Full Conversion Brings Happiness...June 2011 talk in Church

June 12, 2011

To give a brief intro to myself  for all the new folks in the ward.  My name is Cindy Garrard. My Daughter Sage and I moved into the Farmgate Apartments Last January, we have been here about a year and half. She is 17 and I also have a 19 year old Son Daniel that lives with his Dad.

 I used to work full time as a Home Design Seamstress, and then the recession hit, so I had to get what I call "a real job"  at Discover in their Customer Service Department. I work part time at the Megaplex 20 on the weekends, where I've seen many of you for the first time selling you your movie tickets, and I still sew part time a few days a week.

I was born in California, and raised most my life in Utah, Although i have lived in South Royalton Vermont, Jerusalem Israel,Tacoma Washington, Allbuquerque New Mexico, St. George, Richfield and now Herriman. 

Last week as I was sitting in Sacrament meeting, I had a hunch I was going to have to speak,  so when Brother Crane called, I almost started laughing because I knew what he was going to say.  Then Sage was pointing her finger at me and laughing....until I said "do you need Sage to talk too?.....but lucky for her, she just spoke one month ago....but....that quieted her down REAL quick!

Brother Crane asked me to speak on this topic  from Elder RIchard G. Scott's Conference talk from 2002.

Full Conversion Brings Happiness.

I think this is a great topic for all of us,  It is good to get a refresher on the way we should be living, to keep us on track.  With the fast pace of life these days, and all the temptations thrown right in our faces with the media, basically in our very  own pockets, it is very hard for some to  live fully committed to the gospel principles each day.  I know at both my jobs working with "the kids" as I call them....they are pulled in so many directions, and there are more members I'm sure NOT living the gospel as they should, almost doing all they can to show us they Don't want to be known as members.

I got on the 4th floor elevator the other day, and I was talking to a newlywed guy on my team, he was taking his wife to the Temple, and I mentioned that I was going to work at the bishops storehouse that Saturday, and then the 3rd person said he was going to the temple with his wife also.  And, I said "WOW"  this is the first time that has ever happened....for all of us to be active LDS members on the elevator...and they looked at me rather shocked....the newlywed said "why, we live in Utah?"

But, usually there is the odor of cigarettes from those taking their break, there are people with piercings, nose rings, gages, immodest clothing and language that isn't appropriate to share over the pulpit....and other things not mentionable.  It is a very worldly place.  I see very few active LDS people living their lives 100%.  I have tried to do what Sister Uchtdorf does, when people ask what I did or what I'm going to do for the weekend, I tell the truth:  I speaking in church, I'm taking my daughter to the temple, I taught primary, I'm helping with youth conference.  And yes, it isn't the popular thing they want to hear, but one lady who works with her youth in her religion, now we have a common bond.

  And when someone needs a grown up to talk to about things they probably shouldn't have done at a party, I'm there to give hopefully good advise.  At first they didn't want anything to do with me, now they know I do live what I say and do.  It has given me some credibility and I'm able to set a good example for those around me.  Some of them call me Mom, and others  watch me and slowly have warmed up to the "molly mormon mentality".  I know I am definately not perfect, but it is an on going process, and I am working to try better each day.  And, this is why giving this talk is so helpful to me to improve and gain a stronger testimony of gospel principles, so that I can have that happiness that comes from full conversion.

Elder Scott used Elder Mack Lawrence's talks as a reference.  Elder Mack quotes:

Whenever I have asked Stake Presidents about their biggest challenge or concern, they repeatedly say, "to have the Saints committed and converted so they will be faithful in keeping their covenants and fulfilling their callings.

Elder Mack also says:  "a truly converted follower of Christ-one who merits the designation of disciple or Saint-could NOT be casual or complacent in his or her approach to service in the Church, nor in keeping covenants and commandments.  Such a one would surely follow the Lord's admonition... "learn his or her duty, and to act....in all diligence."  (D & C 107-99).

We need to live our lives fully converted to the Gospel, It isn't always easy.  For me this has been a pretty tough few years.  The thing that keeps me grounded is the gospel.  I've had other friends go through the same thing, they drift away for a while, thinking they have earned the "right" to do some pretty crazy things because of their "situation", but inevitably they have told me.... I wish I hadn't done the things I did.  I should have stayed strong.  

Marion G. Romney explains conversion:

“Converted means to turn from one belief or course of action to another. Conversion is a spiritual and moral change. Converted implies not merely mental acceptance of Jesus and his teachings but also a motivating faith in him and his gospel. A faith which works a transformation, an actual change in one’s understanding of life’s meaning and in his allegiance to God in interest, in thought, and in conduct. In one who is really wholly converted, desire for things contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died. And substituted therefore is a love of God, with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments.”

Elder Scott states:

To be converted, you must remember to apply diligently in your life the key words “a love of God, with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments.” Your happiness now and forever is conditioned on your degree of conversion and the transformation that it brings to your life. How then can you become truly converted?

 President Romney describes the steps you must follow:

“Membership in the Church and conversion are not necessarily synonymous. Being converted and having a testimony are not necessarily the same thing either. A testimony comes when the Holy Ghost gives the earnest seeker a witness of the truth. A moving testimony vitalizes faith. That is, it induces repentance and obedience to the commandments. Conversion is the fruit or the reward for repentance and obedience.” 

Stated simply, true conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience. Faith comes by hearing the word of God  and responding to it. You will receive from the Holy Ghost a confirming witness of things you accept on faith by willingly doing them.  You will be led to repent of errors resulting from wrong things done or right things not done. As a consequence, your capacity to consistently obey will be strengthened. This cycle of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience will lead you to greater conversion with its attendant blessings. True conversion will strengthen your capacity to do what you know you should do, when you should do it, regardless of the circumstances.

Elder Scott tells us to listen to the parable of the sower and see how it applies to our own lives....

See if there are periods when correct teachings find in you conditions unsuitable to receive them and consequently the promised fruits of happiness, peace, and progress are lost.

“The sower soweth the word. [Some sown] by the way side, … but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

Could that happen to you, in the wrong environment, with the wrong friendships?

“[Some] on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when … persecution ariseth … immediately they are offended.”

Have you ever been in a circumstance when someone proposed something inappropriate and you did nothing to resist it?

“[Some] sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world … and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

Have there been times when you wanted something so badly that you justified an exception to your standards?

“[Some] sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."

Elder Scott also quotes President Hinckley:

To receive the blessings promised from true conversion, make the changes that you know are needed in your life now. The Savior said: “Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? … If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life."

The Holy Ghost will help us find those personal changes we need to make in our own lives, and then the Lord can bless us, and we can get through these hard times that are happening to all of us right now.

Elder Scott tells us that our faith with be fortified, our capacities to repent will increase, our power to consistently obey will be reinforced.

And I love the part where he says "Do your Best".

God does love us and wants us to be happy, He will help us to accomplish these principals in our lives.  The Gospel is true, our stronger degrees of conversion and transformation can and will bring much more happiness to our lives. I hope that we can live fully committed and bring God's love and strength to us all.