If you are a new member to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or a returning member who feels new, here are a few tips to help you on your faith journey!

1. Remember the Gospel is Simple!
This is my favorite part of the gospel…IT’S SIMPLE! We try to complicate things, or we struggle to really believe it can be this simple. But it is! It’s simple!

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is simply beautiful and beautifully simple.” -President Mathew Cowley
I love that the scriptures tell us that if we but only have a desire to believe that is enough to start the most glorious sprouting of faith! There’s no way to know everything …ever…but especially in the beginning. But what you do know …is enough…and it’s beautiful!
Alma 32:27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

2. Start where you’re at!
Where you are at is perfect! I had a good friend, who, converted from Catholicism, and he always gave the best advise. He testified strongly that the path is long and windy, but that our goal should be to keep moving towards Christ. It doesn’t matter where on the path we are, but that we are moving forward. And as we move forward, others will move with us. That should be our goal to help others move toward Christ as well.

D&C 25:22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren: an on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad…..

3. Bring with you all that is good!
This is absolutely my favorite concept! Gordon B. Hinckley said it best!
“We recognize the good in all people. We recognize the good in all churches, in their efforts to improve mankind and to teach principles that lead to good, stable, productive living. To people everywhere we simply say, ‘You bring with you all the good that you have, and let us add to it. That is the principle on which we work”
And then to second that our 13th article of faith says it too..

“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

4.  Your Testimony is Powerful!
Sharing your testimony will bless others lives!…Most importantly, it will bless your life!
As you share your testimony…it GROWS!! I love testimony meeting! I remember one time, 18 years ago, a guy bore his testimony and told how he joined the church 10 years previously. At his baptism he committed to bearing his testimony every fast Sunday. He had been faithfully doing this for ten years when he stood and bore his testimony about how much this has helped him grow closer to the Savior.  It touched me to the core. I committed that day, to bear my testimony every opportunity I got! I have been consistent for 18 years! It has been the best advice and has strengthened my testimony beyond words.
A testimony doesn’t need to be eloquent or long! It is simply an opportunity to share how you feel about anything spiritually minded, but mainly your testimony of Christ.
“Each of us has to receive our own witness concerning Jesus as the Christ. We cannot get it secondhand from someone else. I believe that a testimony of our Redeemer comes from a divine source, as a spiritual gift. As John the Baptist stated, ‘A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.’ such a heaven -sent witness gives us a sacred inner peace and strength, even though we live in a world of turmoil and temptation. It gives us the power to become disciples of the Christ. As one who has sought such a witness, I would like to set up my seal upon the testimony that has come to me of the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ.” – President James E. Faust

5. Get to know the Holy Ghost!
The gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift/tool here on earth!
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I have really focused on listening, and responding to the whispering of the Holy Ghost, so that I will be able to recognize it during difficult times. I can not tell you what a blessing it has been in my life. For one to realize he is literally our constant companion, and two he will never mislead you. He works together in perfect union with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! If we can learn to discern his promptings over the loud noise of the world, we will always know what to do and which way to turn.
“Just as the Holy Ghost strengthens us against evil, He also gives us the power to discern truth from falsehood. The truth that matters most is verified only by revelation from God. Our human reason and the use of our physical senses will not be enough. We live in a time when even the wises will be hard-pressed to distinguish truth from clever deception.” -Henry B. Erying

Like anything else, practice makes perfect!
“As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit will come more frequently, becoming closer and closer to constant companionship. Your power to choose the right will increase.-Henry B. Eyring

6. Lean on Someone!!
It doesn’t matter who you are or how strong your faith is, there are moments in life when everyone needs someone to lean on. And that’s okay! Life throws us curve balls…and we need extra strength. I love to compare sports with spiritual concepts, because I am always amazed at how closely they are related!
After every cross country race, the finish line is full of strong fast runners, helping each other stand to recover. Often as a runner crosses the line, there will be two runners come to assist them as they feel weak. They will wrap their arms around them. One on each stand, and hold the runner up, until she is strong again!
That’s how it works in the spiritual race, when you feel weak, or need a little assistance, LEAN ON SOMEONE! or TWO, or EVERYONE! Don’t worry! You’ll build your strength again…and soon you will be the one assisting!
“A 14-year old boy recently said to me a little hesitantly, ‘Brother Holland, I can’t say yet hat I know the church is true, but I believe it is.’ I hugged that boy until his eyes bulged. I told him with all the fervor of my soul that belief is a precious word, an even more precious act, and he need never apologize for only’ believing’.I told him that Christ Himself said, ‘Be not afraid, only believe,’ a phrase which, by the way, carried young Gordon B. Hinckley into the mission field. I told this boy that belief was always the first step toward conviction and that the definitive articles of our collective faith forcefully reiterate the phrase  ‘We believe.’ And I told him how very proud I was of him for the honesty of his quest.”….
“What was once a tiny seed of belief for me has grown into the tree of life, so if your faith is a little tested in this or any season, I invite you to lean on mine. I know this work is God’s very truth, and I know that only at our peril would we allow doubt or devils to sway us from its path. Hope on. Journey on. Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” – Jeffery R. Holland

7. Your understanding of knowledge WILL grow!
It takes time! It’s a little here and a little there! Honestly, it’s the most beautiful thing ever, as you constantly get to learn more and more as you study and pray!
2 Nephi 28:30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have”

Really everything in life is the same way. If you want to be a doctor, it takes years and years of devoted time and study to get there, and then with every patient and experience you learn a little more!
Every time I’ve read the Book of Mormon I have built a stronger understanding of a new gospel principle. There is no end to learning, so enjoy the journey!

8.  Always Remember the Moment When you knew the Church was True, and Committed to Baptism. 
Those moments are special! Trust me, the adversary knows how special they are and will try to cloud your mind so that you forget or that you lose focus. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN!!
This is one of my favorite scriptures, because life is difficult and we will have ups and downs in our faith journey! There will be times when we are sprinting and times when we are crawling…we just have to keep reminding ourselves of those times when nothing could stop us!
Alma 5:26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

9.  EVERYDAY! Everyday!! EVERYDAY!!! 
I still say that to myself when I’m too tired to read my scriptures or to say my prayers… I just chant that awesome quote from Elder Kevin W. Pearson…EVERYDAY! EVERYDAY! EVERYDAY!
If you will read the scriptures and say your prayers everyday…your faith will grow, your understanding will increase, and you will find yourself sprinting toward the tree of life!! 🙂

Most importantly remember… WE, members across the world, are here for you! We, here at Spiritual Crusade, are here for you! Your local church family is there for you! The Lord is there for you!!!