Welcome.

I have had the sweet and fulfilling opportunity to live in sundry places across the globe. Each of those experiences has birthed incredibly meaningful experiences for me, many that have more richly anchored me to redeeming Jesus and His restored gospel.

Always those experiences have involved people and so often, converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love these precious ones. Most are very brave souls who often forsake everything from family to fortune to join with striving saints. Many of them join because of stirrings they felt inside their hearts, not because they foresaw a flawless transition into a faith tradition that asks them to give up so much that was previously familiar and comfortable.

But these dear souls come. Unswervingly faithful, they come. They have faith to believe in wonderfully wild things like heavenly visions, modern apostles, a living prophet and more revelations from the heavens instead of just the Bible.

As they learned the fullness of truth, they felt “pricked in their heart[s]” and as a result, humbly they asked, “[Missionaries], what shall we do?” When they were invited to “repent and be baptized,” they did! (See Acts 2:37-38) They meekly went down into baptismal waters and were washed clean through the Atonement of their Master whom they heart and soul desired to follow.

And then comes the test.

And so fast – often when they are just babes in the gospel.

And sometimes they stumble in trying to lay past addictions and habits aside. They mean well. They try mightily. The struggle is long and hard and sometimes feels unbeatable. And so often, we life-long members, though sympathetic, really cannot understand the enormous challenges that loom before them. We grew up knowing about and obeying the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity, dressing modestly, attending church weekly, reading and pondering our scriptures, worshiping in the holy temple, listening to General Conference every six months all day Saturday and all day Sunday, serving others, and a zillion other things that are specific to our faith tradition. But these converts! Though many of them are decently wonderful people prior to their conversions, they walk into a world totally new. The lingo, the dress, the entertainment, the everything – it’s all new.

They come willingly and impressively into our ranks, but Satan pursues them with vigor and intensity. The fiery flame of his diabolically deceitful musings is consistently shoved in their faces and whispered in their ears.

It wears them down.

And so let us lift them up.

To our converts, you precious ones, be encouraged. Even in your stumbling, be encouraged.

I have known so many of you who have tried so hard to press forward when it has been anything but easy. I wish to encourage you, to tell you to press on.

Stumble forward.

In the messiness of your falling, you will access Jesus and His grace. In time, you will be fully enabled, tremendously strengthened, changed. It is a process, but the good news is that if you will keep at it, He will work the miracle. Your job is to cleave unto Him with perfect faith in His perfection while you stumble and fall forward.

I offer some few words as you press forward, sometimes falling backwards. Remember that even backwards can be part of progress, part of going forward.

First, there is a really beautiful scripture found in the Doctrine and Covenants that talks about people like you beautiful converts. “…for mine elect,” says the Lord, “hear my voice and harden not their hearts.” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7) So look at you! You heard the voice of the Lord calling you, electing you, choosing you to come join the ranks, and you came! Because of the softness of your teachable and willing heart, you came.

You absolutely came. You were summoned and invited, and you accepted.

Do you know how awesome and important this is? Take that hand of yours and pat yourself on the back. You are to be congratulated.

But right, we can’t just rest on our laurels.

There is more to be done. Like becoming perfect or in other words, whole, complete, finished. In case that frightens you right out of trying, consider this:

Before Jesus was resurrected, He told His followers to be perfect like His Father in Heaven: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48). BUT. After His resurrection, Jesus said this to ancient inhabitants on the American continent: “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven, is perfect.” (3 Nephi 12:48). Even Jesus wasn’t complete until after His resurrection.

So while you are still not yet fully whole, lean on the bosom of the One who is.

Repent by the minute if it is needful. Be genuinely sorry. Confess. U-turn. Cry. Plead. Ask. Strive. Try just once again. And again. And again. Don’t turn back. Don’t give in. You are making better progress than you realize. Even in the falling. Celebrate your victories.

Up is hard. Down is easy.

But you are going up.

As you climb, you will fall, but climb again. The mountain is falling behind you, under you. You are ascending, even if you have a misstep or a stumble or even a backwards slide for a few yards.

Up you go. One foot in front of the other.

Go where there is power, peace, and help. Stay within the safety of your covenants. When you are not at home or work, live in the temple. Beg for help to overcome as you become.

I promise He will help you.

Yes, in His own way and in His own time. That is part of the lesson.

Remember the story of Alma the Elder and his people when they were in bondage, praying for rescue and help.

“And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God…And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage…the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” (see selections from Mosiah 24:13-15)

Whatever bondage threatens you, dear convert, be faithful. Submit to the gospel path of covenants, and when you stumble downward, fall forward on your knees in meek and unassuming prayer. Repent and find forgiveness. And above all, forgive yourself. It’s okay that you don’t yet have it all right and perfect. You are okay.

Change is a process.

You are on your way home, and He wants you there badly. He will move the powers of heaven and overcome those of hell to help you sojourn home.

When you stumble, press on.

You are precious.

We need you. You enlarge our ranks and suffuse our witness with depth, vigor, and life.

We love you.

Press on.

Unto all the world: To my convert friends, you can do this! We will help you. When you stumble, press on.