When I listened to your voicemail (over and over) I am so warmed by your conversion and I am grateful that you asked us to write about our conversion because I have been pondering over it all week. My testimony, my conversion, when did it happen. We sent our testimonies to you at the beginning of your mission, specifically our feelings of the Book of Mormon with our picture of our family. By the way do you still have them? you can put them in your book of Mormon's.

When did I first have a testimony? I really cannot pinpoint it. I feel as President Hunter did when he told of the beginnings of his testimony happened at his mother's knee learning to pray. I started writing in a journal at age 10. I wrote down my feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus. At age 12 I read the Book of Mormon and felt that it was true. As I went to church, I felt the spirit especially when we sang the hymns, the feelings of the spirit were and are especially strong when I sing hymns. So my simple testimony-trusting faith​​​​​/conviction grew as I struggled through some doubt and conflict into my conversion where I believe I have a now have a solid conviction that Heavenly father lives, I am his daughter, I have a faith in the eternal plan of happiness and that this life is temporary and we can live together with Heavenly father again. This conversion began when I struggled before my mission, on my mission, after my mission, as I went to the temple, as I had you, Cole, and Erin. So it began when I was 18, before then I had a simple testimony.

I loved what President Hunter(this is in the priesthood and relief society manual for this year "Teaching of the Presidents of the church" chapter 21) said about testimony: Thomas was not willing to stand on faith."He wanted positive evidence of the facts. He wanted knowledge, not faith. Knowledge is related to the past because our experiences of the past are those things which give us knowledge, but faith is related to the future-the unknown where we have not yet walked. Thomas had lost his confidence in the future. He looked to the past. He wanted proof of that which was not then visible. Those who lack faith, live in the past-there is loss of hope for the future. To believe is to see." I have faith that there will be a second coming, that the New Jerusalem will be built--I want to be apart of it so I am acting- going to the temple weekly, saying my prayers daily, trying to serve people every day-not complain/murmuring, reading the scriptures,--so my conversion is on going. I do have an abiding faith that I try to put to action.

As I read what Elder Bednar says about testimony and conversion.

Testimony is personal knowledge of spiritual truth obtained by revelation. A testimony is a gift from God and is available to all of His children. Any honest seeker of truth can obtain a testimony by exercising the necessary “particle of faith” in Jesus Christ to “experiment upon” (Alma 32:27) and “try the virtue of the word” (Alma 31:5), to yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” (Mosiah 3:19), and to awaken unto God (see Alma 5:7). Testimony brings increased personal accountability and is a source of purpose, assurance, and joy.

Fundamental components of a testimony are knowing that Heavenly Father lives and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that the fullness of the gospel has been restored to the earth in these latter days. 

 converting and sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost and his obligation to serve faithfully.

       The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through the Savior’s Atonement. True conversion brings a change in one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God (see Acts 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:20) and includes a conscious commitment to become a disciple of Christ.  I do not think I am converted yet--I am on the path, but I do not have a permanent change and I am still trying to conform to his will.

Conversion is an enlarging, a deepening, and a broadening of the undergoing base of testimony. It is the result of revelation from God, accompanied by individual repentance, obedience, and diligence. Any honest seeker of truth can become converted by experiencing the mighty change of heart and being spiritually born of God (see Alma 5:12–14). As we honor the ordinances and covenants of salvation and exaltation (see D&C 20:25), “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20), and endure in faith to the end (see D&C 14:7), we become new creatures in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony.  I am trying to do this. I do not feel I am a new creature, trying to be but not there.