Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

What does membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the LDS Church) mean for the disciple of Christ? Is it possible to be a disciple without membership? The most basic answer to the second question is yes of course. Anyone who realizes how important Jesus Christ is to them can begin a new life as His disciple. Emulating Jesus Christ is the best goal for anyone in this world. In fact, it is the primary purpose of our time on earth.

As we’ve discussed many times, discipleship is a growth process that allows us to be a little bit more like the Savior every day. The disciple of Christ truly desires to follow Christ, to carry His name, and serve those around him in the best ways he can. That process starts from wherever we find ourselves.

But, there is another factor involved in becoming a disciple. The disciple of Christ carries the Spirit of Christ within his heart and nature. It whispers guidance, assurance, peace, and understanding. It testifies of Jesus Christ and the eternal truths He taught. The disciple of Christ recognizes and embraces truth.

Because you are reading this blog, I know that you have had some dealings with the LDS Church. That may mean you are a life-time member or someone making a casual inquiry. Either way, the first question each of us found in this place, at this time, is: What do I believe about Jesus Christ? Then, after we’ve looked inside of ourselves and pondered our answers to this basic question we can move forward.

A belief in Jesus Christ is a foundation in good. It is the best place to build up a lasting part of ourselves. What we accomplish on this foundation carries the greatest value both here and in heaven. When we have established where we stand in our beliefs and love for Christ, we can move on to the next valuable question: What am I willing to do in His name? How can I best be His disciple? Again, these answers are individual.

The one thing that every disciple needs to keep in mind, both with their own dealings with their fellow man and in the way they view an organized religion of any type is: everything in the Church of Jesus Christ is about pleasing the Lord. Everything. Not politics, not station, not money, not prestige, not anything else.

Because of the light within me, because of my own desires to be a dedicated disciple, I recognize the truth that permeates The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but more importantly I recognize its focus. Everything in the LDS Church is about pleasing the Lord. That’s why this disciple chooses membership in a “peculiar” religion.

I have friends in many different religions. I hear their heartbreak as they watch members of their own congregations forget the most basic principles of discipleship. I do not pretend that there are no problems within our congregations. We are still human, but I think there is a very basic difference in how we operate and how many others do. We take our discipleship very seriously. We make covenants associated with our belief in Jesus Christ. We willingly enter into binding promises with our God to serve and honor Him. If something is happening that is contrary to the basic mission of pleasing God and supporting His doctrines it can, should, and will be corrected.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a source of truth but most of all it is a source of commitment. I came because of Jesus Christ; I continue because of Jesus Christ, I try to please the Lord. If you’re ready to take your discipleship to the next level, let your heart look more closely at the truths that can be found here. It gives every member/disciple a chance to actively move closer to Christ in every way. It’s the best home I’ve found for the disciple of Christ.

Everything in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is about Jesus Christ.

Let’s look, for a moment, at one well-known scripture about conversion.

“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32).

Do you recall when the Savior spoke these words? It was at the last supper. He was addressing His most faithful disciples yet He is praying for their faith and conversion. These were the men who had followed Him almost from the beginning, who had testified of His divinity, and still Christ felt they were not fully converted. For me, that brings to mind the question: what does it take for a disciple to be converted?

I think many of us assume that our conversion has already happened at the point in time that we declare ourselves to be disciples of Christ. I think the Lord would have us understand that is only the beginning. Think back to when you first came to understand how deeply you loved Jesus Christ, is that the last time you learned anything about Him? Were those the only poignant feelings you have had related to His gospel and teachings? Unless that first experience was yesterday, I rather doubt it was your last. I think this is one of the things that Christ would have us understand about faith, testimony, and conversion. It doesn’t happen over night. Conversion is an ongoing, dynamic process. Every day our souls weigh out our testimony as well as our commitment to the gospel and the commandments. If we’re on the right path to conversion, that balance comes out on the Lord’s side, not the world’s. With all our human faults, the goal of the disciple is to keep the balance weighing toward total conversion to the gospel.

There are many stories of conversion in the scriptures. These events are also often referred to as a change of heart or being born of God. Conversion means learning to imbed Christ and His teachings so fully upon our lives and hearts that we have no desire for anything else. The goal of discipleship is to reach this point of conversion.

I don’t know about you but like the disciples of Luke 22, I don’t think I’ve made it there yet. There are days (though I wished there were not) when I let my fears and doubts out-weigh what I know about the Lord’s divine mercy and watchful care over my life. There are days when discouragement at my own trials keeps me from noticing the needs of another. There are days when my testimony of prayer is strong, but my testimony of forgiveness is weak.

Conversion is more than knowing and declaring, it’s feeling and understanding. It’s becoming. Convert implies a complete change to something new and different than you were before. When we are converted, we become someone new, someone like the Savior. That type of transformation only comes when we take what we know and feel and continually turn it into doing and becoming.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has said, “It is not . . . enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something” (Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32).

Another part of conversion is testing. As difficult as it may sound, the difficulties of this life are the refiner’s fires that can solidify our hearts in the ways of Christ. This is one of the things the disciples at the last supper had not experience yet. Yes, they had trials, but the Lord was always there. Their conversion would not be complete until they realized that they could follow Him even when they could not physically see Him. That’s the great mission and purpose of this life.

“Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility.” Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 32–34

As we weigh our daily progress toward conversion, it might be wise to review the words of Alma from the Book of Mormon.

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts.
15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption braised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?
16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth? . . .
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? . . .
26 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 5:14-26

The important thing to remember about conversion is that Christ is praying for us. He wants that mighty, and permanent, change of heart for each of us. Then, He wants us to share what we have learned and experienced with others.