Ether 12:41

And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.

If we want to have God with us, we must seek him. He rarely sneaks up on us. We have to use our agency to search him out. The good news is that he is not hard to find. He is practically right out in the open for those who make the effort. He is a mystery only to those who do not want to know him. And when we find him, he gives us grace, which is the gift of enabling power. He enables us to stay with him so long as we keep seeking, keep trying, keeping choosing to believe.

3 Nephi 14:7-8

Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

This is one of the most oft-repeated commandments in scripture: ask, seek, knock. Whole books could written on this topic. Here are just two thoughts:.

Jesus promises that everyone who asks, receives. Not just the smart people, or the rich people, or those with pioneer ancestors, or those who have perfect families, or those who have never sinned, or those who have important callings. Everyone means everyone. No one who asks in sincerity, humility and faith will be denied an answer.

The key is to learn to ask the right question, meaning the right question for you. It may take some time to learn, but the Holy Ghost will teach us if we ask for his help and listen.

Alma 32:37

And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

We do not manufacture our conversion, but we must cultivate it. If we are careless in how we treat the gifts we have received and treat lightly the tender feelings the Spirit has planted in us -- in other words if we take this marvelous interaction with the Holy Ghost for granted -- it can be withdrawn. Or rather, we draw ourselves away from the source of our new joy. Choices and decisions are at the heart of conversion. It is not something that just happens to us. It is something we choose, seek, invite, and nourish.