"Eternal life is the greatest gift. To obtain it is not easy. The price is high," said Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then of the Council of the Twelve, in his April 1958 general conference address.

"Nicodemus of old inquired the price. The answer perplexed him. Let us interview that good man who came so near and yet evidently missed the mark:"Your name is Nicodemus? . . . You knew the person from Nazareth called Jesus Christ? You heard His sermons and witnessed His miracles? You looked into His eyes and heard His voice?

"You are a good man, Nicodemus, honorable and just, for you will yet defend our Lord before your colleagues, asking He be not condemned without a hearing. You are also generous, for you will yet bring one hundred weight of aloes and myrrh to His burial. You have at least some faith, but have you courage enough to face criticism? You are identified as one who came under cover of darkness. . . .

"It is night now. You have been seen. You are addressing our Lord:

" `Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.' (John 3:2.)

"His ready answer wrinkles your brow. This is the simple total answer to the weightiest of all questions.

" `Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' (John 3:3.)

"You are well versed in the law, Nicodemus, but what of the gospel? To gain eternal life there must be a rebirth, a transformation, and an unburdening self of pride, weaknesses, and prejudice. You must begin as a little child, clean, teachable. You seem not to understand. . . .

"Your question about returning to the mother's womb for rebirth - was it intended as a question, Mr. Intellectual, or to prove your superior logic; or to point out that Christ was irrational; or was it mere perplexity? . . . He is kind and patient. He will explain further. . . .

" `Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. . . .' [See John 3:5-8.]

"O my disbeliever brother, the New Testament could have recorded your name countless times instead of thrice. You could have lived forever in the minds and hearts of countless millions. Because of your abilities, you might have been one chosen to walk up the slopes of the Holy Mount of Transfiguration, to have unspeakable revelations, to join others in martyrdom, and rule eternally with Christ. . . ."

After completing the interview in soliloquy, Elder Kimball said to the conference assembly: "Now . . . you, too, are generous and kind. You, too, are prayerful and religious. But are you also like Nicodemus, burdened down with preconceived and prejudiced notions? Do you think that no good thing can come out of Nazareth, or Palmyra, or Salt Lake City? Are you too biased to accept new truth? Too wealthy and fettered with the cares of this world to accept the difficult demands of Christ's Church? Are you so influential as to fear to prejudice your position or local influence? Are you too weak to accept and carry a load of service? Are you too busy to study and pray and learn of Christ and His program? Are you too materialistically trained to accept the miracles, visions, prophets, and revelations?"