Dec 15, 2024

Love’s Pure Light by Hailey Kinsey

In this mortal life, people often make promises they can’t keep. Such is the nature of humanity with all its imperfections and failings. 

The final chapter of the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10, is full of promises—promises of knowledge of the truth, of every good gift, of charity, mercy, strength, grace, and perfection—but these promises are from the Lord, and no matter how often we or the people around us fail, God never fails to keep His promises. 

At times I prove particularly fallible when I make promises to myself that I cannot keep. I try to dedicate more time to gospel study and learning, but I forget and lose track of time. I want to be a better wife and mother and sister and daughter, but I feel inadequate in my efforts. 

Moroni’s words in Moroni 10:32 bring me comfort. “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (emphasis added).

Christ is the one that will perfect us and make us whole. He will help us deny ourselves of ungodliness, one day at a time. His grace is sufficient for me and for you, and He can make us perfect.

Wilford Woodruff recorded the teachings of Joseph Smith when he said, “After a person hath faith in Christ, repents of his sins & is baptized for the remission of his sins & receives the Holy Ghost (by the laying on of hands) . . . then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, ‘Son, thou shalt be exalted.’ ” 

When we recognize our weaknesses, humble ourselves, and turn it all to the Lord, He will strengthen us, He will perfect us, and He will exalt us. 

As the year closes and we reflect on all we have learned and how we want to improve, I pray that we can all come unto Christ and allow Him to perfect us, one day at a time. His promises are sure, and He will strengthen us to keep ours.

Lyndie recently graduated with a degree in Public Relations at Brigham Young University. Originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho, she enjoys running, spending time with her husband and family, and reading. Lyndie served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hermosillo, Mexico, where she developed a love for the Spanish language and the people there. She was drawn to the Wilford Woodruff Papers out of a desire to learn more about Church history and enjoys being part of the organization’s efforts to touch lives with Wilford Woodruff’s words.

The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and make his records universally accessible in order to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, please explore wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.