Finding the Power in Purity: Rebekah Hafen

What first comes to mind when you hear the word purity? I think of cleanliness, spotless, clarity, and wholesomeness. Having purity in your life is an essential key to free agency. You are not bound by bad decisions, thoughts, or actions. Having a pure heart and a pure mind will help us grow closer to our Savior. Keeping in line with His teachings and principles and living them to the fullest will lead us safely home to live with our Father in Heaven once more. There is great power in purity.

Pure in Heart
I have a next door neighbor whom I greatly admire. Janet Lindsay, a woman who I love as my own grandmother, suffers from muscular dystrophy. This disease has made it difficult for Janet to participate in many of her everyday activities. During the course of Janet's day I watch as there are many times when she would be rightly justified in complaining or asking "why me?". In these times of struggle I notice that she never loses that twinkle in her eye. Janet could easily use the excuse that she it just not physically able to serve others but indeed she does just the opposite. Janet serves more than any person I know. She is not serving to guarantee her spot in Heaven; Janet is serving because she honestly loves others with a pure heart. She is the least judgmental person I know, and loves each person for who they are. As Janet is nearing the end of her life I have been blessed to know of the truthfulness of a scripture in Matthew chapter five. In verse 8 we read: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."(1) In my eyes, Janet is a perfect example of the pure in heart, and will no doubt return to the open arms of our Father in Heaven. I really love the last line in the second verse of the hymn Dearest Children, God is Near You, "God will bless the pure in heart." (2) I know with all my heart that this is true, and I have seen the blessings that come when I have a pure heart. There is power in purity.

Pure in Mind
In high school I was fortunate to be able to work with the special education and physically handicapped students. The principles I learned in that class are things that I could have never learned elsewhere and principles that I will use often throughout the remainder of my life. I was especially lucky to meet and become good friends with a wonderful boy names Ray. Ray was both mentally as well as physically handicapped. His attention span was quite short, and he often did not understand what was going on. In spite of Ray's mental retardations, everyone who knew him felt of his purity in mind. He never had thoughts that would defile himself or anyone else. Ray knew and understood the importance of keeping his mind pure. If anything rude, unclean, or inappropriate was said, Ray quickly flipped it around to mean something good. He wouldn't allow anything to corrupt his mind. In Titus 1:15 we read, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and their conscience is defiled." (3) By following Ray's example of having a pure mind, we will be truly blessed. We all know that thoughts lead to actions, and by keeping our thoughts clean and pure, we will keep our actions pure as well. There is power in purity.

Pureness After Baptism
Every now and again as I reflect upon my own baptism when I was just eight years old, I remember that wonderful feeling of cleanliness and purity. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to be baptized to have all of our sins washed away. After baptism we are clean and pure. Although everyone will sin again after baptism, we have the chance to repent and to take the sacrament to renew those baptismal covenants and to become pure once again. Former Primary General President, Dawn J. Young, said in her general conference address in 1984, "Repentance makes it possible to return to the straight and narrow path and become as pure as we were at baptism." (4) In Moroni 6:4 we read, "And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith." (5) The chance to become pure like our Savior Jesus Christ through the baptismal covenant is one of the greatest gifts that we can receive. There is power in purity.

A Pure Testimony
My favorite part of fast and testimony meeting is having the opportunity to hear from the little children of the church. Their testimonies are always so pure and simple. They are so innocent and have the pure love of Christ. Having a pure and true testimony of the gospel is such an essential part of our lives. In Psalms 119:2 it states "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart." (6) Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "Miraculous things happen when members join with missionaries and share pure testimony with those who are not memebers of the Church." (7) A pure testimony of Christ can bring others to the church. It can be the part of one's life that give hope, joy, and comfort. If we strive to build and strengthen that pure testimony, blessings will be poured upon us. There is power in purity.

This power is something that cannot be obtained easily. It requires work and diligence. Having a pure heart and mind, renewing our covenants to become pure again, and having a pure testimony of the gospel will bless the lives of many. There is undoubtedly power in purity.

Sources:
(1) Matthew 5:8
(2) LDS Hymnbook #96
(3) Titus 1:15
(4) Dawn J. Young. Keeping the Covenants We Made at Baptism. November 1984 Ensign.
(5) Moroni 6:4
(6) Psalm 119:2
(7) M. Russell Ballard. Pure Testimony. November 2004 Ensign.