One Sunday I was sitting in Sacrament meeting. There were multiple speakers, but two stood out to me.
One, a mother who had been a member of the church for her entire life, but had ebbed and flowed between activity and inactivity throughout the course of her life.
The other, her teenage daughter who had just recently been baptized.
As I sat there listening to their talks I was struck with the inspiration that no matter how grandiose or simple a conversion story may seem, every member has one. And each one is important.
Continuing to ponder this thought, I realized that I too have a conversion story although I have been an active member my entire life. If I thought back on my life, I could pinpoint a certain period of time where I felt my testimony truly becoming my own.
When I got home that day, and had some time to myself, the idea of this project hit me like a wave. Everything became very present in my mind. The who, the what, the when, and even down to the where I should photograph, filled my mind.
Then, it felt like some crazy idea, but now I see it as one of the most impactful revelatory experiences I have ever had.
Just as quickly as the idea for this project came, so did Satan trying to work his way into my thoughts.
Although I have been an active member for my entire life, I never felt like an adequate member of the church. I didn’t feel like I knew the scriptures well enough, or knew the gospel well enough to do anything with it. The thought of serving a mission absolutely terrified me. Being a “member missionary” only ever went as far as inviting a few school friends to an occasional youth activity. I would never venture out further than that. So the idea of doing this project seemed a little daunting to me, and I often wonder if others find it peculiar and I should stop.
I Am Converted has taught me many things, but one in particular stands out. I always viewed missionary work as very linear. In my mind, missionary work was inviting friends to church, passing out Books of Mormon, or bearing testimony to colleagues. While these are all great things, and excellent ways to participate in missionary work, they are not the only definitions of the term.
Missionary work can be so much more than what I have viewed it to be, and you do not have to be a scriptorian to be actively involved. I have learned that it can be very personal, and that The Lord wants us to utilize the talents he has blessed us with to bring others closer to Him.
Everyone is worthy of the knowledge of the gospel, and we shouldn’t limit ourselves based on how we think things should be.
Be bold. Be different. Be you. Get creative, and use the tools the Lord has already equipped you with to build the Kingdom of Zion.
I Am Converted 