October 2006 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

DETAIL FROM CHRIST AND THE RICH YOUNG RULER, BY HEINRICH HOFMANN, COURTESY OF C. HARRISON CONROY CO.
F I R S T P R E S I D E N C Y M E S S A G E
A Perfect
Brightness of Hope
TO NEW MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH
BY PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY
We congratulate you on your recent
baptism and welcome you most
warmly. What a wonderful step you
have taken in joining the Church! We stand
ready to assist you in any way that we can.
At this critical time you may feel like the
woman who wrote this letter:
“My journey into the Church was unique
and quite challenging. This past year has
been the hardest year that I have ever lived in
my life. It has also been the most rewarding.
As a new member, I continue to be challenged
every day.”
She continues: “When we as investigators
become members of the Church, we are surprised
to discover that we have entered into
a completely foreign world, a world that has
its own traditions, culture, and language.
We discover that there is no one person or
no one place of reference that we can turn
to for guidance in our trip into this new
world.” 1
What you are going through as a new member
should be exhilarating. Your faith in the
Savior is strong. Your excitement to learn more
and more about the restored gospel is sincere.
But it is also easy to feel overwhelmed by new
words, new meetings, new teachings, and new
challenges. Even new people may be something
to deal with. You may wonder if you can
ever measure up to the standard of being a
true Latter-day Saint. I have a simple message
for you: Of course you can! Don’t give up!
On the Path
Remember what Nephi said:
“Ye have entered in by the gate; ye have
done according to the commandments of the
Father and the Son; and ye have received the
Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father
and the Son. . . .
“And now, . . . after ye have gotten into
this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all
is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye
have not come thus far save it were by the
word of Christ with unshaken faith in him,
relying wholly upon the merits of him who
is mighty to save.
“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a
steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness
of hope, and a love of God and of all
men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward,
feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure
This is God’s holy
work. This is
His Church and
kingdom. I leave
this testimony and
my invitation to
continue to be part
of this great latterday
miracle that is
The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
ENSIGN OCTOBER 2006 3