True conversion is a difficult thing to describe. To some it seems to happen in a moment of clarity or at a “miraculous” experience. To others it might take a lifetime. Some may be faithfully religious all of their lives, but not seem to feel deeply the things they adhere to. What evidence is there that a person is truly converted? As usual, I think the scriptures can show us a couple of patterns.
Alma (as the High Priest) gave a sermon on the topic using these words: “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can you feel so now?” (Alma 5:26) Alma continues by suggesting that evidence for this “song of redeeming love” shows up in our behavior. He asks if we are keeping ourselves “blameless before God,”and “sufficiently humble” with “your garments …cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ.” His sermon continues with criteria for being “humble”, “without envy” and not making “a mock of his brother” or “heapeth upon him persecutions.”
If those phrases haven’t scared you off, you will continue reading to learn that you must “repent” and “bring forth works of righteousness” or you shall be “hewn down and cast into the fire.”
King Benjamin’s address expresses it a little differently, with the discussion centered on the Atonement of Christ and its application, then speaking of the “natural man” as an “enemy to God” who must “yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the natural man” and become “ a saint.” There are several similar sermons in the scriptures, many of which make me a little nervous (especially when I recognize some “natural man” tendencies in my own life).
Over the years, I have tried to become a person worthy of the sacrifice that Christ made on my behalf, but more than a couple times have feared that I came up on the short end of the stick! Then one day, while reading the Book of Enos, I had an epiphany. It helped me feel a little better about tossing my to-do list of sins I need to overcome and my other to-do list of things I need to do better. There are a lot of sins of “commission” and “omission.”
Here is what I learned from Enos (which is why I call it the “Enos Principle”). I especially liked that I learned it from him, because he doesn’t strike me as a Nephi or an Alma or a Captain Moroni. His contribution to the Book of Mormon was a single chapter about his personal experience. Those other guys had a lot more to say, most of which makes me look bad! So follow along. If you are a little less prophet status—like me—I think you will be able to relate. Let’s consider it together.
Enos starts by telling us he was taught by his father because his father was a “just man.” (There is an entirely different lesson right there that we will talk about another time.) Enos then tells of the “wrestle” he had “before God” in order to receive a “remission of my sins.” I think that is what we all want—to be forgiven, right? He goes on to say that the words his father taught “sunk deep into his heart” while “hunting beasts in the forest.” There is something to be said for being out in nature—seriously. It is interesting that Enos began to pray for forgiveness of his sins. The spirit must have been prompting him that he had sins and they must be forgiven, or maybe he just read the conference talks of King Benjamin and Alma! Either way, he knew he had sin and he knew it needed forgiving, and he also knew that God was the one to go to for that help.
Here comes the conversion part. After praying all day and into the night (that alone shows me some serious conversion effort), he heard a voice that told him: “Enos they sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” That was a successful hunting trip! That feels like conversion to me—but it isn’t the whole story. After this miraculous “conversion” and forgiveness, Enos starts to think about someone other than himself. He has the blessing, now he wants the same thing for his “brethren, the Nephites.”
The praying starts up again, until he gets an assurance that his brethren have the same opportunity as he has, and the Lord will honor the promises to them that he has to Enos. He starts to see, in that moment, the goodness and power of God and then with renewed faith and determination he starts the prayer process again, only this time on behalf of his enemies the Lamanites! He petitions the Lord, that in case the Nephites do not seek their own blessings and fall away, that the record will be preserved on behalf of the Lamanites so that they would get this opportunity as well.
Do you see the pattern of conversion? It’s not a long list of dos and don’ts. It is an effort to be forgiven of our sins, then an effort to bless the lives of those closest to us so they are also forgiven, and finally an effort to bless the lives of all of God’s children. Even our enemies! I believe our level of conversion is evidenced by who we are focused on. In the early stages it is getting our life right before God. As conversion progresses, it turns towards others. The Savior’s life is a perfect example. Everything he did was for the benefit of mankind and not for himself. When we are truly converted, we will strive to be like him. We won’t have time to check all the do and don’t boxes. We will be too busy “lifting the hands that hang down” and “strengthening the feeble knees.” We will make efforts to “visit the fatherless and the widows and keep ourselves unspotted from the world,” and we will seek to resolve issues and show goodness to those with whom we have had issues in the past.
We can be assured that when we are solely focused on our own life and not on others around us (especially when that focus is on self promotion and not on forgiveness of our sins) that we are not yet fully converted. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Satan wants us to fixate on ourselves. He was exactly the same in the premortal life. He was willing to do the work of salvation, as long as he got the glory! It just occurred to me that I’ll bet he hates not having an Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account! Just think of how many more followers he could have!
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Jerry is the author of “Partners with God, Using His Teachings and Example to Raise Our Kids” and has been a guest speaker at numerous gatherings, firesides and organization events, as well as working as a facilitator for individual families.
Jerry and his wife Melanie are the parents of 12 children and currently have 13 grandchildren.