Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts

On December 1, 1838, the Prophet Joseph Smith was incarcerated with five companions in Liberty, Missouri. The men described it as, "hell surrounded by demons." The filthy basement cell was cramped with very little light, the food was poisoned, odors hung in the frigid winter air, and guards and passers-by would harass the prisoners at every opportunity. The six men were held in this cell for four long months.

On March 20, 1839, the Prophet dictated a 29-page letter to the Saints. Some historians have noted that the letter is similar in diction and tone to Paul's letters to the Ephesians or Romans, which were also written from prison. Excerpts from the letter are now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants Sections 121, 122, and 123.

While much of the letter focuses on the trials of the Saints in Missouri, and we often use these verses to talk about our own trials, Joseph Smith also spoke these inspired words in that dingy cell at Liberty Jail: "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men... and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven" (D&C 121:45). Additional promised blessings include exaltation and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

That Joseph Smith could preach charity while he was unjustly imprisoned and the Saints were being oppressed, driven from their homes, and killed is a demonstration of divine meekness and the very charity he preached. President Nelson reminded us in his most recent address that we are also expected to be peacemakers even when those around us are hostile.

But what of virtue? Often, virtue is used to refer specifically to chastity or sexual purity, but this is too limited of a definition. When the woman with an issue of blood touched the hem of Christ's garment and He felt virtue gone out of him (Luke 8:46), He wasn't somehow losing chastity.

Virtue simply means strength. It refers to a cadre of characteristics, or virtues, that give a person strength or power as we make them part of who we are. So, chastity, yes, but also gratitude, faith, integrity, discipline, generosity, temperance, kindness, modesty, patience, humility, meekness, and love.

When Christ healed the woman with an issue of blood, He felt power go out of Him.

When Christ taught Joseph Smith that we should include virtue in our thoughts, He is teaching us that there is strength in not only chaste thoughts, but also in grateful thoughts, in patient thoughts, in humble thoughts, and in faithful thoughts.

When we are charitable to others and overlay our thoughts with virtue, or in other words, when we keep our covenant to always remember our Savior, Jesus Christ, God will keep His covenant to give us the Holy Ghost as our constant companion. Through the Holy Ghost, He will teach us all we need to know to receive exaltation and stand with confidence in the presence of God, even if some of those lessons come while we feel like we're in our own metaphorical cell at Liberty Jail.

President Nelson taught, "As we diligently seek to have charity and virtue fill our lives, our confidence in approaching God will increase... Then, as we go to our Heavenly Father with increasing confidence, we will be filled with more joy, and your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. We will begin to experience spiritual power that exceeds our greatest hopes."