Personal Experience 

Because this is a study of some of the deliberate processes carried out by the researcher-as-administrator, the researcher's own analysis of what he experienced and what he believed led to increased numbers of converts is now considered. In analyzing his own personal experience, the researcher used a mental tool called "simplest cases" (see Shockley & Gong, 1966, p. 26). This involved looking inward with the intent of discovering the central core of the conversion process--the micro units and processes--rather than looking outward at the macro ones. This is similar to successful approaches for producing energy, fighting disease, or building computing power. In each case some of the major breakthroughs have been in the micro rather than macro approaches: working with atoms, microbes, and micro chips.

            There were three parts to this analysis:  

            1.         the conversion process of an individual contact,  

            2.         the proselyting process of an individual missionary, 

            3.         the leadership process of the mission president. 

Before continuing, it is necessary to point out one more important consideration: individual agency. Mormon doctrine teaches that men are free to choose and act for themselves, but that an understanding of the choices and consequences of the choices is necessary in order for them to exercise that agency: 

            Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other (2 Nephi 2:16). 

Therefore, in considering these three processes---the conversion process, the proselyting process, and the leadership process--it must be remembered that individual agency plays an important, and ultimately decisive role. 

The conversion process of an individual contact.  The exploration of the conversion process involved searching for its central core and analyzing what individual contacts experience during their conversion and continued active involvement in the Church. By analyzing and understanding this ore, it is then possible to identify the various factors which influence that experience, and to organize those factors into a hierarchy according to direct or indirect effects on that core process. Then it can also be determined whether or not those factors can be influenced by the proselyting process. Only then can the leadership process be analyzed to determine what can be done at that level to influence the proselyting process so that it will have a more desirable affect on the conversion process..

It is important to note that the influence moves both ways. While the mission president influences the missionary who influences the investigator, the investigator also influences the missionary, who in turn influences the mission president. The description of the mission is replete with examples of both missionaries and the mission president being influenced in this opposite direction. (See Figure 27.) 

CONVERSION

                                                INVESTIGATOR ß----------à SPIRIT

PROCESS

PROSELYTING

                                                MISSIONARY ß----------à METHOD

PROCESS

LEADERSHIP

                                    MISSION PRESIDENT ß----------à EMPHASIS

PROCESS

The mission president influences the missionaries in the proselyting process, who influences the investigators in the conversion process. Likewise, the mission president is influenced by the missionary who is influenced by the investigator. The influence goes both ways.

There are at least three parts to analyzing the process of conversion from a non-member to an actively participating member: 

            1. the core conversion process itself (see Figure 27), 

            2. the steps leading to the conversion process. 

3. the steps leading from the core conversion process. 

The core conversion process. The core of the conversion process is a spiritual conversion: the Spirit convincing the individual that the message is true. The purpose of all that happens before then (the contacting, the teaching, reading, pondering, praying, etc.) is to help cause that spiritual conversion: and the success of all that happens after (the fellowshipping, the active participation, obeying the commandments, fulfilling assignments, continued activity, etc.) is to some degree dependent upon that spiritual conversion.

Unlike many Christian sects, Mormon doctrine does not teach that this spiritual conversion must take place all at once in an all-or-nothing manner. Although there are exceptions, the author's experience indicated that often the accumulation of several spiritual experiences of increasing intensities are what led to conversion. Mormon doctrine also teaches that this spiritual conversion is conditional upon the thoughts and actions of the individual, and that it is certain to happen if those conditions are met: 

            There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated (D&C 130:20-21). 

            For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world (D&C 132:5). 

            I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise (D&C 82:10). 

The conditions for obtaining a spiritual manifestation of the truth are explained throughout the scriptures. Perhaps most explicit are the instructions and promise contained in the Book of Mormon explaining how one can know the truth of that book as well as the "truth of all things." The prophet/writer Moroni explains that those who receive the message of the gospel should "ponder it in their hearts," and then 

            Ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:4-5). 

This core process of spiritual conversion, then, is simple and direct: if a person does "A," then "B" will happen: if a person (A), 

            1.         Receives the message (listens, reads, etc.), 

            2.         Ponders it in his heart (thinks deeply about it), and 

            3.         Prays about it (asks God, with a sincere heart, and with faith in Christ, whether or not it is true),

then (B) will happen:

1.                  The truthfulness of it will be manifested directly to that person through a spiritual confirmation (by the power of the Holy Ghost), and

2.                  The truthfulness of all things can be known in this same way.

              It must be remembered that this spiritual conversion does not usually happen all at once at one particular time, but often happens gradually and continuously, depending upon the thoughts, feelings and actions of the individual involved. 

The steps leading to the core conversion process. Even though there are many possible paths leading to conversion, one way of analyzing the critical steps is

to look at them in reverse order, starting from the central spiritual conversion, and moving from the most immediate and direct influence outward. This results in

the following three steps which are in reverse chronological order: an active seeking to know, preceded by a willingness to listen, preceded by contact with the message.

The most immediate and direct influence on the conversion process is the contact's active seeking to know. This involves seriously considering the message (pondering), and praying about it sincerely and with faith. If this is done, the truth will be manifested to the one seeking according to the Moroni's promise.

Obviously, before contacts can actively seek to know of its truthfulness, they must choose to listen to the message. Thus, prerequisite to the active seeking is the contact's exercise of agency and choice to listen.

            But, before contacts can choose to listen, they must have some contact with the message. Thus, before the process toward conversion can begin, the contact must have the opportunity to listen, read, or otherwise receive the message. For example, there is little opportunity for those living in areas where there are no members or missionaries to even begin the steps to conversion.

So, putting the conversion process in chronological order, if a non-member investigator 

            1. HAS CONTACT WITH THE MESSAGE

            2. CHOOSES TO LISTEN

            3. ACTIVELY SEEKS TO KNOW, then

            4. A SPIRITUAL CONVERSION will take place. 

The steps leading from the core conversion process. But, this is not all. There are steps leading from the core conversion, too. These steps are: an acceptance of and willingness and commitment to live by the spiritual conversion (symbolized by baptism), beginning to live the gospel by carrying out of the commitments (participating in Church, keeping commandments, etc.), and continuing to carry out the commitments (long-term activity and growth in the gospel).

Putting the whole process in chronological order, then, if a non-member 

            1. HAS CONTACT WITH THE MESSAGE,

            2. CHOOSES TO LISTEN, and

            3. ACTIVELY SEEKS TO KNOW, then

            4. A SPIRITUAL CONVERSION will take place. 

Then, to become a long-term, active convert, the contact must 

            5. ACCEPT AND COMMIT (RECEIVE BAPTISM),

            6. BEGIN TO LIVE THE GOSPEL, and

            7. CONTINUE IN ACTIVITY AND GROWTH. 

It must be emphasized again that this spiritual conversion, while placed at the center here for convenience sake, in reality does not usually happen all at once at anyone particular time. Rather it is more likely to happen gradually and continuously, throughout the process, and depends largely upon the thoughts, feelings and actions of the individuals involved.

Another thing to note is that each step is a decision point. An individual may "drop out" anywhere along the way. Looking at the process as a decision tree, non-member investigators may either 

1. HAVE CONTACT WITH THE MESSAGE, or NOT HAVE CONTACT. If they have contact, they may either 

2. CHOOSE TO LISTEN, or CHOOSE NOT TO LISTEN. If they choose to listen, they may either 

3. ACTIVELY SEEK TO KNOW, or NOT ACTIVELY SEEK TO KNOW. If they actively seek to know, then, 

4. A SPIRITUAL CONVERSION will take place. But, even if a spiritual conversion takes place, they may either 

5. ACCEPT AND COMMIT (BAPTISM), or NOT ACCEPT AND COMMIT. If they accept and commit, they may either 

            6. BEGIN TO LIVE THE GOSPEL, or NOT BEGIN TO LIVE IT. If they begin to live the gospel, they may either 

7. CONTINUE IN ACTIVITY AND GROWTH, or NOT CONTINUE. Only those who continue through all seven steps become long-term active members. 

The next step in analyzing the productivity in this process is to determine what factors influence a person's progress through these steps. Why do some people go through them and become long-term active members and others not?

In order to determine what factors influence a person's progress through these steps, the question of direct and indirect influences and controllable versus uncontrollable factors must also be considered. This will separate those factors which can be used to influence change from chance variables, or constants, and facilitate a hierarchical ordering of the factors according to their direct or indirect affects.

After having contact with the message, any person who joins the Church must make the remaining choices for himself: to listen or not to listen, to seek to know or not seek to know, to accept baptism or not accept baptism, to begin to live the gospel or not being to live it, and to continue to live it or not continue to live it. The conversion process, then, is influenced by the support or lack of support of these choices.

Return to previous page