As I was preparing my lesson this week for the young women a comment stood out to me from one of our apostles, Elder Oaks.
"We all know someone who has a strong testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted."
To me having a
Testimony vs. Being Converted
is similar to
Knowing vs. Becoming
When I use a youth I KNEW the gospel of Jesus Christ was true (aka having a testimony)
but I failed at being converted because I didn't work at maintaining attributes to BECOME like the Savior.
That's the goal right?
To Become.
To be Converted.
To be like Him.
Then Elder Oaks asks a question,
"For example, returned missionaries, are you still seeking to be converted, or are you caught up in the ways of the world?"
Some Returned Missionaries that Know it's true but have forgotten to Become?
Obviously I'm not a returned missionary but this question again reminded me of my youth.
I was born with a testimony yet for a little less then a decade was seeking out the ways of the world.
What a waste - and how unfair to those around me.
I say this because,
a few weeks ago I ran into one of my old friends from my home ward when I was growing up. We starting chatting about some of the other girls that were also in our ward, a few who had become inactive in church. Some who flat out didn't believe in the gospel and felt as if it wasn't what provided happiness.
And my sad thought was,
I thought they knew.
I thought they knew it was true - because I knew.
And at that time I thought everyone thought like me.
I could have been a better example.
Been an example of the believers.
These were girls that looked the part.
They were in the young women presidencies, attend seminary, dressed modestly, had the right friends and I assumed...
they were safe. I assumed they had testimonies.
They probably could have used mine to lean on.
But I wasn't available.
How unfair for those who Know not to seek out to Become.
Because there are others who are trying to become, who look like they fit the part, but they don't "know" yet, they haven't yet developed a testimony.
And they need us to be available.
So, here's the invitation (to you and especially myself),
I invite you to Become like the Savior.
A starting point is to pick one of His attributes to work on -
Faith, Virtue, Hope, Charity and Love, Knowledge, Patience, Humility, Diligence, or Obedience.
The link above can help you with this goal.
Elder Oaks says,
"Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They come as you use your agency righteously. Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes.."
For yourself -
and for others.
