“Have ye experienced a mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14). In this searching question, Alma points to the essence of true conversion—not just changed behavior, but transformed desires.
The Lord promised through Ezekiel that He would “take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and… give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). This transformation isn’t superficial—it reaches to our core, changing not just what we do but who we are.
I experienced this in my own conversion journey. Before joining the Church, I followed religious rules out of duty. But when the Spirit began changing my heart, those same actions became expressions of love. I didn’t just attend church – I longed to worship. I didn’t just read scriptures – I hungered for God’s word.
This mighty change doesn’t usually happen in an instant. Like a seed growing into a tree, it often develops gradually through consistent spiritual nourishment. But the results are unmistakable: what we once desired falls away, replaced by deeper spiritual longings.
I testify that true conversion transforms us from the inside out. When Alma asks about experiencing a mighty change of heart, he’s inviting us to examine not just our actions, but our motivations. Are we different people than we once were? Do we feel God’s love reshaping our desires? That’s the miracle of conversion – not just reformed behavior, but renewed hearts.
Elder Linder 