Good Morning Elder Williams,

 

It was so nice to see you and talk with you yesterday. I'm so happy that you had a baptism . How wonderful!

I hope you can tell me more about conversion, discipleship, and the path of life that you talked about yesterday. I would like to know your insights and the inspiration you have received regarding these ideas. I'm glad the gospel is more of a tangible truth instead of an abstract concept to you. How did you come to this thought? Is it by living the words instead of just thinking about them? I'm sure your hours of study in the scriptures helps to bring the gospel to life for you.

Let me know the different sizes and things we talked about yesterday, and I will get you what you need.

God be with you 'til we meet again.

I love you.

Mom

 

 

 

Dear Mom,

It was great talking to you yesterday. It was good to hear how everyone is doing. I've got some great siblings and great parents.

I started seeing more and more connections between discipleship, conversion, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ pretty recently. They have flowed together, and there are common elements in all of them. Really, they are the same thing in my mind, just different facets.

One of the most important realizations I had is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what allows us to cultivate His attributes in our lives. Moroni 8:25-26 is the scripture that best illustrates this connection to me.

25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

That's the big connection for me. It is in the fertile soil of meekness that all the other Christlike attributes are cultivated, as Elder Maxwell says.

So, I understand more fully how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is designed perfectly to help us become perfect, with all the attributes of Godliness.

It is the Atonement of our Lord and Master that allows us to put of the natural man. This is discipleship. It is using the gospel over and over in our lives. It is repeating the process of following the first principles, faith and repentance, and the first ordinances, baptism or the sacrament and confirmation.

We are disciples as we rely on the gospel over and over in our lives. This is also conversion. Conversion is truly a process. We aren't done with the Savior and the Atonement when we are baptized. It is only the gate.

So, conversion is also enduring to the end.

Here is 2 Nephi 31:20 with some of my comments

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness (faith) in Christ , having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love (charity) of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

That's what I've learned in a summary.

Love,

Elder Williams