Conversion

I learned something about conversion this week.  I heard in conference, then tried it out, and I´m just a little more converted than I was before.

On the way home on the bus I got the feeling to stand up and present a message to everyone.  It took me nearly a half an hour to act on it.  I finally told my companion to get up, and did so very willingly.  When feeling the need to do it, I felt two things.  If you do, you´ll feel very happy afterward.  If you don´t, you will carry regret for it.  So after finally doing it, it really happened.  God fulfilled His promise, and I felt a peace confirm in my heart that I did the right thing.  That spiritual confirmation has converted me to believe that I need to do the things that only missionaries can do while I´m still a missionary.  I´m going to stand up on every bus from now until the end of my mission.  It´s better than waisting my time.

that´s how we become converted.  Every time we win a battle, and do the right thing, the Holy Ghost confirms in our hearts that we have chosen the right.  And God blesses us with love.  I have a hard time telling the difference between God´s love and happiness.  I think that it´s the same feeling when it´s true happiness.  This comes every time we read scriptures as a family, even if it´s too late, or the kids complain.  It´s what happens when we finally ask God if the Book of Mormon is true.  It´s what happens when we make that tough decision to go back to church even if it´s been a while.  Or perhaps when one of you who are not of our faith makes the leap of faith to visit us for the first time.  God wants you to be there, and He will let you know.

I´m converted to this Gospel.  It´s so much more than a testimony.  I´ve met inactive men with stronger testimonies than mine.  But that won´t save them.  It can´t save anyone.  Actually, all a testimony does to those who don´t live the gospel is condemn them unless they repent.  But I´m not the same as I was before.  I never will be.  I know what it takes to be happy.

Rosita is also converted.  She´s a recent convert who might be the best missionary I´ve ever met. 
She presented us to several of her friends this week.  She´s practically dragging the missionaries everywhere.  I think she walks more than we do, and I think she´s about 60 something.  Of all the investigators that went to general conference this weekend, she brought about 70% of them.  Amazing this woman!
I testify of the power of one converted member missionary!  It´s not necessary to have this badge to be a missionary.  I love this work, and if God ever said that I couldn´t participate, then this church wouldn´t be true!  I will share this gospel with every living soul to the day I die.

Love to you all.

Elder Thalman

Conference was a major boost for me this week.  We are working, but the inactive are a little tougher than I wanted to anticipate.  But we'll keep at it.