“Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.” (Alma 6:6)

I often wonder if we truly believe in the power of fasting and prayer on the behalf of our home & visiting teaching families. Alma and the sons of Mosiah spent a lot of time in fasting and prayer. In fact, Ammon said that we can convert thousands if we but repent, exercise faith, bring forth good works and pray unceasing. (Alma 26:22)

Do you have any less-active sheep you’ve been assigned to watch over? Have you gone beyond the “getting to know you” and fellowshipping stages? Are you out of ideas and frustrated at the lack of progress your sheep are showing?

Here are three steps you can take today to begin the process of converting your sheep:

You must do the work and have faith that the Lord can do anything. Do you remember what the holy men said to Sarah when they told her that she would bear a child in her old age? “Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?” and the reply was “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:13-14) You do the work and let the Lord take care of the rest.

Attend the temple regularly and submit the name(s) of your sheep. Elder David B. Haight said, “A temple is a place in which those whom He has chosen and endowed with power from on high–A power which enables us to use our gifts and capabilities with greater intelligence and increased effectiveness in order to bring to pass our Heavenly Father’s purposes in our own lives and the lives of those we love” (Ensign, May 1992, pp 15-17). Elder Wirthlin said “regular temple work can provide spiritual strength.” (Ensign, May 1992, p. 88).

“For they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” (Alma 17:2-3) Try fasting and praying on many occasions and over extended periods of time. For example, if you have a family that won’t let you talk about the church when you are visiting, fast 1 day per week for a month prior to your next visit and see the difference in their spirit when you visit them next.

If you will love your families and sisters enough to do the work, if you will fast and pray continually and attend the temple on a regular basis, you will have the power to convert many souls, and “if it so be that you should labor all your days…and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!” (D&C 18:15)

Posted by John in Feature Articles