Are you a convert? Entering the Church for the first time, finding it different or hard to adjust? Do you feel that maybe this is not where you want to be, because it feels different or odd? Allow me to pose a different question. When you began a brand new job, in a new place or even a new department or office, did you feel out of place, odd, thinking that maybe it may not work out or that things are not to your liking?

These feelings are normal and speak of the period of adjustment. They do not speak about whether it is wrong or bad. With anything new and unfamiliar comes a period of adjustment. The tendency of some people is to withdraw and move back into what is familiar, which is always what and where they were before. The feeling of comfort is a confusing feeling at times. People get comfortable in unpleasant environments where they believe they can do little about. This is called complacency and is confused with comfort. Here we see people wanting no change in order to avoid the discomfort of change.

The human or mortal desire to hold on to things, whether good or bad, is strong. People get “used to” what was and by that they have established a pattern of normalcy, which is a pattern of functionality. To alter this or change this requires time, patience, drive, and the willingness to work at it. It is hard for many to change, especially those who never had any religion in their lives before or were at a totally different kind of Christian church, but the fact remains, you were brought into this Church for a grand opportunity, one which is not offered in the complacency of other churches or in the world.

Whatever background you came from, it will gradually change if you allow it. What was in your life cannot remain if you wish to enhance and raise your life as you should do. If you have not realized it yet, you will find that old patterns, habits, ways, methods. beliefs and concepts that you carry and lived by will eventually stop working. This because your life has changed the moment you entered the Church. The “life style” and “environment” you are now in will have an affect on your life, causing you to change. This is the nature of the Spirit in the Lord’s Church. All things that are not in tune with the Spirit of God will find itself leaving. I do not refer to people, albeit it happens that way, I refer to the spiritual things within you because God always does his work spiritually, that is the first of his work, always. Those habits, beliefs, manners and ways are the spiritual things that will leave line by line. During this process there can be conflict or upset, as that is the nature of the flesh and of change. All change occurs in things being turned over, just like a gardener turns over the ground as part of the refurbishing process. If a person endures faithfully and if they fall during this process, get up again, repent diligently and sincerely and carry on. That is the reason and purpose of the Atonement and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Follow this and all things will become anew, line by line.

Be willing to change and let go of the past, not only what was not good, but those things which you still carry that are not good for the spiritual manner God wants you to be. Know that not all things will be easy and not all things will be grand or understandable. There will be times of confusion, anger, upset and frustration and even emptiness. That is part of the inner change. Some old habit or ways will not leave easily, as if they have a life of their own, but if you are willing and accepting of the change, it will change.

Please do not fall into the frenzy that some have in the Church, where they take things, make issue out of them and fall away. I have faced many occasions where I have wanted to leave, but learned that is just the mortal mind and those “issues” are resolvable. When I accepted this, things in my life were resolved in good timing and as a result, I remained faithful to the Church with a good testimony.

“After all that you can do” has meaning and application. Most of all remain faithful, you will not be disappointed, I promise, because the Lord promised that and he does keep his promises. I would not be saying this unless I also experienced this myself and know this it to be true.

Amen

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