• Home
  • Blog
  • Blog Archives
    • Post By Speaker >
      • Current First Presidency >
        • Nelson
        • Oaks
        • Eyring
      • Current Quorum of the Twelve >
        • Ballard
        • Holland
        • Uchtdorf
        • Bednar
        • Cook
        • Christofferson
        • Andersen
        • Rasband
        • Stevenson
        • Renlund
        • Gong
        • Soares
      • Previous Apostles and Prophets >
        • Monson
        • Hales
    • Posts By Conference >
      • April 2018 General Conference
      • October 2017 General Conference
      • April 2017 General Conference
      • October 2016 General Conference
      • April 2016 General Conference
    • First Presidency Messages >
      • Thomas S. Monson
      • Henry B. Eyring
      • Dieter F. Uchtdorf
    • Christmas Devotionals >
      • December 2016
    • Bookshelf Plus >
      • Devotional Talks
  • Stories
    • Stories - Apr 2017
    • Stories - Oct 2016
    • Stories - Apr 2016
  • Donate
LDSCONF.BLOG
Follow Us

Hales - "When Thou Are Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren" - April 1997

2/15/2017

Comments

 
Elder Hales speaks about the power of conversion in our lives.  He talks about the process of becoming converted and helping others to follow that same path.
  • The first seeds of conversion begin with an awareness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a desire to know the truth concerning His restored Church. “Let this desire work in you.” A desire to know the truth is like a seed which grows in the fertile ground of faith, patience, diligence, and long-suffering.
  • In the conversion process, we experience repentance, which brings about humility and a broken heart and contrite spirit, preparing us for baptism, remission of sins, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Then, over time and through our faithfulness, we overcome trials and tribulations and endure to the end.
  • Once in the kingdom of God, as a newly baptized member, we honor the restored priesthood. Honoring the priesthood and being obedient in living the commandments are important elements in the conversion process.
  • Our obedience to the commandments leads us to service and sacrifice in accepting callings in the priesthood quorums and the auxiliary organizations.
  • We faithfully progress for at least one year after baptism and prepare ourselves to enter the temple of the Lord. In the holy temple we receive our sacred endowments, which teach us how we must live to return into the presence of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
  • Then we are sealed for time and all eternity. Our children come into the world protected, born in the eternal covenants we have taken together as husband and wife. If we enter the waters of baptism after our family is grown, our children are sealed to us as though they were born in the covenant.
  • All of this time our testimonies continue to grow, and as they do they become a protection for us “that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds … it shall have no power over you.”
  • Knowing the truth and gaining a testimony strengthen us to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. As testimony grows, we become more and more converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we follow Him, we commit ourselves to serve Him by serving others.

Elder Hales points out that we sometime in the mix of our responsiblities, forget the new member who has just entered the Lord's kingdom.  We have an obligation to help determine where they are on the path and help them make the necessary next moved along the path of conversion.
  • Amid the busyness of our day and concerns of what we are trying to accomplish in our individual lives, and within our families, we sometimes are not aware of the needs of the new member who has just entered the kingdom. As we are committed to be by the side of each new member, could we walk with them along the straight and narrow path that leads to the temple, going with them to the temple so that in our friendship we can have joy and rejoice with them as we move together towards eternal life?

He tells us that we need to reach out to the lost sheep that can't find their way back to the fold.
  • Visualize for a moment a shepherd tending his sheep. The shepherd is studying and praying diligently to get close to God. As the shepherd concentrates on his personal relationship with God, he loses track of time and circumstance. He is not aware of his sheep wandering away or being ravaged by evil marauders. The shepherd awakes from his personal pondering to the reality that some of his sheep are missing, and he must go forth and find them, bringing them back. We whose conversion is sufficient must reach out to those who wander. As we do, we will find great joy in gathering the Lord’s sheep.

He speaks of our need to help convert others to the Lord's way.
  • Conversion requires consecrating our lives to caring for and serving others who need our help and to sharing our gifts and talents. The Lord didn’t say tend my sheep when it is convenient, watch my sheep when you aren’t busy. He said feed my sheep and my lambs; help them survive this world, keep them close to you. Lead them to safety—the safety of righteous choices that will prepare them for eternal life.

He closes with comments that make the message personal to us.  We are all part of this process of conversion.  We have to bring out ourselves and then when we can help others come unto Christ.
  • Brothers and sisters, do we really understand the teachings of the Savior, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”? Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. Feeding the lambs could well be missionary labors working with newly baptized members, who must be nurtured and given caring warmth and fellowship in the family of Saints. Feeding the sheep could well refer to the mature members of the Church, some active and some less active, who need to be cared for and brought back to the flock.
  • We have learned well the message of one prophet, “Every member [is] a missionary.” Hopefully, we will respond to an equally urgent plea that every member be a friend, a fellowshiper, nurturing and caring for all our brothers and sisters—fully active members, new members, and less-active members alike.

We all need to be helpful in strengthening others in the gospel.  I think we sometime don't recognize the power and influence we have in strengthening others.  A simple smile, a pat on the back, a warm greeting before church, or a hug in the midst of trials can go a long way to encouraging others to not give up or to keep pressing forward.  We first have an obligation to bring ourselves to Christ.  But once we have established ourselves on the straight and narrow path, we need to reach others and bring them to the rod of iron that we have a hold of.  It is my prayer that we will all get on the right path and look around for someone to bring with us to eternal life.
Comments

    Our Mission

    Wherefore we search the prophets... and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken. (Jacob 4:6)

    Upcoming Blogs:

    Oaks - October 2000
         The Challenge to Become
    Oaks - April 2001
         Focus and Priorities
    Oaks - October 2001
         Sharing the Gospel
    Oaks - April 2002
         The Gospel in Our Lives
    Soares - October 2005
         "Feed My Sheep"
    Picture
    Google
    Custom Search

    Categories

    All
    Aburto
    Alonso
    Andersen
    April 1975
    April 1976
    April 1979
    April 1980
    April 1981
    April 1983
    April 1985
    April 1986
    April 1987
    April 1988
    April 1989
    April 1990
    April 1991
    April 1992
    April 1993
    April 1994
    April 1995
    April 1996
    April 1997
    April 1998
    April 1999
    April 2000
    April 2001
    April 2002
    April-2003
    April-2004
    April 2005
    April 2006
    April 2007
    April 2008
    April 2009
    April 2010
    April 2011
    April 2012
    April 2013
    April 2014
    April 2015
    April 2016
    April 2017
    April 2018
    Ardern
    Arnold
    Ashton
    Ballard
    Bangerter
    Bassett
    Bednar
    Bingham
    Bookshelf Plus
    Bragg
    Brough
    Burton
    Bytheway
    Callister
    Carl B. Cook
    Causse
    Choi
    Christensen
    Christmas Devotional
    Christofferson
    Clayton
    Clayton-W
    Cook
    Cordon
    Cornish
    Costa
    Curtis
    Davies
    December 2016
    De Feo
    Duncan
    Dunn
    Durham
    Durrant
    Echo Hawk
    Ellis
    Esplin
    Eubank
    Evans
    Eyring
    First Presidency Message
    Godoy
    Gong
    Grow
    Guest Blogger: @pattypooh67
    Haleck
    Hales
    Hallstrom
    Holland
    Holmes
    Hoyos
    January 2017
    Johnson
    Jones
    Kearon
    Koch
    Marriott
    Maynes
    Mazzagardi
    McConkie
    Meurs
    Monson
    Nattress
    Nelson
    Oaks
    October 1975
    October 1976
    October 1978
    October 1980
    October 1981
    October 1983
    October 1984
    October 1985
    October 1986
    October 1987
    October 1988
    October 1989
    October 1990
    October 1991
    October 1992
    October 1993
    October 1994
    October 1995
    October 1996
    October 1997
    October 1998
    October 1999
    October 2000
    October 2001
    October 2002
    October 2003
    October 2004
    October 2005
    October 2006
    October 2007
    October 2008
    October 2009
    October 2010
    October 2011
    October 2012
    October 2013
    October 2014
    October 2015
    October 2016
    October 2017
    October 2018
    Oscarson
    Owen
    Palmer
    Parrella
    Pingree
    Rasband
    Reeves
    Renlund
    Richards
    Robbins
    Sabin
    Schmutz
    Snow
    Soares
    Stephens
    Stevenson
    Su'a
    Taylor
    The Living Christ
    Uceda
    Uchtdorf
    VCordon
    Waddell
    Wakolo
    Wilson
    Worldwide Devotional
    Yamashita
    Zivic
    Zwick

    Archives

    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Contact Us

    Contact SuperScriptures at SuperScriptures@gmail.com

    RSS Feed

    Visit our sponsors
    Missionary Care Packages by Called2Serve.com
    Freshly baked cookies, cinnamon rolls, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, candy, and much more. Create your own missionary care package including a free letter or greeting card. Free MTC and discounted FedEx delivery.
Home
About
Contact