Be Ye Converted- Oscarson

This is the second talk for December:  Bonnie Oscarson talked about true conversion by doing the little things day after day.  She is the General Young Women President for the Church.
Below is the direct link to her talk. "BE YE CONVERTED"

http://bcove.me/kjr21p06

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

She tells the story of her great grandmother who was almost adopted by a non-LDS family and taken from her heritage. Even though it was hard, the blessings came because her Mother said "No."

She tells the simple truth that "The decisions you make in your daily life will determine what happens to you later."

Here are some of the counsel and promised blessings that she shared.
COUNSEL:

• Do what it takes to gain the conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.
• Act upon what you believe.
• Don't expect the reward without having to work for it.
• Be diligent about saying our prayers, studying our scriptures, attending church, and being worthy to participate in temple ordinances.
• Understand the Atonement and allow it to work in our lives.

PROMISED BLESSINGS:

• You will have a mighty change in your heart.
• The spirit of the Holy Ghost will confirm it is true.
• You will have a desire to share with others what you have learned.
• You will have confidence to testify boldly.
• You will be able to make a difference for good in your family and in the world.

I really liked her example on how we need to LIVE THE PRINCIPLES before we can know that they are true.  Too often we think that we are not getting the answer to our prayers about whether a principle is correct, without taking the effort to act in faith.
"For example, we may take this approach: I will be happy to live the law of tithing, but first I need to know that it’s true. Maybe we even pray to gain a testimony of the law of tithing and hope the Lord will bless us with that testimony before we have ever filled out a tithing slip. It just doesn’t work that way. The Lord expects us to exercise faith. We have to consistently pay a full and honest tithe in order to gain a testimony of tithing. This same pattern applies to all the principles of the gospel, whether it is the law of chastity, the principle of modesty, the Word of Wisdom, or the law of the fast."

I add my conviction to Sister Oscarson.  I know that the principles of the Gospel are correct.  I know because I have practiced them in my life and I have seen the promised blessings come to fulfillment.  It does not mean I have not had hard times in life...but when I am LIVING BASED ON PRINCIPLES, I can not only feel the blessings in my own life, but I am able to be there for others, (sometimes many of them) and really make a difference for good.
Faith, Repentance, Covenants, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, using the Atonement...these things are worth the effort to practice.  And I can do that by three simple things: Daily prayer/ Attending Church weekly/ Study of the Scriptures including the counsel of latter-day Prophets.
I am grateful to my parents for teaching me solid principles based on the Gospel.  I have self worth because I know who I am.  I know the joy of serving others because I was served and taught that example from the time I was small.  I know the joy of repentance and how the Atonement works to heal because I have practiced it and continue to practice it.
I value the guidance of the Holy Ghost who directs my decisions daily and for my good as well as those I have impact on.
I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who desires us to be all that we are capable of becoming. There is so much to look forward to and to enjoy in the journey!