My dear brothers and sisters, Aloha! You look wonderful to me. You have great leaders and teachers here. I feel a spirit of goodness coming from all of you. This is the Spirit of God.
It comes from Him and, depending on the purity of our lives, flows into us and through us to those around us, bringing peace and joy to them and to us. The more purity we achieve, the more peace and joy we and those about us receive.
I know there is much purity in your lives because I can feel it. I congratulate you on the purity you already have. God's plan for us is that we become perfectly pure, or completely clean. He wants us to be pure so He can bless us with Eternal Life, which includes a fulness of joy and a completeness of power to help others.
We all have a long ways to go, but as we understand the blessings that come from being pure we will do everything we can to be pure. I am aware of great leaders of the church who regularly pray for this help saying, in effect: 'Father, search deep into my soul and if Thou findest any impurity there, help me root it out.' This should be our constant prayer. God asks: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place?" Then answers: "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ..." [Psalms 24:3-4]
The pursuit of purity then, is the most important pursuit of our life. Becoming clean or pure is a daunting task, but God never asks us to do anything save He provides a way that we might accomplish it. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ is The Way. Only through Him can we achieve perfect purity. He is the only person to pass through this life and remain perfectly pure, so He knows how! He is the essence of purity. He has been through the refining fires required for perfect purity. He knows that the effort is worth it because He has received a fullness of joy and a completeness of the power of purity. He can and will help us achieve these same blessings! He lives! He loves us! He will always guide and help us in our personal pursuit of purity.
How do we become more pure? We follow the Savior more closely. We trust and obey Him more fully. We start wherever we are and become a little more obedient. This obedience brings a little more purity into our lives, which gives us a little more power to become a little more obedient. The more obedient we are the more pure we become. The more pure we become, the more power from heaven we receive, and on and on. Alma rejoiced in this wonderful eternal round by saying: " it beginneth to enlarge my soul . . . enlighten my understanding . . . [and] be delicious to me." [Alma 32:28] I testify that the pursuit of purity is delicious!
The Savior has asked us to do two main things in our quest for purity: 1) stay away from that which is unclean or impure, and 2) do that which is clean and pure. Purity and impurity cannot exist in the same space at the same time. To the extent we fill our lives with pure thoughts and actions, we exclude impurity from our lives. To the extent we fill our time with impure thoughts or actions, we exclude light and purity. Pray for strength to think and act in purity and to avoid impurity. I know He will help you!
DEMONSTRATION-Here are two bottles of pure water. To this one I am going to add a little sewer water. Which one would you like to drink?
Here are two pieces of bread. I am going to spread honey on this one, and axle grease on this one. Which one would you like to eat?
I don't believe we knowingly want to take dirty or impure things into our bodies or into our lives. Most of us turn away from obvious uncleanness or impurity because it is repugnant. Sometimes, however, we are faced with choices which are disguised in various formats and we hesitate, or maybe even choose to try sewer water or axle grease. No matter what new color, what catchy tune, what new flavor or name they give it, it is still sewer water or axle grease and will harm us! Stay away from all impurity - be it pornography, profanity, or any other form of perversion such as drugs, alcohol, or even too much cold medicine. Perversion is changing anything from its natural use to an unnatural use. With all the media sleight of hand we deal with each day, how can we discern between the pure and the impure?
Here are three important helps given to us by the Savior:
1. The Sacrament
Each week clean bread and pure water are placed before us. Think deeply of the Savior during the sacrament, especially when partaking of those sacred emblems. His spirit will whisper to us and we will know what we should or should not do, to stay on the path to purity. Listen carefully to His promise that we can always have His spirit to be with us. He has blessed and sanctifiedthe bread and water to the souls of all who humbly and repentantly partake of them. He is the one who first blessed the bread and water to help strengthen and purify His disciples. He continues to do the same for us today.
2. The Temple
In the temple God reminds us of the need for purity and reinforces us in our quest for it. Consistent temple attendance for baptisms or other sacred work is one of the greatest helps we can ever receive in this purifying process. In the temple we are surrounded by purity and goodness, for darkness and evil are not allowed there. In the temple we eat and drink eternal truths. As we stay alert and awake we absorb these truths deep into our souls and receive great strength to stay on the path of purity.
In the temple we can forget about ourselves and concentrate on helping the Savior help someone else. As we do so, He gives us peace and understanding, which moves us along the path of purity. Being in and around the temple is like being around the Savior, for it is His home!
3. Helping Others
We follow the Savior by unselfishly helping others as He did. Think for a moment, of a time when you felt pure joy - not just the temporary joy of winning a game or scoring well on a test, but a deep joy that filled your whole being. These feelings usually come when we do something to help someone else. When we see someone (including ourselves) study, pray, work hard, accept truth, and make positive changes in their life, we experience great joy, as does the Savior. When we put forth lots of effort on something that is right, but may be difficult, and do our best, we experience great joy and at the same time become more pure. Here is an example.
When I was a young missionary in Tonga, my companion and I went to help a grandmother who was tending her very sick young granddaughter. It was Christmas Eve and very hot in Tonga. The child had a high fever and the grandmother had been caring for her. For several days and nights she had been placing wet cloths on the fevered brow, giving her water and fanning her, trying to reduce the fever.
We gave the child a Priesthood blessing. The fever continued so we told the grandmother to get some rest and we would care for her granddaughter. As the night wore on we became very tired and decided we should alternate each hour, with one of us caring for the child and the other one getting some rest. We set an alarm clock and began. I remember taking my turn from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., then waking my companion to take his turn while I laid down to rest.
The next thing I remembered was feeling sunlight streaming into my eyes. I jumped up and asked, "What time is it?"
"Six o'clock."
"You were supposed to wake me at four. Why didn't you?"
He smiled broadly and replied, "Oh, you looked so tired. I turned the alarm off and decided to let you sleep. Merry Christmas." He glowed with goodness. As a deep feeling of love and gratitude washed over me, I knew I was looking into the eyes of one filled with pure Christlike love. Later that morning the child's fever broke and all was well.
Think of something you can do today, and every day, to unselfishly help someone else. You will feel good about that help, not only now, but five or fifty years from now, or even an eternity from now. I will always see and feel my companion's glowing smile. I try to follow his example.
If for some reason you don't feel comfortable taking the sacrament or going to the temple or helping others, please make whatever changes you need to so you do feel comfortable, even anxious, to do these things.
Not only do we receive more joy as we become more pure, we also receive more power to be more helpful. I will mention but three of the many powers that purity brings to us, not only here and now, but throughout eternity.
1. The Drawing Power of Purity.
Sometimes we don't recognize power from purity, but it is there. For example: When I was a freshman at BYU my older sister played the violin in the orchestra. The violinist sitting next to her was Jean's older sister. These two friends thought it would be a good idea for their younger brother and sister to go on a blind date. Neither of us wanted to go because we had never met each other. However, we trusted our older sisters and finally agreed to go to a dance together. I was not that good of a dancer, nor conversationalist but slowly over the course of the evening I began to feel an attraction to Jean which I could not explain.
We ended up dating quite a bit, writing to each other during my three year mission and five years from that first date we were married in the Los Angeles Temple. It was not until I gained more experience in life that I was able to identify what attracted me so strongly and quickly to Jean. It was the power of the purity of her life, which drew me to her and still continues to do so and will forever.
There have been many times when the purity of her life has helped me, even saved me. I will show one example.
Once on my mission, we encountered a severe storm and were thrown overboard. I thought I was a good swimmer, but eventually I ran out of energy. As I went under, for what could have been the last time, I saw in my mind Jean's pure smile. It was as though she instantly came 9,000 miles and lifted me up.
No one can tell me there is not power in purity because I know there is.
Wouldn't you like to have that drawing and saving power? I promise you that you can. As you cultivate purity in your life - purity of heart - purity of action - purity of words - purity of thought - good people will be attracted or drawn to you and you to them.
Jesus himself spoke of this drawing power when He said:
. . . my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; . . .that I might draw all men unto me . . . therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. [3 Nephi 27:14-15]
He gives us this invitation to become more pure and receive His help in doing so: " Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me . . ." [Doctrine and Covenants 88:63]
The more we obey Him the more we are drawn to Him, and the more pure we become. Jesus was pure and humble. If we ever become proud or boastful, to that extent we lose purity and its corresponding power. Remember that just as good people are drawn to us by purity, they are repelled from us by impurity. One of the great gifts of the Holy Ghost is to help us recognize purity in people and events and be drawn to them. As you follow the spirit of the thirteenth article of faith, you will be greatly blessed.
2. The Seeing Power of Purity.
Another power of purity is the power to see more clearly. In the Sermon on the Mount the Savior said: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." [Matthew 5:8] In our day He has said of the temple: ". . . my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God." [Doctrine and Covenants 97: 16]
What does that mean? Where do we see Him? How do we see Him? There are multiple levels of meaning in the Savior's parables and words. Without discounting the literal seeing of God by the pure in heart, let me suggest some other possible meanings.
Have you ever tried to explain something to someone and he just didn't seem to get it? Then you gave another example and suddenly his eyes opened wide and he said, "Oh! Now I see." Something clicked and what he could not see before became clear to him.
In a similar manner, at each level of purity we can see things which we could not see before. We can 'see' His hand in our lives, His power in nature, and His designs in the affairs of men and nations. We can 'see' the importance of keeping His laws, and the need to repent and change for the better. We can 'see' and feel His love for us and for others through His atoning sacrifice.
A great blessing from having a pure heart is the ability to 'see' or sense what we should do in a given situation. For example:
Many years ago I had supervisory responsibility for a mission in Arizona that covered many Native American Reservations. Much of the area was rugged and most of the missionaries drove pick-up trucks to get around.
One set of missionaries took their pick-up as far as they could and then had to walk the last couple of miles to reach a distant village. They spent much of the day there and were rejected by everyone. As they sorrowfully walked back to their pick-up they noticed a break in the barbed-wire fence and saw the cattle starting to move towards the break.
One Elder was from California and one was from Wyoming. The Elder from Wyoming said that they must stop and fix the fence so the cattle wouldn't get out. The other elder said: 'No, let's just leave it. This is God's punishment for their not receiving us.'
The Elder from Wyoming rolled up his sleeves and said, 'You can do as you please, but I was raised on a ranch and taught that whenever we see a break in a fence we fix it and I am going to do so.'
It took a long time and lots of effort, but eventually they got the fence fixed. Just as they turned to go to their pick-up a man on a horse came over a hill and called to them.
He said that he was checking the fence when he saw the missionaries stop at the break. He decided to stay out of sight and see what they would do. He watched as they fixed the fence and his heart melted - especially after the way his village had treated them.
He asked them to return to the village. He didn't know what others would do, but he wanted to hear their message.
As our purity increases, we eventually will be able to see everything. The Lord explains:
... All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. [Doctrine and Covenants 131:7,8]
There may be spirits around us right now - some bad, some good - but through the Spirit of the Lord, we can discern between good and evil and need not worry. Remember light always drives evil or darkness away.
3. The Zion Power of Purity.
Purity gives us the power to live in and become part of Zion. The Lord explains:
. . . let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion : THE PURE IN HEART; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn. [Doctrine and Covenants 97:21]
Zion is much more than a place - although it may include that. Zion is a state of purity. When we achieve that purity we are in Zion no matter where we happen to live. President Brigham Young said:
If every heart were set upon doing right, we then should have Zion here. ...I live and walk in Zion every day, and so do thousands of others in this Church and Kingdom; they carry Zion with them, they have one of their own, and it is increasing, growing, and spreading continually. [Journal of Discourses, 1:5-6]
Your room can be a Zion. Your dorm can be a Zion. Your ward can be a Zion. This campus can be a Zion. If you want to live in Zion where everyone cares for everyone else, and where the Savior walks, purify your hearts, your actions, and you will be there!
Sometimes we may wonder if we can ever become sufficiently clean or pure, to enter His Kingdom. The answer is 'Yes, we can,' because He loves us, wants us there, and has paid the price to cleanse us, if we will obey Him.
We all make mistakes. If we have done that which is impure or partaken of that which is unclean, we can be forgiven and washed clean through the Savior. Listen carefully to His words:
And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. [3 Nephi 27:19]
This assurance that after we have done our best God will cleanse us so we can return and dwell with Him forever is to me, the greatest blessing we can receive from striving with all our hearts to be pure. That promise makes every sacrifice, and every effort worth it!
Moroni stated it well when he said:
. . . pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons [and daughters] of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen [Moroni 7:48]
I am grateful for all of you and for the assurance I have that you want to become more pure and receive more power to bless the lives of more people. The whole world will become a better place because of you and your increased purity. I promise you that the Savior will help you as you strive for more purity. Stay close to Him and He will stay close to you!
I express my love and gratitude for our Savior Jesus Christ : For the purity of His life and the purity of His love, which gave Him the power to accomplish the eternal atonement and bring about the infinite resurrection which not only 'eternalized' His purity but made it possible for Him to purify us so we can return and live with Him and Our Father and enjoy the blessings of eternal life.
I testify that God lives - that Jesus is the Savior of the world and that through him we can become clean and pure. I testify that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration and that Thomas S. Monson is God's mouthpiece on the earth today.
I leave my love and blessings with you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.