“You don’t have to convert anyone to the gospel.”
We had a stake conference probably two years ago that blew my mind.
The evening adult session was all about missionary work— but with a completely new perspective that has stuck with me for a while.
One speaker kept coming back to this point:
We aren’t the ones converting people to the gospel.
There are so many prophesies and so many scriptures that are similar to what we find in D&C 135:7:
“The religion of Jesus Christ… will touch the hearts of honest men among all nations”.
There are SO MANY people out there who have willing and honest hearts, who the Spirit is working with to mold and prepare.
They are ready to hear and receive.
They are ready to completely change their lives and make eternal covenants with God.
We have such a small but important role in this entire process (because it’s really mostly between that individual and God).
We need to be examples, make friends, show love, and then extend simple but powerful invitations, as prompted by the Spirit.
That’s it.
We just need to introduce as many people as we can to what truth and godly power really mean, and the Spirit will take care of the rest— quickly carrying it unto the hearts of those who have already been prepared.
Missionary work isn’t about tons of pressure to be the perfect example, inviting to the exact right event, and then teaching every aspect of the gospel.
Isn’t that refreshing?
That’s how I’ve felt ever since I heard that message.
I don’t have to do it all. No one has to do it all.
We don’t even have to do that much.
The Gathering of Israel is going to happen, and the hearts of God’s children are being prepared throughout the world.
And all we’ve been asked to do is to love and invite, so that the Spirit can do what He does best:
Convert.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
One Response
You are exactly right Cali. When we look at the bigger picture, it is not about what outward religion we belong (the form and structure) but as James said: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(New Testament | James 1:27)
The Book of Mormon says it this way: “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:10) And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few,
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:12) And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:14).
The Church James is talking about and Nephi is talking about is a “spiritual church” “made without hands” and is gathering the righteous saints throughout the world. It has been gathering the righteous since the days of Adam to this present day. There is the physical “restoration” (the one the Prophet Joseph Smith started) and it has a “spiritual restoration” connected to it that has been going on since the days of Adam. Very few people understand this. The scriptures call this “spiritual” church the “church of the Firstborn.” [Hebrews 12:23; D&C 76: 54, 71, 94, 102; 77: 11; 78: 20-21; 88: 4-5; 93: 21-22; 107: 19]. This church is “made without hands” and is the same concept, stating that you and I and everyone is “temple of the living God” {2 Corinthians 6:16] if we have “eyes to see” and “ears to hear.”