Receiving the Light

Another highlight of the conference was hearing real-life conversion stories. This was particularly powerful for Anthony Diaz, who joined the Church in 2007.

"I loved Brother Jim Whitney's class on the Book of Mormon because of the experience he shared and the testimony he gave," Anthony says. "And I loved hearing from others who haven't always been members of the Church. I didn't know that some of them were converts. It helped me remember my own experience of joining the Church and reminded me how important missionary work really is."

Anthony treasures his experience of receiving the gospel and was grateful to have a better idea of how to share it. Then at the end of his class, Brother Whitney encouraged each participant to share a copy of the Book of Mormon with someone they knew. "It's not as easy as I thought it would be," Anthony says. "I realized you have to anticipate the kinds of questions people might ask about the Church. You have to be able to answer them clearly and directly, and keep it short and simple. If you don't know the answer, don't be afraid to say so. Tell your friends that you'll find out or offer to introduce them to the full-time missionaries."