The Change of the Heart

Dear Family,

I shall speak but in brief. For I've but a few moments.
Yet, this is all e're I do need.

There must come a time, in every man's life... when he knows, and cannot doubt, the True and Living God.
But not all men feel they can believe. Not always. They feel. But are not certain. They want to believe.
But how can they? And yet, the Lord doth say, "this is enough."
For, saith He, "even if ye can no more than desire to believe" (Alma 32: 27) this shall be enough.
Such, who have even the desire to believe, which desire is inherent within us all, being the very offspring
of God, whose very essence can be seen within ourselves, are they who shall one day Accept Him.
And such, one day, are they who shall Be Received. And there shall be a Great Many. Even Countless.

Yet, what of Us? Who do believe? Who knoweth the light and the truth. The very children of God, unto whom Alma saith,
"And now, behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love,
I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (Alma 5: 26)

Let me say this, very reverently, very tenderly.
In words that are, in and of themselves, not my own, but of those... I know ye all have felt.
And of those... my heart has known.

"Yea, we believe...all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,
...that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Mosiah 2: 5)

Brothers & Sisters, this is a Child of God. And we are they. And thou knowest who thou art. Remember, always.
For unto me... in no special place, no unique moment in time, no wonder or miraculous particular passage of scripture...
Nothing. Save it be, the small... overwhelming touch... in a moment, when my Heart was open... of the Savior.

Years, of my life. All I know, and all I am. And, in particular... even while on my mission. After studying. Praying. Reading. Pondering. Observing. Teaching. Testifying.
Applying. Living. Loving. Delighting... in the Words of Our Savior. Be they through His prophets, His sacred scriptures, His servants here on the Earth, each and every one of us,
by His angels, which I promise, do attend us all, even God and the Savior themselves, who Come to Walk Among Us...
Through Consistency. And Earnestness. And Diligence. Of Hope. And Love. And Joy.

In One Moment... I Received My Change of Heart. And I Can Say... even as they Have said... that I Do Desire to do no more evil, but to do good continually. To stand as an ensign to the world. To be His child. To consecrate my performance unto Him; to Glorify our Father, which is in Heaven; to serve Him with all heart, might, mind, and strength; to labor all my days without ceasing; to waste and wear out my life...

I know, we all have felt this Song. We all Have known The Love. It is within Us.
Nothing else, nothing, is greater than this witness we have received, which we must honor
and uphold. For in a moment of doubt, or fear, or weakness... we may forget.

But remember... it is not a moment, that has made you a Child of God.
It has been an Eternity. And it shall continue to be.

Diligence. So we may Never Forget. Let Us Live as Disciples.
He Shall Never Forsake...He Shall Never Forget...
(1 Nephi 21: 14-16; 3 Nephi 11: 14)

Let Us, as well, Always Remember.
Our Change of Heart.

We know what must be Done.

--Elder Christopher A. Lewis


(Mosiah 18: 21-22; 3 Nephi 18: 7)
(3 Nephi 27: 21)