, and this is what he told us about his lesson:

“I started out [my talk] by showing a picture of Elder Richins and I standing in front of a huge mango field.

I told the [ward] about how one of their fellow members had asked us to come help them pick mangos.

I said, "Now in the US we don't get mangos too often but me and my comp just love them, so [we went, and] I got an idea.

I decided to cut off a huge branch that was full of mangos and take it home.

I ate a few of the mangos then put my branch in the sun and watered it so that it would grow e more mangos...so that I would always have mangos to eat.

But can anyone guess what happened?"
[Someone answered] "It died and you never got more mangos.

Even the ones left on it died."
[I replied] "You're right but how did you know?

Why didn't my plan work?"
[Someone spoke up] "It needs nourishment from the tree.

It needs the tree's roots."
[I said] "You mean, even though I gave it sun and water and all the necessary things it still needs the tree?"
"Of course."
And from there I took them into Christ's allegory of "I am the Vine" found in the first eight verses of John 15.

Just as the branch is nothing without the tree of the mangos, likewise no man can amount to anything without the tree of Jesus Christ…It really touched my heart, this whole concept as I prepared the lesson and as I delivered it.

What a humbling and yet beautiful thing to realize that without Christ we are nothing.

We can never hope to bear any fruit that's good for anything but firewood.

and yet WITH Christ we can do anything.

Our Fruits are unlimited.

Without Christ I am just a crazy person stuck in Spain missing my family and the comforts of life to walk around and make a fool of myself talking to strangers in a horrible accent about something they could care less about.

But with Christ I am a missionary, doing one the most important jobs in history and meanwhile laying up blessings for myself on earth and treasures in heaven.
And I looked around the room to those in attendance.

One is struggling to raise two teenage daughters after a hard divorce.

Another is very poor and lives in the GHETTO (I'm talking missionaries would be insane to go in the area after dark).

Her husband hates the church to which she attends faithfully every week.

She is raising her grandkids because her daughter irresponsibly keeps pumping them out even though she is on drugs and has no man that will stay with her long enough for her to even know she's pregnant.

This grandma works all day and yet doesn't even have money to get her kid's hair cut more than once every 3-4 months.

Another lady is a little heavier and though she is just the nicest person she is finding herself in her mid-30's with no eternal companion.

The list could go on much longer if I had space and time.

But the point is - these people aren't rich and famous.

They're not beautiful by the standards of the world.

In fact the world tends to chew people like this up and spit them out - they aren't worth anything.

And yet, [because of who they are connected to] they [are some of the most precious people on the earth and will ultimately become the leaders in the kingdom of God; why? Because they] are still connected to the tree!!! And so they are worth something.

They have infinite value and as they rely on the tree for nutrients they will bear more fruit [that’s worth keeping] than every king, every movie star, every CEO and everyone that has ever judged them to be worth nothing.

What a beautiful blessing the gospel is that we can know of a surety that, whatever our circumstances, that we will bear fruit as we walk in righteousness, not because we are worth anything on our own, but because we are in connection with him that is good.

Jesus Christ is what makes our pitiful lives worth living.

Hope and Faith in Him are what gives us strength to go on.”

Bringing this back to us sitting here in this chapel, if we were not connected to the tree of life – Christ – then all this Bishopric would be, is a banker, a food broker, and a trainer sitting in front of whatever it is that you do for a living. BUT because they are connected to the tree, then they are sacred pastors – shepherds of the Lords flock – judges in Zion responsible for the spiritual well being of this group of people. For they hold the keys which enable you to return to Christ. And you are more than just funny looking people with funny accents doing funny things. You are children of God who have taken upon you his name, and will bear fruit which lasts – you will be found worthy to stand because you follow these leaders and you have made sacred promises to stay hooked to the vine.

When we help our friends awaken to the power of the gospel – to the promises it gives – and bring them with us to grow in the gospel, then we begin to bear good fruit – the fruit that does not perish.

A second reason to seek an awakening – is to be at Peace. Peace is the fruit we seek. If you are not at peace, or if you have loved ones who are not at peace – then you need the gospel to bring it to you. Remember what the angels said at his birth? ‘Joy to the World – Peace – Goodwill to all men.’

I interviewed a woman the other day who had a moving testimony of Christ and had such confidence that he would care for her and her family. Terrible things had happened to her and her family…yet she described that even though she didn’t know where her next meals were coming from, and everything about her life seemed to be swirling around her, yet she didn’t have any fear. She described in great detail that there was a core of peace that brought her joy while everything else was swirling around her. That is the kind of peace that comes with true conversion. A peace that overcomes all understanding. The command is from the heavens Are we at peace that God is in charge, and his will will ultimately be done? To come to this peace we must accept a few basic truths – That God is great…greater than we can possibly imagine. And that we are unprofitable servants. And that without our covenants we are less than the dust of the earth. This understanding – leads to humility, which leads to dependence, which leads to peace. You’ll feel this in your prayers, in your taking of the sacrament. . This will show in our obedience to his commandments.

Strengthening others sounds easier than it is in reality. But we can start by inviting friends to come to mutual. Inviting loved ones to prepare for the temple. Going to the temple with loved ones. Serving in callings. Being a friend to those who are seeking love and seeking a testimony.


This is the focus the Stake Presidency would ask you to have with you this year. To help others experience this change of heart. To be converted.

He extends that same invitation to all – to come follow him. To serve him.

And if we do that – we will be filled with peace. Not because all the storms have gone away…but because we know that we will endure the storm. Sometimes the Lord calms the sea, and sometimes he calms the sailor.
The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. We have nothing to fear God is at the Helm. He will overrule for the good of the work….we are all in this together, all of us, and we have a great work to do. Every teacher can be a better teacher than he or she is today. Every officer can be a better officer than he or she is today. Every father can be a better father. Every mother can be a better mother. Every husband can be a better husband, every wife a better wife, every child a better child. We are on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life and today is a part of it. Let us never forget it.” Gordon B Hinkley.

May the lord bless us everyone with a deepening of testimony – that our joy and our connection to the tree will bring peace.


A third reason to awaken, is so we can be He teaches us that if we want to make our burden’s light, we must take his yoke upon us – for his burden is light … And what is the yoke of Christ that we take upon us? It is his work. We know we can never be profitable servants….but we can reap the blessings of participating in his work. And what is his work? Look at the work he did while on the earth…He cared for the sick, the handicapped, the friendless. He gave his time for the widowed. He gave his means to the poor and the needy. He forgave those who had wronged him. He loved those who are unloveable. He strengthened those whose hands hung down. He helped in the conversion of others. Or in other words – he went around awakening others to who they were and what they could do to be at peace.