True Conversion

The Lord blesses me constantly. I must acknowledge His loving generosity. I am a Latter-day Saint (ie. LDS, Mormon, I belong to the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.) For the last 6 years I worked with the children in Primary, ages 3-11yrs on Sundays. Recently I was asked by the Lord to teach the 12-14yr old Sunday School class. I was quite worried. My mother told me I had something to learn with this new calling. She reminded me that each calling is an opportunity to learn and grow. She reminded me that I've always claimed to have a shallow knowledge of the scriptures and perhaps this was my opportunity to truly study and grow in my understanding of those precious books.

Last week I began teaching the new curriculum for the year 2013. Its an amazing program that is based on combining the word of God (scripture) with the inspired words of prophets and general authorities. It is called "Come, Follow Me". The time went well. The students participated, shared personal stories and I believe they felt the spirit. We discussed recognizing the Lord's hand in our lives. Oh, how blessed we are.

To conclude, I asked the youth to choose from the other topics what should be discussed and studied next. They chose one, we prayed and dismissed. Its only two days later and I'd forgotten what their choice was. I phoned one of the youth and left a message listing the two I thought it possibly was. In the meantime I began studying the one I felt it must be. "How does the Holy Ghost help me teach the gospel?"

After reading the provided scriptures, I studied the various talks and excerpts it provided.I learned so many wonderful things including this:

 "the Holy Ghost teaches by inviting, prompting, encouraging, and inspiring us to act. Christ assured us that we come to the truth when we live doctrine and act accordingly.⁸ The Spirit leads, guides, and shows us what to do.⁹ He will not, however, do for us what only we can do for ourselves. You see, the Holy Ghost cannot learn for us, feel for us, or act for us because this would be contrary to the doctrine of agency. He can facilitate opportunities and invite us to learn, feel, and act."

Matthew O. Richardson, “Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 94–96

We need to be instruments through which the Holy Ghost can teach and inspire others and recognize that it is not our own ability converting souls but the Holy Ghost. Our ultimate goal is true conversion for each of us.

 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,  shared a marvelous article. He taught:

"gaining a testimony is not an event but a process." 

and then he quoted Elder Bruce R. McConkie who said,

"we are born again by degrees, and we are born again to added light and added knowledge and added desires for righteousness as we keep the commandments”

The image of celery came to my mind. You know when you place a stalk of pale green celery in a glass with water and a few drops of red food coloring.  The crisp stalk does not instantly turn red as if its been dipped into a paint can. The space within the stalk acts as a pathway and draws the colored water slowly up towards its leafy tip. I am that crisp vegetable. I am not instantly perfect and do not know all regarding my Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. I do not have a perfect knowledge of His gospel. But line upon line, precept upon precept I am converted and love my Heavenly Father more deeply and understand him more clearly. It is through His Spirit that I am inspired and converted.

So many wonderful thoughts and ideas, I was truly inspired. The moment I set down the tablet ready to find ways to teach these principles, the phone rang. The good youth returned my call and to my surprise I was wrong. It was a different lesson entirely, neither one I thought it possibly could be. I thanked him and recognized another tender mercy of the Lord. I learned so much in my study, how to be a better teacher and how to allow the Holy Ghost to use me as an instrument. It was not the lesson the youth chose for Sunday, it was the lesson the Lord chose for me.

I pray we may allow ourselves to take the time to be truly converted to the Lord. May we be like the stalk of celery.