Deepening conversion to Jesus Christ is a journey that is “never-ending,” Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently said in a worldwide devotional for young adults.
“Whatever the depth of our spirituality, each of us, all of us, can go deeper still,” the apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in Sunday’s devotional.
Elder Stevenson and his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson, spoke side by side during the devotional, considering humans’ “innate quest to go deeper” — deeper into pools, lakes, the ocean and even space.
In parts of their prerecorded devotional, they also explored space science at the Orson Pratt Observatory on BYU campus in Provo and the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City, diving into astrophysicists’ findings through the years.
“One of the things that we’ve learned here is that it’s an almost universal hypothesis within the world of astrophysicists that there is yet much to be discovered,” Elder Stevenson said. “The future holds deeper and deeper travel, vision and understanding of the depths of space.”
The same is true in deepening conversion to Jesus Christ, he taught.
“We can always deepen our conversion,” certainly following baptism and primary, progressing through the church’s Young Men and Young Women programs and even following a fulfilling mission or participating in temple ordinances and covenants, Elder Stevenson said.
Sister Stevenson warned that each person must be careful not to feel they have somehow reached an “endpoint” in their conversion.
“In our lifelong conversion as disciples of Jesus Christ, sometimes we feel we have touched the bottom of the deep end of the pool,” she said. “But really, we have just begun.”
Elder Stevenson said, “We can go so much deeper, deeper than the Mariana Trench, deeper than those spectacular images of galaxies millions of light years away.”
Citing scriptures in Psalms, Ephesians and the Book of Mormon, Elder Stevenson further emphasized the “infinite” and “eternal” nature of God’s power, understanding, glory, mercy, goodness, grace and atonement.
“If we ever feel our conversion is complete,” Sister Stevenson said, “let’s invite ourselves to be amazed that we can always deepen our conversion and faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement.”
Tools to deepen conversion to Jesus Christ
Elder and Sister Stevenson included an audio clip of church President Dallin H. Oaks’ teachings in 2000 about conversion, which lists some tools to deepen conversion to Jesus Christ.
They also explored the Clark Planetarium for tools and resources used in the depths of space, connecting them to spiritual tools and parallels.
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan by which we can become what children of God are supposed to become,” President Oaks taught in the audio clip.
“This spotless and perfected state will result from a steady succession of covenants, ordinances and actions; an accumulation of right choices; and from continuing repentance.”
An astronaut’s spacesuit, which withstands extreme pressure and temperatures, can be emblematic of the spiritual armor needed to withstand spiritual pressure, Elder and Sister Stevenson taught.
“As you strive to push new limits in deepening your conversion, you, too, may be subjected to inhospitable environments, severe temperatures and extreme pressure,” Sister Stevenson said.
“This might include stress to loosen your standards, adopt worldly philosophies and give in to temptation that will draw you away from the safety of faith in Jesus Christ.”
Elder Stevenson invited young adults to consider the “protective elements embodied within the restored gospel of Jesus Christ” that enhance one’s ability to stand firm in spiritual battles.
The Apostle Paul in the New Testament offered a “direct invitation to put on the whole armor of God,” Elder Stevenson said. This includes having on the breastplate of righteousness and taking the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Elder and Sister Stevenson also presented insights from Latter-day Saint young adults worldwide on tools they’ve used to deepen their conversion.
These young adults testified of how temple worship, ministering, institute attendance, regular scripture study, and focusing on the Savior and his atonement have deepened their individual conversion to Jesus Christ.
“Regular temple attendance helped me deepen my conversion to Jesus Christ, because it reminds me of who I am and who I am becoming,” said Leah Florez, a Latter-day Saint young adult in Cabanatuan City, Philippines.
Florez shared it was easy to become spiritually distracted after serving as a missionary for the church, but that as she worshipped in the temple she was able to feel God’s love and learn that conversion is an everyday decision.
“Because of this experience,” Florez said, “I understand that conversion is not just something that happened once, but it is something that we choose every day, and that Jesus Christ is always here for me.”
‘You are not alone’
One takeaway from the insights young adults shared in the devotional is that the challenges young adults face are “remarkably similar,” wherever they live, Elder Stevenson said.
“The solution to those challenges, found through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, are universal as well,” he added.
Elder Stevenson then promised young adults that as they invest time, effort and apply gospel principles to deepen their conversion, they will be rewarded.
“The eyes of your understanding, with respect to spiritual matters, will be opened, revealing greater depth and clarity,” he said.
He invited young adults to prayerfully consider how they may apply these and other guiding principles and action items to deepen their conversion, promising them peace and direction.
“I hope to assure you,” Elder Stevenson said, that “in your mission to deepen your conversion leading to lifelong discipleship of Jesus Christ, you, too, have a dedicated team, deeply interested in your mission goal.”
This team consists of the Savior, modern-day prophets and apostles, other church leaders, family, and loved ones, he said.
“You are not alone. We love you. We weep with you in your setbacks and rejoice, even cheer, in your successes.
“I bear testimony of a loving Heavenly Father and of his infinite power. … He knows each of you and rejoices as you strive to know him,” Elder Stevenson said.
