At the first devotional of Winter Semester 2008, BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright told the audience that there is a difference between testimony and conversion. He also gave four daily minimum requirements to help a person move toward complete conversion.
"True conversion, that is the Lord's kind of whole or complete conversion, is much more than a simple testimony," he said. "Entrance into the Lord's Kingdom requires our complete conversion, not just a testimony."
Wheelwright quoted many passages from the Bible of Peter's going from having a testimony of Jesus Christ to becoming fully converted, as illustrated in Acts. "We all recall the resurrected Lord’s interaction with Peter on the shore of Galilee, where Peter is asked three times if he loves the Lord. Each time he responds affirmatively, to which the Savior’s response is 'Feed my sheep.' Within a short time Peter can be found doing exactly that," Wheelwright said.
"Throughout the Book of Acts and the remainder of the New Testament, the 'transformed' Peter demonstrates his motivating faith through his fixed and controlling determination to carry out any commandment, whether it be taking the gospel to the Gentiles, building the kingdom throughout the known world, or defending the Savior before kings and emperors," the leader of BYU-Hawaii continued. "His love of God firmly defines him and how he lives his life."
There are three levels of conversion, Wheelwright explained. First, a believer gains a simple testimony and plants the seed; second, a believer nurtures the seed and tries to follow Christ; third, the love of God becomes so settled in the believer's heart that the person's only desire is to serve God.
To help disciples of Christ become fully converted, Wheelwright presented four minimum daily requirements: obtain doctrine, implement doctrine, look for results, and say thank you. Meeting these goals daily will rapidly improve one's spirituality in moving toward complete conversion, he said.
"Together, these four 'minimum daily requirements' will help us reach our goal of full conversion the way the Lord intends. They will empower us with a truly motivating faith to live the gospel and share the gospel. Our commitment to our Savior will be so securely embedded in our hearts that it will have become who we are, not just what we do," Wheelwright stated.
Tuesday's devotional was the first for many students, also new to a Church-owned school. "To be able to have devotionals, mixed in with education, is amazing to me. I love this school because of that," said Nichole Manco, a junior, who came to BYU-Hawaii from Germany. Manco continued, "President gave us a 'how-to'. His talk gave answers to questions."
BYU-Hawaii's president concluded his talk by reminding students, faculty and staff who they are, and how he believes they can gain true happiness. "We are all sons and daughters of God. He loves us and wants us to be happy. But He knows that true happiness comes not just from gaining a testimony of the Savior and His Atonement, but from settling in our hearts our commitment to follow Him and obey His commandments."
:: View video excerpts of President Wheelwright's devotional (Winter 2008)
:: Access audio and transcript files of the devotional