A pure heart and clean hands

I was cleaning the carpet today when inspiration hit.

Armed with a brand-new can of Spot Shot, I aimed to rid my bedroom carpet of baby spit stains, dirt, and other random junk that has accumulated over the last 2 1/2 months. The soiled carpet has been bothering me for several weeks now, and I hoped it wasn't too late to remove the stains. To my great relief, the cleaning process worked like a charm. My only regret was not attending to the mess sooner.

As I scrubbed the floor on my hands and knees, the words of Alma came to my mind. They were fresh, since we read from Alma 5 this morning as a family. To put the passage in context, Alma had just embarked on his mission to the Nephites, hoping that the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ would help them change their ways. Beginning in verse 26, he said:

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a ^achange of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the ^bsong of redeeming love, I would ask, ^ccan ye feel so now?

27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves ^ablameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently ^bhumble? That your garments have been ^ccleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to ^dredeem his people from their sins?

28 Behold, are ye stripped of ^apride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of ^aenvy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare ^bquickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a ^amock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the ^atime is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

32 Yea, even wo unto all ye ^aworkers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!

33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto ^aall men, for the ^barms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.

My mind turned to Ryan's farewell address, when he challenged all of us to repent daily. I felt a renewed sense of urgency to do better with daily repentance. Like my carpet, I can still be washed clean if I neglect my spirit for a while, but the process is longer and more challenging. How much better it would be if we tackled our dirty spots daily with the healing balm of the Savior's sacrifice and feel welcome in His arms.

Love,

Heidi