(9/17/02)
"Covenants are not simply outward rituals; they are real and effective means of change. 'Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 162) We should always honor and keep sacred the saving covenants we make with the Lord. If we do, He has promised, 'Thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.' (D&C 42:61)" — James E. Faust, "Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart," "Ensign," May 1998, p. 17

(9/18/02)
"For most of us, trying to be Christlike is a lifelong process and comes 'line upon line, precept upon precept' (2 Ne. 28:30). Most of us, if faithful, are baptized 'with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites... were baptized... and they knew it not' (3 Ne. 9:20). In other words, spiritual rebirth is a gradual process for most individuals. At any point in time the changes are almost imperceptible; indeed, many of us worry that we are not becoming more Christlike even though we are." — Merrill J. Bateman, "Living a Christ-Centered Life," "Ensign," Jan. 1999, p. 7

(9/19/02)
"The Prophet Joseph Smith shared a profound insight which I’ll rephrase in the form of a question: Is it any more incredible that one could be raised from the dead than to be spiritually reborn? (See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 191.)" — J. Richard Clarke, "The Lord of Life," "Ensign," May 1993, p. 9

(9/20/02)
"Now, what does the Lord expect of us when he says 'Search diligently'? I think he wants us to seek his face, to call upon him while he is near, to turn our hearts to him. He wants us to seek the companionship of his Holy Spirit, to be born again, to cleanse and perfect our souls. He wants us to seek righteousness, to seek an inheritance in his kingdom, to desire the association of clean and upright people both now and forever." — Joseph Fielding Smith, "President Joseph Fielding Smith Speaks on the New MIA Theme," "New Era," Sept. 1971, p. 39

(9/21/02)
"Everyone who would know God the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, must receive such knowledge by the Spirit. Church members have, of course, been through the process. They have been baptized and confirmed members of the Church and have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through these ordinances the door is unlocked. Submission to this is absolutely essential to rebirth. But to obtain life eternal one must so humble and purify himself that he in fact receives through the power of the Holy Ghost a personal witness that God is his Eternal Father and that Jesus Christ is God's Son and our personal Savior as well as the Redeemer of the world." — Marion G. Romney, "Except a Man Be Born Again," "Ensign," Nov. 1981, p. 15

(4/19/04)
"What a glorious condition was this! a condition in which the Lord God Omnipotent, by the power of His Spirit, had wrought a mighty change in the hearts of that people, that they no longer had any desire to do evil, but were filled only with a fervent desire to do that which was good. This was indeed a great change, and yet it is precisely that change that comes today to every son and daughter of God who repents of his or her sins, who humble themselves before the Lord, and who seek forgiveness and remission of sin by baptism by immersion, by one having authority to administer this sacred ordinance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is this new birth that was spoken of by Christ to Nicodemus as absolutely essential that men might see the Kingdom of God, and without which no man could enter into the Kingdom. Each of us can remember, perhaps, the change that came into our hearts when we were baptized for the remission of our sins.... The feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, or love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned and surely I was not without sin that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as though I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. I was but a little boy, it is true, when I was baptized; but this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord." - Lorenzo Snow, Conference Report, April 1898

(7/18/04)
"The prophet Alma states that the seed planted in our hearts matures into the tree of life (see Alma 32:41-42). The angel taught Nephi that the tree of life is a symbol for Christ (see 1 Ne. 11:7, 20-22). If we follow Alma's counsel of planting and nourishing the seed until it becomes the tree of life within our hearts and souls, the image of Christ will be in our countenance and we will have built a Christ-centered life." - Merrill J. Bateman, "Living a Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, January 1999, p. 13