In President Hinckley’s conference address “I Am Clean” in
April 2007. He tells of a dream that
young Joseph F. Smith had when he was serving his mission in Hawaii in his
mid-teens. He talks about the conditions
that Joseph F. Smith lived in while serving in Hawaii were very humble and he
was embarrassed to look a man in the eye because of his appearance. One night Joseph F. had a dream about
hurrying some place when he comes to a beautiful building and outside the building he sees a
bath. He hurries to clean himself and realizes that he has carried with him a
small bundle of clean clothes. He puts
the clothes on and goes to the great entrance.
The door opens and Joseph Smith opens the door to him and tells him that
he is late. Joseph F.'s response is a
great spiritual lesson shown in a simple reply, His reply is “Yes, but I am clean – I am clean!” He enters into a very large room and is
greeted by many spiritually great men and women. President Hinckley tells us that after the
dream Joseph F. was never again ashamed to look anyone in the eye.
President Hinckley goes on to say: “The core
of that meaningful dream is found in the reproof given by Joseph Smith to young
Joseph F. Said the Prophet, “Joseph, you are late.”
Replied Joseph F., “Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!”
The result of that dream was that a boy was changed into a
man. His declaration “I am clean” gave him self-assurance and courage in facing
anyone or any situation. He received the strength that comes from a clear
conscience fortified by the approbation of the Prophet Joseph.”
We too must strive to be “Clean”. We must be clean in our minds as an unclean
mind leads to unclean language and actions.
We must learn to control the natural man within us.
In Russell M. Nelson, October 2013 Conference address titled
“Decisions of Eternity” He talks about our physical and spiritual bodies and
how they are both necessary and needed.
He then goes on to talk about what we must do to control our physical body’s
appetites. He says “When we master our
appetites within the bounds of God’s laws, we can enjoy longer life, greater
love, and consummate joy.” He also says “We can change our behavior. Our very desires can change. How? There is
only one way. True change—permanent change—can come only through the healing,
cleansing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He loves
you—each of you! He allows you to access His power as you keep His
commandments, eagerly, earnestly, and exactly. It is that simple and certain.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of change!”
When we know that we are beloved children of a loving
Heavenly Father we are able to turn to him easily and often in prayer, and we
except to receive his guidance. We are
more able to be obedient and obey his commands.
We know for ourselves that the atonement is real and necessary for all, we
have felt cleansed through baptism and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost for ourselves
and we want to share this gift with others.
I think this is what is meant in Mosiah 27:24-26
24 – “For,
said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold
I am born of the Spirit.”
25 – “And
the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all
nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea born of God,
changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being
redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;”
26 – “And
thus they become new creatures, and unless they do this, they can in nowise
inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ezra Taft Benson say of these scriptures: “When we have
undergone the mighty change, which is brought about only through faith in Jesus
Christ and through the operation of the Spirit upon us, it is as though we have
become a new person. Thus, the change is
likened to a new birth…You have forsaken lives of sin, sometimes deep and
offensive sin, and through applying the blood of Christ in your lives, have
become clean. You have no more
dispositions to return to your old ways.
You are in reality a new person.
This is what is meant by a change of heart.”
Elder D Todd. Christofferson said that “Without repentance
there is not progress in life. Only
through repentance is there a better life.
Repentance is a divine gift.
Repentance is the cause for true celebration.” Alma the Younger expresses his repentance
process in Mosiah 27:29 – “My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of
bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold
the marvelous light of God. My soul was
racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.”
So how does all this tie into my “Becoming” more charitable
project? Well, as I have said in
previous posts all the Christ-like attributes go hand in hand. The desire to be clean, to want to control
the natural man and to repent when we fall short all help to bring us closer to
our Heavenly Father. Gaining a better
understanding of each attributes helps us to do better with the others.
I am doing pretty well with parts of my becoming more
charitable project, but it seems kind of like an onion, as I make progress in
one area, I peel away another area that I realize that I need to work on. Like I said one thing leads to another.
This week's Ponderizing Scripture is:
I
am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. John 12:46
May we all strive to live in the light of our Savior Jesus Christ!
