Farewell Talk – The Role of Prayer in True Conversion
Good morning brothers and sisters. I am Spenser Washburn, and I will be serving a full time mission in the Lima East Peru Mission. There I will spread the Gospel for two years, and hopefully find success.
But let me start off with a scripture. Doctrine and Covenants 10:5; Pray always that ye may come off conqueror, yea, that you do conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work. See Sister Shrek, I did learn something in seminary. And you thought that I just slept the whole time…
Jokes aside, there is a very important principle here. As long as we pray, Satan can have no hold of our hearts. To think, that Satan could be bound by our prayers. Now this does not mean to spend all day and night on our knees in supplication to the Lord, rather we must have a prayer in our hearts. Alma 34:27 states “Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare”. As we read, our prayers do not have to be audible during the day; we can constantly have a prayer in our hearts. If our hearts are full of prayer, then there shall be no room for Satan, and the temptations that he wishes to bind us with.
Prayer is a very important piece our religion. It was prayer that allowed a young man to be visited by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is the means of our conversation with the Lord, and the gateway between heaven and this Earth. But a great role of prayer is in the conversion process.
Conversion to the Gospel is an act that all members of the church must take upon themselves. When you become converted it includes a change in behavior, but it goes beyond behavior, it is a change of our very nature. We all have heard of one persons or another’s conversion story. Some have given up gambling, smoking, drinking, vulgar language, and many other things. Normally it is extremely hard to quit any of these activities. A smoker, on average, will try to quite at least 11 times before they are successful. Yet many converts of the church can stop smoking after they receive their conversion. How is this possible? It is that very change in nature when we submit our wills to the Father.
According to “True To The Faith”, “although conversion is miraculous and life changing, it is a quiet miracle. Angelic visitations and other spectacular occurrences do not bring conversion. Even Alma, who saw an angel, became converted only after he "fasted and prayed many days" for a witness of the truth.”
Rarely are there instances of angels appearing to men, telling them to repent and become converted unto the Gospel. Instead it is a process that includes much effort on our side. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated; “Gaining a testimony and becoming converted begins with study and prayer, then living the gospel with patience and persistence and inviting and waiting upon the Spirit.” A person cannot expect to come to know the truth of the Gospel without taking the action upon themselves as it says in Moroni 10:4; “I would exhort you to that ye would as God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ.” Prayer is the only way that the Spirit will communicate the truth unto us. Not climbing a mountain, or running a marathon, rather an act that requires you to fall to your knees and humble yourself.
Let me explain the importance of prayer in conversion in another fashion. To become converted to the gospel is similar to a safe. The grand knowledge of the Gospel is inside a grand vault. Filled with the precious truth and mysteries of our Heavenly Father. All we need to do, is use our key to open the vault and let those blessings be poured out upon us. This is similar to conversion because the key that is needed to open the safe is prayer. Everyone has the ability to open the safe, but they don’t realize it. We must be the ones to open the safe. Our Heavenly Father won’t be the one to do it for us. We must use our agency for good, and be willing to search for the truth. The Bible Dictionary explains, “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.” All blessings are waiting for us, and it is only by our act of prayer do we receive them.
As you pray, the Spirit makes manifest the truth of the Gospel. This can be a feeling like “the burning of your bosom”, or a thought that comes to mind. But one way or another it is the Spirit and ONLY the Spirit that will convey this message. Doctrine and Covenants 50:19-20 states; “And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he not receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? If it be some other way it is not of God.” It is also stated in section 5 verse 16. “And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit.” This Spirit of truth, or manifestation of the Lords spirits, is also known as the Holy Ghost. And he reveals unto us the truth, as we so ask for it. The Holy Ghost does not give witness of the Gospel to random people at undetermined intervals. Rather, he waits for the broken heart and contrite spirit that is ready to listen to his very small voice.
The setting of prayer is just as important as the action of prayer. The middle of a mall or restaurant is no place to pour out your heart. First of all, it’s kind of embarrassing and secondly, the Spirit does not shop or dine out very much. But he does like quiet closets, or spaces. He is very shy and delights in one on one time with each and every one of us. Rarely he tolerates interruptions or someone with little time to pray. We should specifically designate at least an hour to spend time with him. Personally it was an hour and a half. For others it could be a matter of minutes, but whatever the time is, make sure you have enough of it. There is no excuse for not having time to find out if this is the Lord’s work or not. It should be your highest priority, and of utmost need. Why stop your progression because a new episode of ER is on? Are you truly placing a television show in front of the Lord? It is my challenge to everyone here that has not received a witness, to not procrastinate it any longer.
I promise that as you take Moroni’s challenge here to stated, that the Lord WILL answer your prayers. Elder Robert K. Dellenbach of the Seventy said; “Surely the Lord would not ask us to pray if He did not intend to answer our prayers. “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).”
Let me leave you with my conversion story and my testimony of this Gospel. I know that this Gospel is true. I know this without an inkling of doubt. I know that my Father in Heaven lives, and has called me to a place that i am most needed. I know that Christ lives, and that he died for me that i might be able to return and live with him once again. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet this day, and was called by God to be our prophet. I know that Joseph Smith prayed to our Heavenly Father and received an answer to his prayer, that eventually became the restoration of the new and everlasting gospel. I know all of these things are true, and challenge you to know for yourself.
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