Elder David A. Bednar on sanctifying our hearts

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"The word heart is used over 1,000 times in the standard works. This simple but significant word often denotes the inner feelings of an individual. Our hearts—the sum total of our desires, affections, intentions, motives, and attitudes—define who we are and determine what we will become. And the essence of the Lord’s work is changing, turning, and purifying hearts through gospel covenants and priesthood ordinances.

"We do not build or enter holy temples solely to have a memorable individual or family experience. Rather, the covenants received and the ordinances performed in temples are essential to the sanctifying of our hearts and for the ultimate exaltation of God’s sons and daughters."

- David A. Bednar, "Let This House Be Built unto My Name," General Conference April 2020, Sunday morning

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

The building of temples in this last dispensation is a fascinating theme. Elder Bednar discussed the scope of that effort since the first temple in Kirtland, and the rapidity of the progress of construction that has accellerated through the years. But more important than the numbers and locations of the buildings, is the purpose and reason for their construction, and the power they can provide to those who attend.

An important part of God's purpose for us relates to our inner natures, our "heart" that He asks to be given to Him.

Through the ordinances and covenants of the Gospel, we allow our heart to experience the "changing, turning, and purifying" that will bind us to Him.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President Henry B. Eyring on the blessing of a change in nature

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"The way to come unto Him is to feast upon His words, to exercise faith unto repentance, to choose to be baptized and confirmed by His authorized servant, and then to keep your covenants with God. He sends the Holy Ghost to be your companion, comforter, and guide.

"As you live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Lord can direct you to safety even when you cannot see the way. For me, He has most often shown the next step or two to take. Rarely has He given me a glimpse of the distant future, but even those infrequent glimpses guide what I choose to do in daily life.

"The Lord explained:

'Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow … much tribulation.

'For after much tribulation come the blessings.' (D&C 58:3–4)

"The greatest blessing that will come when we prove ourselves faithful to our covenants during our trials will be a change in our natures. By our choosing to keep our covenants, the power of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement can work in us. Our hearts can be softened to love, to forgive, and to invite others to come unto the Savior. Our confidence in the Lord increases. Our fears decrease."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Tested, Proved, and Polished," General Conference October 2020, Sunday afternoon

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This life is replete with challenges. President Eyring's saintly mother taught him from his youth that life is supposed to be hard, in order to provide the opportunities for growth and learning that we all need. But God has promised help as we turn to Him. President Eyring's inspiring words give hope and encouragement to all of us as we face the difficulties of our lives.

This insight was especially meaningful to me. Blessings will come through our faithful obedience, and  the most important of those will be the change in our nature. Our faith allows the power of the Lord's Atonement to work in our lives, bringing about that change. It is by and through Him that our hearts are softened, and that we have power to forgive those who hurt us. Fears disappear through faith and healing. What a precious give.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President Dallin H. Oaks on the greatest miracle

President Dallin H. Oaks (born August 12, 1932) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980.  He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He became President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and also 1st Counselor in the First Presidency in January 2018.

"I have spoken about miracles. I have given illustrations of miracles in the Church as a whole and in many different circumstances involving a few individuals or a crisis of weather or war. But the greatest miracle is not in such things as restoring sight to the blind, healing an illness, or even raising the dead, since all of these restorations will happen, in any event, in the Resurrection.

"Changing bodies or protecting temples are miracles, but an even greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God (see Mosiah 5:2). A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body. I repeat, the body will be resurrected in any event, but a change affecting what the scripture calls the 'heart' of a spirit son or daughter of God is a change whose effect is eternal. If of the right kind, this change opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God. It introduces the perspective and priorities that lead us to make the choices that qualify us for eternal life, 'the greatest of all the gifts of God' (D&C 14:7).

"My dear brothers and sisters, I pray that each one of us may experience and persist in that miracle of the mighty change of heart, that we may realize the destiny God has prescribed for all of His children and the purpose of this Church to bring to pass the eternal lives of men and women."

- Dallin H. Oaks, "Miracles," CES fireside in Calgary, Canada, May 7, 2000; printed in Ensign, June 2001, pp. 6-17
Click here to read the full talk

We often view "physical" miracles as most dramatic and impressive. Healing of a sick person, raising the dead, profound inspiration or discernment—these present such dramatic and obvious expressions of God's power. But President Oaks points out that there is something far more impressive and powerful: the "mighty change of heart" that takes place in the life of a true disciple.

A changed heart is so significant because that event or process "opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God." The change is just the beginning; the process that follows is what truly matters, because we can grow and evolve in the way that will open the door of eternal life.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

President Henry B. Eyring on acting and serving in faithfulness

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"That day I remembered and understood better the prophetic words of the Prophet Joseph Smith: 'A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 426).

"We see such love in the lives of Latter-day Saints everywhere....

"That faith, put into action, which requires selfless sacrifice, brings the change of heart that allows them to feel the love of God.

"Our hearts, however, remain changed only as long as we continue to follow the prophet’s counsel. If we stop trying after one burst of effort, the change will fade.

"Faithful Latter-day Saints have increased their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Book of Mormon as the word of God, and in the restoration of priesthood keys in His true Church. That increased testimony has given us greater courage and concern for others of God’s children. But the challenges and the opportunities ahead will require even more.

"We cannot foresee the details, but we know the larger picture. We know that in the last days, the world will be in commotion. We know that in the midst of whatever trouble comes, the Lord will lead faithful Latter-day Saints to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. And we know that the Lord’s true disciples will be worthy and prepared to receive Him when He comes again. We need not fear.

"So, as much as we have already built faith and courage in our hearts, the Lord expects more from us—and from the generations after us. They will need to be stronger and braver because they will do even greater and harder things than we have done. And they will face increasing opposition from the enemy of our souls."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Fear Not to Do Good," General Conference October 2017
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

I love the quote from Joseph Smith. When we truly feel the love of God in our hearts, it is reflected in our actions; our great desire becomes the blessing and happiness of those around us. Belief and devotion are translated into action; service to others becomes a motivating desire. And further, the selfless sacrifice of sincere service brings a change of heart that is one of life's greatest blessings.

A changed heart only remains changed when the conditions that brought about the change are maintained! What a great insight.

The final paragraph of this excerpt provides an interesting insight and a great challenge. President Eyring reminds us that "the Lord expects more from us" in order to deal with the challenges ahead. We will be asked to "do even greater and harder things than we have done" as the opposition becomes greater than ever. A frightening forecast, perhaps, but with the assurance of God's help, we can have faith that all will be well.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Richard G. Scott on changing our life with God's help

Elder Richard G. Scott (1928-2015) served as a Seventy from 1977-1988, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He passed away in September 2015 at the age of 86.

"Your exercise of faith permits you to call upon the strength of the Lord when you need it. Obedience to His commandments allows that help to be given. The power of God will come into your life because of your faithful obedience to His commandments.

"Don’t live your life in despair, feeling sorry for yourself because of the mistakes you have made. Let the sunshine in by doing the right things—now. (See 1 Ne. 22:26.)

"It may be difficult to begin, but pick up the scriptures and immerse yourself in them. Look for favorite passages. Lean on the Master’s teachings, on His servants’ testimonies. Refresh your parched soul with the word of God. (See 2 Ne. 4:15–16.) The scriptures will give you comfort and the strength to overcome. (See Hel. 3:29–30.)...

"To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done.

"Don’t confront your problem armed with only your own experience, understanding, and strength. Count on the infinite power of the Lord by deciding now to be obedient to His teachings. (See 2 Ne. 31:19–21.)"

- Richard G. Scott, "Finding the Way Back," General Conference, April 1990
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Elder Scott was often sensitive to those confronting challenges or frustrations in life. This talk focused on inviting those with such challenges, particularly the ones resulting from the bad choices made by the individual, to return to a path of peace and obedience.

Obedience is a critical step in finding peace, because as a person faithfully obeys, "the power of God will come into your life." Choosing to obey is allowing the sunshine to return to a dark and dreary place.

Another key is to "immerse" ourselves in reading the scriptures and the testimonies of inspired leaders. That act will bring refreshment to the "parched soul."

But it is important to recognize that change requires effort, commitment, and sacrifice—and divine help:

We should be very grateful to know that God will always help us as we turn to Him in faithfulness and willingness. His "infinite power" can help overcome any obstacle.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

Elder David A. Bednar on mighty conversion through Christ

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"The Lord's authorized servants repeatedly teach that one of the principal purposes of our mortal existence is to be spiritually changed and transformed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ....

"We are instructed to 'come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness' (Moroni 10:32), to become 'new creature[s]' in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), to put off 'the natural man' (Mosiah 3:19), and to experience 'a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually' (Mosiah 5:2). Please note that the conversion described in these verses is mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon 'the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah' (2 Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be changed—to be spiritually reborn....

"The spiritual rebirth... typically does not occur quickly or all at once; it is an ongoing process—not a single event. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. This phase of the transformation process requires time, persistence, and patience."

- David A. Bednar, "Ye Must be Born Again," Ensign, May 2007, p. 19
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In the process of growth and change that occurs through our lives, the most important changes should be happening in our spiritual nature, as we are "changed and transformed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Elder Bednar points out that the scriptures teach this is not a minor change, but a mighty one:

So we are seeking "a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature." This process is not quick and not easy. It's a life-long process, though we should be able to notice ongoing progress towards the ideal. The key is that "our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God." I love that description; step by step, our natures change so that we are more godlike. In Moroni's words, we deny ourselves of anything that is ungodly (Moroni 10:32) so that the only thing that remains are god-like traits. What a beautiful and glorious process!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf on the sacred importance of forgiving one another

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (b. November 6, 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He has served as second counselor in the First Presidency since 2008.

"Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you' (Matthew 5:44).

"When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become 'kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ's sake [forgave us]' (Ephesians 4:32).

"The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other....

"Brothers and sisters, there is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment.

"We are not perfect.

"The people around us are not perfect (see Romans 3:23). People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way.

"Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord's way.

"Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.

"Lay your burden at the Savior's feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ's Atonement to change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another.

"The merciful will obtain mercy."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Merciful Obtain Mercy," Ensign, May 2012, pp. 70-77
Click here to read or listen to the full article

We are not perfect, and neither are those around us. We make mistakes; so do others. We sometimes offend and hurt one another. But "there is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment." President Uchtdorf pleads for greater forgiveness and understanding, since we all need to receive it as well as give it. And no hurt is so great that we can't let it go, with the help of the Savior, once we truly allow His atonement to "change and heal" our hearts.

I love that final line: "Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive." We would each be wise to examine our hearts and our lives, and make sure we are not holding back the forgiveness that He would have us offer to one another.

Elder David A. Bednar on progress through righteousness and Atonement

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that 'we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually' (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin's people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin.

"Prophets throughout the ages have emphasized the dual requirements of (1) avoiding and overcoming bad and (2) doing good and becoming better. Consider the penetrating questions posed by the Psalmist:

"'Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

"'He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully' (Psalm 24:3-4).

"Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place."

- David A. Bednar, "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart," Ensign, November 2007, pp. 80-83
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

While the scriptures contain many admonitions related to eliminating sin and evil from our lives, what Elder Bednar points out is that there is more to our spiritual growth and development than that. In addition to cutting out the bad, we need to fill in with good—active obedience, unselfish service, faithful devotions and worship. When we "have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit" we begin to have the desire "to do good continually" and that makes all the difference. It's critical to remember how that "mighty change" of the heart occurs—not through practice or trying harder, but through allowing the Atonement of the Savior to purge, purify, and strengthen.

It's an interesting thought that we can have "clean hands" through meticulous external efforts to obey the commandments; but that must also be accompanied by a "pure heart" through the power of the Atonement.

President Joseph F. Smith on how the Gospel changes our life

President Joseph F. Smith (1838-1918) was the son of Joseph's brother Hyrum. He was ordained an apostle in 1866 at age 28, and served as a counselor to Brigham Young and the three presidents who followed.  He became the 6th president of the Church in 1901, and served until his death in 1918 at age 80.

"The spirit of the Gospel is designed to make all men good in the sight of God. The Gospel is calculated to remove from us everything that is not consistent with God and the plan of salvation which he has revealed to men. It is designed to qualify us to live so that we may enjoy a fulness of the light of truth, and understand the purposes of God, and be able to live so near to Him that we may be in harmony with His wishes constantly.

"The principles of the Gospel are calculated to make us unselfish, to broaden our minds, to give breadth to our desires for good, to remove hatred, animosity, envy and anger from our hearts, and make us peaceful, tractable, teachable, and willing to sacrifice our own desires, and perchance our own interests, for the welfare of our fellow-creatures, and for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

"A man who cannot sacrifice his own wishes, who cannot say in his heart, 'Father, Thy will be done, not mine,' is not a truly and thoroughly converted child of God; he is still, to some extent, in the grasp of error and in the shades of darkness that hover around the world, hiding God from the presence of mankind.

"Show me a man that is thoroughly converted to the principles of the Gospel, and who can truly say in his heart, 'I know that the Gospel is true,' and I will show you a man that when it comes to asking him to do that which God requires at his hands will have no question in his mind in relation to doing it; he will say, 'Yes, I am ready and willing to do the will of God.'"

- Joseph F. Smith, "Blind Obedience and Tithing," September 3, 1892; see Millennial Star, 20 Jan. 1893, pp. 77-80
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This is a wonderful way of looking at the Gospel of Jesus Christ: its blessing and power in our lives is "to remove from us everything that is not consistent with God and the plan of salvation which he has revealed to men."As we grow in the Gospel, as we repent and change, we leave things behind that are contrary to that spirit and to our peace and happiness. They are gradually replaced with the pure joy that comes from living "so near to Him that we may be in harmony with His wishes constantly." Moroni beautifully described this process in these words: "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness..." (Moroni 10:32). As we do that, removing all forms of "ungodliness" from our lives, the only things left are those that are god-like. We become like Him.

One of the signs of us "hiding God from the presence of mankind," according to President Smith, is that we have not yet abandoned our selfish spirit and learned to seek only the "welfare of our fellow-creatures" and God's ultimate will in our lives. But once we become fully converted, our heart will truly change:

Dale G. Renlund on preserving the purity of a changed heart

Elder Dale G. Renlund (born 64 years ago today on November 13, 1952) served in the First Quorum of Seventy starting in 2009, until his call to the Quorum of Twelve in October 2015.

"A heart transplant can prolong life for years for people who would otherwise die from heart failure. But it is not 'the ultimate operation,' as Time magazine called it in 1967. The ultimate operation is not a physical but a spiritual 'mighty change' of heart. (See Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:12–14.)

"Through the Atonement of Christ and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, we undergo this ultimate operation, this spiritual change of heart. As a result of our transgressions, our spiritual hearts have become diseased and hardened, making us subject to spiritual death and separation from our Heavenly Father. The Lord explained the operation that we all need: 'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.' (Ezekiel 36:26.)

"Just as with heart transplant patients, however, this mighty change of our spiritual hearts is just the beginning. Repentance, baptism, and confirmation are necessary but not sufficient. Indeed, equal, if not greater, care must be taken with a spiritually changed heart than with a physically transplanted heart if we are to endure to the end. Only by doing so can we be held guiltless at the time of judgment. (See 3 Nephi 27:16.)

"Enduring to the end can be challenging because the tendency of the natural man is to reject the spiritually changed heart and allow it to harden. No wonder the Lord cautioned to 'even let those who are sanctified take heed.' (D&C 20:34.) ...

"To endure to the end, we need to be eager to please God and worship Him with fervor and passion. This means that we maintain faith in Jesus Christ by praying, studying the scriptures, partaking of the sacrament each week, and having the Holy Ghost as our constant companion. We need to actively help and serve others and share the gospel with them. We need to be perfectly upright and honest in all things, never compromising our covenants with God or our commitments to men, regardless of circumstances. In our homes we need to talk of, rejoice in, and preach of Christ so that our children—and we ourselves—will desire to apply the Atonement in our lives. (See 2 Nephi 25:26.)  We must identify temptations that easily beset us and put them out of reach—way out of reach. Finally, we need to frequently biopsy our mightily changed hearts and reverse any signs of early rejection."

- Dale G. Renlund, "Preserving the Heart’s Mighty Change," Ensign, November 2009, pp. 97-99
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Renlund was trained as a doctor and surgeon. He actually directed the heart transplant programs for Utah hospitals. So he was able to provide personal insight into the process of transplanting a heart, removing a diseased or damaged organ and replacing it with a healthy one. This provided an interesting analogy about another kind of "change of heart" that we all need to experience, the spiritual kind.

I've always liked the description Elder Renlund quotes from Ezekiel, about replacing a "stony heart" with a "heart of flesh" and with the "new spirit" that accompanies the process. That's a wonderful description of a process of change we all need. But then, once that takes place, the challenge is to preserve and maintain our new heart and spirit, not letting the things of the world creep in and again turn the flesh to stone. As critical as the initial change of heart is, this "maintenance phase" is perhaps more difficult and more critical for us. We sometimes call this "enduring to the end."

The key to not rejecting our new heart or letting it decay is to actively maintain it through our thoughts and deeds. Elder Renlund gave a good list of suggestions on ways to do that as we "apply the Atonement in our lives." He also reminds us "to frequently biopsy our mightily changed hearts and reverse any signs of early rejection." That kind of self-examination and sincere evaluation will bless us. The Sabbath Day is a good time to do that, particularly in sacred moments such as the sacramental service.

Marion G. Romney on becoming converted

President Marion G. Romney (1897-1988) was born in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. He was ordained an apostle in 1951 and served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1972 to 1985. After the death of President Spencer W. Kimball, President Romney was released and returned to serve in the Quorum of Twelve until his death in 1988.

"Webster says the verb convert means 'to turn from one belief or course to another,' that conversion is 'a spiritual and moral change attending a change of belief with conviction.' As used in the scriptures, converted generally implies not merely mental acceptance of Jesus and his teachings, but also a motivating faith in him and in his gospel, a faith which works a transformation, an actual change in one's understanding of life's meaning and in one's allegiance to God—in interest, in thought, and in conduct. While conversion may be accomplished in stages, one is not really converted in the full sense of the term unless and until he is at heart a new person. Born again is the scriptural term.

"In one who is wholly converted, desire for things inimical to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died, and substituted therefor is a love of God, with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments. Paul told the Romans that such a one would walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:3-4.)"

- Marion G. Romney, "According to the Covenants," Ensign, Nov 1975, pp. 71-73
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President Romney was a great student of the scriptures, and often supported his messages with abundant analysis and examples. In this case, he helps explain the concept of conversion based on his study and understanding. He helps us see that conversion involves more than a superficial acknowledgement or acceptance; it means a deep-rooted change. It means a rebirth, a changed heart.

I thought the final paragraph helped my understanding as well.  True conversion means that we completely lose any desire for things in conflict with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, those desires are replaced with a greater love of God and a desire to obey His commandments. It's a "newness of life."

Dallin H. Oaks on strength through a changed heart

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (b. August 12, 1932) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980.  He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.

"We tend to think of the results of repentance as simply cleansing us from sin. But that is an incomplete view of the matter. A person who sins is like a tree that bends easily in the wind. On a windy and rainy day, the tree bends so deeply against the ground that the leaves become soiled with mud, like sin. If we focus only on cleaning the leaves, the weakness in the tree that allowed it to bend and soil its leaves may remain. Similarly, a person who is merely sorry to be soiled by sin will sin again in the next high wind. The susceptibility to repetition continues until the tree has been strengthened.

"When a person has gone through the process that results in what the scriptures call a broken heart and a contrite spirit, the Savior does more than cleanse that person from sin. He also gives him or her new strength. That strengthening is essential for us to realize the purpose of the cleansing, which is to return to our Heavenly Father. To be admitted to his presence, we must be more than clean. We must also be changed from a morally weak person who has sinned into a strong person with the spiritual stature to dwell in the presence of God. We must, as the scripture says, '[become] a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.' (Mosiah 3:19.) This is what the scripture means in its explanation that a person who has repented of his sins will 'forsake them.' (D&C 58:43.) Forsaking sins is more than resolving not to repeat them. Forsaking involves a fundamental change in the individual."

- Dallin H. Oaks, "Sin and Suffering," Ensign, July 1992, pp. 70-73
Click here to read the full article

I thought the analogy Elder Oaks offered of the tree bending in the wind was an interesting one. When the trunk is not strong, it bends until the leaves become dirty in mud. You can wash the leaves, but when the next wind comes, they just get dirty again. You need not only to wash the leaves but also to strengthen the trunk if you want to truly solve the problem.

And so it is with us and our attempts to repent and progress. We must not simply stop a sin; we must grow in strength so that it doesn't recur. We don't just stop a bad habit or behavior; we replace it with a good one. We must not superficially change; we must change deeply, change "to a state of righteousness" until we become a "new creature" (Mosiah 27:25-26); and that happens only through the grace and blessing of the atonement of Christ.