As a Child: A Scriptural Daisy Chain

A "daisy chain" is a garland that can be made by threading several daisies together into a single loop that can be worn as a bracelet or a necklace. The term is also used to refer to a single chain of electronic devices working in concert or a series of load-bearing straps used to extend the length of a sling used to hold a rock climber.

The scriptures are full of verses that can be thread together to help us better understand the beauty, the harmony and the safeguards the gospel provides. For example, this week my family discovered this sequence beginning with King Benjamin teaching his people:

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father (Mosiah 3:19).

And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not (Mosiah 4:29-30).

Christ taught the same doctrine during his ministry:

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-4).

The Lord who is our Judge exalts those who choose to control their passions and submit their will to His, just as He knelt in submission to our Heavenly Father:

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me (Matthew 26:36-46).

This example is the preface of King Benjamin's teachings in Mosiah 3. In his words:

For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgement might come upon the children of men (Mosiah 3:5-10).

From Mosiah chapter 3 around the chain and back again, we can enjoy a richer study as we string verses of scripture together to better understand the gospel.

Receive the Holy Ghost

In the six weeks that followed the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostle Peter undergoes a miraculous transformation. It is a change that has had lasting impacts on the history of the Church and the world; and a similar change is within all of our reach.

Simon Peter is a prominent figure in Christ's ministry. He was the Savior's chief apostle, the "rock" and future leader of Christ's church and one of the Lord's most devoted friends. It is Peter that has the faith to walk a step or two on the water, who learns by the spirit and testifies that Jesus is the Christ, who witnesses the transfiguration and the most sacred miracles of Christ, and who cuts off the ear of Malchus in defense of Christ immediately prior to his crucifixion. In simple terms, Peter was a good guy.

Yet, when the Sanhedrin seized the Savior and sentenced him to die, Peter wasn't feeling so good. He was recognized three times as he followed the proceedings and each time Peter denied his association with the accused. When he realized what he had done he went out and wept bitterly. Then, when the Lord was gone, he went back to his fishing boat aggrieved. It must have seemed like it was over-- like there was nothing more to hope.

Six weeks later, everything looked different. Peter and John noticed an older man in front of the temple who had been lame from his birth. When they heal the man, a crowd gathers and Peter testifies of the same Christ who the leaders in the crowd had just crucified. Peter and John were then brought before the Sanhedrin themselves, where Peter boldly declares:


Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole (Acts 4:10).

What could have made such a difference in so little time? Yes, he had been with Christ for 40 days after the resurrection; but he had been with Christ three years before his infamous denial. He had testified that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" before he decided he'd go back to being a fisherman (Matthew 16:16). Now he and John were defying a direct order from the Sanhedrin, ignoring threats of violence against them, and "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" when they were imprisoned and beaten (Acts 5:41).

The difference wasn't the prints of the nails in the Savior's hands or his resurrected glory alone, as wonderful as it must have been to witness the Resurrected Lord. Peter had seen Christ's glory, witnessed the raising of the dead on more than one occasion, and had a testimony of the Savior's divinity even prior to his crucifixion. It also certainly wasn't that like-minded individuals had assumed political power or that the risk of association had diminished. To the contrary, Christ had prophesied that Peter would be crucified for his testimony. So what else could it have been?

In the closing moments before the Savior's ascension into heaven, he repeated a promise to his apostles that he had made before. "Ye shall receive power," he said, "after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

A week later, "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). A crowd of 3,000 people gathered in Jerusalem that day and Peter taught them the gospel. The hearts of the people in the crowd were softened until they asked Peter and the disciples, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter responded, "Repent, and be baptized... and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:37-38).

Peter had experienced the power of the Holy Ghost prior to the resurrection. When he had testified of Christ's divinity in Ceasarea Phillipi, Christ's response confirmed that "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). He had participated in the first sacrament and the ordinance of the washing of feet. These spiritual experiences and others like them were intermittent however, and in many ways insufficient to facilitate full conversion. In between spiritual high points, Peter was left to himself and the weakness of his own flesh.

It is only after Peter and John receive the gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost that they really begin their ministries. Only then do they have the boldness to stand in a crowd of Jewish leaders and testify of those leaders' sins and their ignorance of the teachings of all the prophets regarding Christ's return and the restoration of the gospel. Only after Peter is "filled with the Holy Ghost" does he have the courage to stand before the Sanhedrin and preach of the same Christ that was hated and crucified by them. Only then do the apostles perform many signs and wonders in defiance of the high priest and then explain with plainness that "we ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost brings confidence, sanctification and peace of conscience, knowledge of all things, strength to endure all things and a desire to share that gift with all of the children of God. It helps Peter overcome his fear of men and transform from student to teacher, from follower to disciple and from having a testimony to being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only natural that, given the opportunity to teach the people after experiencing the gift of the Holy Ghost, he teaches the goal and promise of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Peter's teaching is for us, too. The Lord stands ready to bless each of us with the power that is accessory to the gift of the Holy Ghost, but we have to be ready to receive it. Elder Bednar explained:

 These four words-- "Receive the Holy Ghost"-- are not a passive pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood injunction-- an authoritative admonition to act and not simply be acted upon. The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed "receive the Holy Ghost" and its attendant spiritual gifts ("Receive the Holy Ghost", October 2010).

The gift of the Holy Ghost is sometimes called the "baptism of fire". In ancient Hebrew culture, fire was a symbol for the presence of the divine. Thus, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost only after we repent and are baptized by the proper authority for the remission of sins. Only then are we worthy of the presence of the divine.

Likewise, after this gift has been bestowed upon us, it operates in our lives as we remain worthy of it. Elder Bednar taught, "Receiving the Holy Ghost starts with our sincere and constant desire for His companionship in our lives." When we desire to live in the presence of the divine, we invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost as we make and keep sacred covenants, seek virtuous thoughts and actions, strengthen appropriate relationships with friends and family and commune with God through scripture study and prayer.

In short, we can be transformed by the presence of the divine if we're willing to leave old habits behind and heed the priesthood injunction to receive the Holy Ghost. If we will do this, the promise of the Lord is that, come what may, we will receive power-- power to know all things, to overcome all things, to endure all things, and to witness in our homes, our communities, on social media and to all people foreign or domestic. Most miraculous of all, through the gift of the Holy Ghost we receive power to change ourselves, the legacy we leave for our families, and the entire world.

Testimony and Conversion

In Matthew 16, Christ asks his disciples, 'Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?' The disciples relayed the speculation of the day that perhaps Christ was one of several possible Old Testament prophets returned to fulfill some prior prophecy. Christ then asked, 'But whom say ye that I am?' Peter responded, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Christ responded with a one sentence sermon on testimony:  'Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven' (v. 13-17).

To have a testimony of the gospel is to have a knowledge in our hearts and minds that it is true. The Holy Ghost can witness to our souls that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that the authority and doctrine of Christ's church was restored through Joseph Smith, and of all other things which are true.

The holy scriptures record the testimonies of dozens of prophets and disciples of Christ from the beginning of the world to modern times. Job testified almost four thousand years ago:  'For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God' (Job 19:25-26). Likewise, Alma testified to the people of the ancient Americas that 'the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me' (Alma 7:13).

In the dawn of the current gospel dispensation the prophet Joseph Smith declared:

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father-- That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God (D&C 76:22-24).

The Holy Ghost has provided a divine witness of Christ to the thoughts and feelings of sincere inquirers in every era of time and upon every continent where people have asked God to know the truth. None of us can obtain a testimony entirely on our own; it is a gift that must be given to us. We gain our testimonies as the Holy Ghost shares his; similarly, sharing our testimonies with others invites the Holy Ghost to testify all who hear it, ourselves included.


Though testimonies are given as divine gifts, our hearts and minds are prepared to receive testimony as we desire to have it and show our desire through obedience to God's commandments. The same Alma mentioned above once compared testimony to a seed that must be planted and nourished in order to grow (Alma 32:28-42). As the laws of biology explain the growth of a seed, the laws of the gospel will teach us what we must to to receive the faith and testimony we desire.

The Lord taught Joseph Smith that the first step is to ask in prayer. 'If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peacable things-- that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal' (D&C 42:61).


It is up to each of us to nourish and grow the knowledge we desire to have with all the time and attention we might give a growing plant in our garden. The Lord promises that 'every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened' (Matthew 7:8).

As necessary as it is to receive a testimony of the gospel, testimony alone is insufficient to bring about salvation. Elder Dallin H. Oaks has explained: 'To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to become converted, which requires us to do and to become' ('The Challenge to Become, October 2000). Christ taught, 'Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven' (Matthew 7:21). In other words, 'Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew 18:3).

This is the same message King Benjamin delivered to his people about 124 years before the coming of Christ. He taught:

Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them (Mosiah 4:9-10).

As we allow our testimonies to direct our actions we will experience a change of heart. The people of King Benjamin had 'a mighty change... in [their] hearts, that [they had] no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually' as a result of their obedience to the words of their prophet-king. Almost 40 years later, King Benjamin's grandsons helped a rival kingdom to experience a similar conversion.

Faith in the words of scripture and the courage to repent and change transformed the once bloodthirsty, angry, warmongering rivals into a steadfast, faithful, and peaceful people. Allowing their testimonies to guide their actions, the people who called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehis buried their weapons and knelt in prayer even as the disbelievers among them massacred thousands of their friends, family members and countrymen. In turn, the actions of this converted people eventually softened the hearts of the disbelievers and inspired tens of thousands to plant the seed of conversion in their hearts (Alma 24).

The people of King Benjamin and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are examples of the dedication, commitment, miracles and strength that can and will occur in the converted heart.

Paul taught the Ephesians that all testimony has been given that we may all attain 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13). In the most recent general conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard taught: 'Only when our testimony transcends what is in our mind and burrows deep into our heart will our motivation to love and to serve become like unto the Savior's. It is then, and only then, that we become deeply converted disciples of Christ empowered by the Spirit to reach the hearts of our fellowmen'.

Elder Oaks has taught that 'this process requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.'

He continued, 'It is not enough for anyone to just go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become... Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.'

We take the 'next logical step in our complete conversion to the gospel of Christ by assimilating its doctrines deep within our hearts and our souls so we will act and live consistently--and with integrity--what we profess to believe.  This integrity simplifies our lives and amplifies our sensitivities to the Spirit and to the needs of others. It brings joy into our lives and peace to our souls--the kind of joy and peace that comes to us as we repent of our sins and follow the Savior by keeping His commandments' (Ballard, 2012).

What things might you profess to believe without living that belief consistently? Is there a variance between how important you say your family is and how important you treat your family? Could someone quickly discern your faith in Christ by the language you use, the discipline you exercise in your life, or what you choose to do for entertainment and recreation?

In our attempt to take the next step toward the consistent, joyous life of a converted disciple, Elder Ballard reminded us to seek opportunities to serve those around us. He promised that 'if you do this--at home, at school, at work, and at church... you will be prompted by the Spirit and magnificently motivated to help pollinate the world with the pure love of Christ and His gospel'.

Elder Oaks also shared practical counsel for becoming converted. As we take the next step, he advised, 'we should remember that our family relationships--even more than our Church callings--are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur. The conversion we must achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a good wife and mother. Being a successful Church leader is not enough. Exaltation is an eternal family experience, and it is our mortal family experiences that are best suited to prepare us for it.'

He continued:

Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility... Most of us experience some measure of what the scriptures call 'the furnace of affliction'. Some are submerged in service to a disadvantaged family member. Others suffer the death of a loved one or the loss or postponement of a righteous goal like marriage or childbearing. Still others struggle with personal impairments or with feelings of rejection, inadequacy, or depression. Through the justice and mercy of a loving Father in Heaven, the refinement and sanctification possible through such experiences can help us achieve what God desires us to become.

We are challenged to move through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal life. This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason—for the pure love of Christ.

Our path toward conversion begins as we plant the seed of testimony in our hearts. As we nurture it with regular scripture study and frequent, fervent prayer, our testimonies may grow in both breadth and depth. True conversion will come as we apply what we learn to our daily lives. Our righteous action will also allow the Holy Ghost to expand our testimonies and provide additional opportunities for a more complete conversion.

John taught, 'If any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself' (John 7:17). What could you do this week to expand your testimony and conversion? Is there a gospel principle you would like to have confirmed to your soul by the Holy Ghost? Is there some needed repentance that could take place this week? In what ways can we make our lives more consistent with our testimonies? Have you completely washed away the desire to do evil like the people of King Benjamin did?

Though we'll all fall short at times--sometimes way short of where we'd like to be--we are not alone. The Holy Ghost can and will testify to our hearts and minds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, as he testified to Joseph Smith, Alma and Job. Through the atonement of Christ we can be forgiven of our sins. We can be given the strength to make our actions consistent with our testimonies.We can become converted disciples of Christ and experience the joy and peace the Lord has promised.

We Must Raise Our Sights

Recently, I was told something of the sights and sounds of the modern high school. Not a school in the inner city, but a suburban school just a few miles from my house attended by the relative of a relative. It was astonishing to hear how much worse things have become since my own high school graduation eight years ago. The perversions children and teens see in their schools each day are the same abominations that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, worse than those that brought Noah’s flood and comparable to any dark corner of the world.

The leaders of the Church see and have foreseen the severe tests that face our youth. In 2001, Elder Henry B. Eyring taught religious educators that “the world in which our students choose spiritual life or death is changing rapidly… The spiritual strength sufficient for our youth to stand firm just a few years ago will soon not be enough. Many of them are remarkable in their spiritual maturity and in their faith. But even the best of them are sorely tested. And the testing will become more severe.”

This is an ominous prediction for the future generations. Thankfully, prophetic leaders like Elder Eyring have also taught us how to shore up the spiritual strength of our youth-- and ourselves-- against the severe tests that “will become a torrent of sounds and sights and sensations that invite temptation and offend the spirit of God.” The place to begin, he explains, is with our “vision of what we seek” in the lives of our youth.

“We must raise our sights… The pure gospel of Jesus Christ must go down into the hearts of students by the power of the Holy Ghost. It will not be enough for them to have had a spiritual witness of the truth and to want to do good things later. It will not be enough for them to hope for some future cleansing and strengthening. Our aim must be for them to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they are with us. Then they will have gained a strength from what they are, not only from what they know…

“What we seek for our students is that change… True conversion depends on a student seeking freely in faith, with great effort and some pain. Then it is the Lord who can grant, in His time, the miracle of cleansing and change. Each person starts from a different place, with a different set of experiences, and so a different need for cleansing and for change. The Lord knows that place and so only He can set the course.”

Members of the Church, particularly our youth, can protect ourselves against the difficult world around us by becoming converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. As parents or in our callings, we can help strengthen our families and wards by teaching the pure gospel in plain simplicity. Pure and simple gospel teaching requires more of us—we must know the scriptures better and be more worthy of the Holy Ghost-- but the gospel will be relayed more powerfully as we teach with plainness. The Holy Ghost will carry the truth down into the hearts of our youth.

“But there is more. We can raise our sights by adding greater faith that the change promised by the Lord will come to our students… Faith is not simply to know God could do something. Faith is to know He will.”

The Lord will change the hearts of all those who diligently seek Him. He has intentionally given us experiences and relationships that will help us come to a converted conclusion. We must take advantage of the opportunities He gives us to build our faith, and we must be careful to fulfill our role in the conversion of those around us, particularly the youth of the Church.

Yes, the world is getting tougher. But we can help those coming after us to face it. We need only raise our sights.

Cleansing the Inner Vessel

During the April Conference of 1986, President Ezra Taft Benson taught that “we must cleanse the inner vessel, beginning first with ourselves, then with our families, and finally with the Church.” We could do this, President Benson taught, through converted hearts, avoiding sexual sin, using the Book of Mormon and humbling ourselves before God.

After reminding us of the many programs and resources of the Church, President Benson counters, “We don’t need changed programs now as much as we need changed people!” The adversary will seek to pacify and lull away the people of the latter days that he may lead them away carefully down to hell (2 Nephi 28:21). We must awake, “awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell… awake… [and] put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust” (2 Nephi 1:13, 23).

With changed hearts, we must then avoid sexual immorality. “This, the Prophet Joseph said, would be the source of more temptations, more buffetings, and more difficulties for the elders of Israel than any other… If we are to cleanse the inner vessel, we must forsake immorality and be clean.”

We must also say and do more with the Book of Mormon. Quoting President Marion G. Romney, President Benson taught, “By [reading the Book of Mormon] we will fill and refresh our minds with the constant flow of that ‘water’ which Jesus said would be in us—‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life’ (John 4:14). We must obtain a continuing supply of this water if we are to resist evil and retain the blessings of being born again… If we would avoid adopting the evils of the world, we must pursue a course which will daily feed our minds with and call them back to the things of the Spirit. I know of no better way to do this than by reading the Book of Mormon…” Reading and heeding the teachings in the Book of Mormon will lift the condemnation of God pronounced on the Church (D&C 84:56-57).

Finally, President Benson expresses “grave concern” over the “universal sin” of pride. “Essentially,” President Benson explains, “pride is a ‘my will’ rather than ‘thy will’ approach to life… Pride does not look up to God and care about what is right. It looks sideways to man and argues who is right. Pride is manifest in the spirit of contention… It is the fear of man over the fear of God.” Pride is how the devil became the devil.

We are to combat pride with the opposite of pride-- humility. Christ removed self as the force in His perfect life. As our perfect example, he said, “not my will, but thine be done.” In the last days the proud will burn as stubble. The humble will “be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge (D&C 1:28), for the Lord is “merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts” (D&C 61:2).

President Benson concludes, “As we cleanse the inner vessel, there will have to be changes made in our own personal lives, in our families, and in the Church. The proud do not change to improve, but defend their position by rationalizing. Repentance means change, and it takes a humble person to change. But we can do it… We must first cleanse the inner vessel by awaking and arising, being morally clean, using the Book of Mormon in a manner so that God will lift the condemnation, and finally conquering pride by humbling ourselves.”

You and I remain bound to these words, these scriptures given to us through a modern prophet. May we cleanse our inner vessels, prerequisite to the development required of us for eternal life, through conversion, sexual purity, studying and applying the Book of Mormon and adopting selfless humility.