Talk:
Today I would like to speak about how having a testimony and becoming truly converted helps us live our gospel covenants. I would like to start with a story of a young man who gained a testimony became converted and lived his covenants. This young man’s name is Alma, king Noah’s priest, he was in the room when Abinadi prophesied of the king’s wickedness and told of the gospel. Alma sat and listened and believed the words of Abinadi. Alma knew that Noah would kill all those who believed on Abinadi’s words. So Alma ran and wrote the words of Abinadi so that he could teach others of faith and repentance. As Alma taught the people they began to accept the word and had a desire to be baptize and make covenants with the Lord. Alma then baptized the people in the waters of Mormon how greatly were these people were blessed because they had made a covenant with the Lord.
How blessed we are to have the opportunity to be Baptized, or have been baptized, so that we can make covenants with our loving Heavenly Father. For us to be able to take part in this covenant we must believe and have a seedling of a testimony. When we have a baptismal interview we are asked about the strength of our testimony. Does our testimony consist of the following; That Jesus Christ is our redeemer and savior, we have a loving Heavenly Father, there was a restoration of the church of God through Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon is true and that Thomas S. Monson is called of God to lead us in these days. Elder Bendar said relating to testimony “Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.” So that belief that we have as we are baptized is our testimony as we continue to grow in our knowledge of the gospel the stronger our testimony will grow. “A testimony is a gift from God and is available to all of His children. Any honest seeker of truth can obtain a testimony by exercising the necessary “particle of faith” in Jesus Christ to “experiment upon” (Alma 32:27) and “try the virtue of the word” (Alma 31:5), to yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” (Mosiah3:19), and to awaken unto God (see Alma 5:7). Testimony brings increased personal accountability and is a source of purpose, assurance, and joy.” As we develop our testimonies we begin to act upon the principles that He asks us to do like to pay our tithing, and fast offerings, but then also to serve those around us. As we begin to act we are becoming converted to the Lord and His example.
Our testimonies grow at different rates at different times in our lives. On one particular occasion my testimony grew rapidly. It was the summer of my junior year in High school. As youth we were participating in a program entitled STOMP, students trying out Moroni’s promise. I was really excited to accomplish this goal. I want to read the Book of Mormon all the way through for the first time in my life so I began to read about six pages a day. As time went on other things got placed in the space in which I had set aside to read. but as the summer went on I continued to read but not at the pace that would allow me to complete at the scheduled time. The summer ended and I hadn’t finished, however I still wanted to finish reading so I set a new goal that I would finish before October general Conference. So I read and I made it, I finished minutes before conference started but I knew that as I finished reading the last few verses of the book of Mormon the spirit whispered to me that the book of Mormon was indeed a book of true scripture and that through Joseph smith did translate the book of Mormon. As I now read the scriptures I still get hear the spirit whisper that these words are true.
Most of my testimony however was not because of amazing experiences but of a gradual knowledge and accepting of the word of the Lord. my testimony of tithing, prayer, the restoration, are not because of magnificent experiences but because the spirit whispering this things were true,
In your lives there are experiences, and there is a gradual growth that lead you to believe what you believe and help you develop that testimony that you cherish so deeply, and because of the testimony you cherish you live the laws of the church and follow the guidance that you have given by the Lord.
“For many of us, conversion is an ongoing process and not a onetime event that results from a powerful or dramatic experience. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. Conversion unto the Lord requires both persistence and patience.“
In Helaman 15:7-8 states
7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them—
8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free.
“Samuel the Lamanite identified five basic elements in becoming converted unto the Lord: (1) believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are recorded in the scriptures, (2) exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (3) repenting, (4) experiencing a mighty change of heart, and (5) becoming “firm and steadfast in the faith” (see Helaman 15:7–8). This is the pattern that leads to conversion.”
As we apply these elements in our life we will become converted, when we believe the teachings and prophesies of the Lord, we continue to develop our testimonies. When we act upon our testimony, we continue to develop that faith that the Lord's plan is what we need to do.
When we repent, it allows us to use the atonement that has been given us because of His love for us. When we are truly repentant we grow closer to our savior and understand just a minuscule more of how much he loves Us. And because of the growth closer to our savior it allows us to have a mighty change of heart.
What defines a mighty change of heart? In Mosiah he tells us what a mighty change of heart is. it is that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. As we have a mighty change in heart it allows us to turn our will into the Lords will and to do it continually.
And finally to become firm steadfast and immovable. So what does it mean to be steadfast and immovable? That with diligence that you will keep the commandments of the Lord, even if you stand alone.
When we take these steps: (1) believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are recorded in the scriptures, (2) exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (3) repenting, (4) experiencing a mighty change of heart, and (5) becoming “firm and steadfast in the faith”, to become converted it helps us grow closer to the Lord and help us align our will with His. And as our Will is aligned with His we are fulfilling our part of the covenants that we have made with the Lord.
What are some of the covenants that we make with the Lord at baptism. Well Alma explains the covenants that we make as he teaches the people in the waters of Mormon.
These are the words of alma to these people
8 ... Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
So as we align our lives with the Lord’s we will have a desire to mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, bear another's burdens, to stand as a witness at all times in all things and in all places. And as we desire these have can live our covenants more completely.
As we accept covenants with The Lord at baptism and in the temple we have an opportunity to renew them each week as we partake of the sacrament. Not only do we renew them but as we listen we again remember what we covenanted to take at baptism. They are to keep the commandments, always remember Him, and that we are willing to take upon us His name.
And we attend the temple each time we have the opportunity to understand the covenants a little more each time.
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity this week to go through the temple for the first time and how grateful I am that I made those covenants with the Lord, because of the Faith and testimony that I Have in Him and His Gospel and I am willing to do His will. I have the opportunity this July to go and serve a mission in Barcelona, Spain for 18 months. How grateful I am to dedicate a portion of my life to do the Lords work and bring others unto Him so that they may also have the desire to grow closer to Him and to make covenants with Him.
I have testimony that by developing our testimonies through prayer, scripture study and podering, that we will have desire to do His will and become truly converted unto Him. By being truly converted unto Him allows us to live our covenants more fully with the Lord.
…… In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen
