Sunday afternoon session: 'Stand spotless'
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Though the journey through life may leave us with mud spots, there is a way to become spotless, said Elder Clate W. Mask of the Seventy during the Sunday afternoon session.
He told of an overnight bus ride he and his son took years ago in Central America. As they progressed, several missionaries boarded, heading to a zone conference. When the bus was halted by a mudslide, the missionaries — with Elder Mask and his son following — walked through the mudslide and caught a ride on a truck. The truck also encountered a mudslide which the missionaries also traversed on foot, walking the rest of the way to the conference to be where they were supposed to be.
"Although we overcame the mudslides, we were all spotted with mud," Elder Mask said. "The missionaries were somewhat nervous about standing before their president on zone conference day when he and his wife would be carefully checking their appearance."
He continued, "As you and I slosh through the mudslides of life, we can't help getting a few mud spots on us along the way either. And we don't want to stand before the Lord looking muddy. When the Savior appeared in ancient America he said:
" 'Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day (3 Nephi 27:20).' "
Elder Mask said, "Because of repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our garments can be spotless, pure, fair and white."
He added that that blessing is available to all of God's children: "We come to this world in many colors, shapes, sizes and circumstances. We don't have to be rich, tall, thin, brilliant or beautiful to be saved in the kingdom of God; only pure."
He concluded saying: "The road of life is strewn with spiritual mudslides. Whatever our sins and imperfections, may we attack them with the same missionary zeal that those elders attacked their mudslides. And may we thank our Father daily for sending us His Son Jesus Christ to forgive us our mud spots so that we may stand spotless before Him."
