Brigham Young

The gospel is of a character that a man may be benefitted by it if he will, but it has no help for the man who fails to take advantage of that which it offers. It is a perfect system of self-development. A man can rise to the most exalted heights, if he will; or he may loiter by the way, waste the day-light until he is overtaken in his darkness and thence must grope his way, because he failed to take advantage of the light.

Today is our day, brethren and sisters. We cannot hope, when the night comes, when the grave has demanded its own, for the development and progress that is available to us today. These bodies of ours God has given us for development. We are separated from them when we go into the grave. We are not ourselves, we are only partial when the body and the spirit are separated. Why will we loiter, instead of developing that which is perfect, the human soul. Separated, it is a divided thing; together, it may rise to the most exalted height. We preach to the world faith. Have we faith? We preach to the world repentance. Do we repent? Do we place our feet each day upon the mistakes of yesterday, using them as stepping stones to a higher life, to the new birth symbolized by the baptism of water? Have we taken to ourselves every day the new birth of the Spirit? Have we risen to more exalted heights? Are we in closer communion with God than we were yesterday? If not, we have failed to take advantage of opportunity offered in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Elder Brigham S. Young, Conference Report, April 1927, Afternoon Meeting 59

Dallin H. Oaks

In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.  [Conversion] signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of nature…which requires us to do and to become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.  This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason—for the pure love of Christ...  Instead of being judgmental about others, we should be concerned about ourselves. We must not give up hope. We must not stop striving. We are children of God, and it is possible for us to become what our Heavenly Father would have us become.

Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000,  32

Ezra Taft Benson

The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.

Ezra Taft Benson, “Born of God,” Ensign, Jul 1989, 2

Ezra Taft Benson

Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible.  The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were...  Such astonishing examples of the power to change even those steeped in sin give confidence that the atonement can reach even those deepest in despair.  But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples.  Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule.  For every Paul, for every Enos, for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds of thousands of people who find the process of [changing] much more subtle, much more imperceptible.  Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life.  They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment… The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him. Though we may see that we have far to go on the road to perfection, we must not give up hope.

Ezra Taft Benson, “A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Oct 1989, 2

Merrill J. Bateman

Few mortals share with Alma the Younger or Paul the Apostle the dramatic experiences that resulted in their spiritual rebirths over short periods of time. In fact, I believe those experiences are recorded in the scriptures not to define the time frame during which one may be reborn but to provide a vivid picture of what the accumulated, subtle changes are that take place in a faithful person over a lifetime.  For most of us, trying to be Christlike is a lifelong process and comes “line upon line, precept upon precept”. 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”. 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 we are not becoming more Christlike even though we are.

Merrill J. Bateman, “Living a Christ-Centered Life,” Liahona, Dec 1999, 13

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Developing Christlike attributes can be a painful process. … Developing [these] attributes in our lives is not an easy task, especially when we move away from generalities and abstractions and begin to deal with real life. The test comes in practicing what we proclaim. The reality check comes when Christlike attributes need to become visible in our lives—as husband or wife, as father or mother, as son or daughter, in our friendships, in our employment, in our business, and in our recreation. We can recognize our growth, as can those around us, as we gradually increase our capacity to “act in all holiness before [Him]”. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Christlike Attributes—the Wind beneath Our Wings,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 100

Harold B. Lee

The greatest demonstration of the power of the Almighty we see today is the redemption of human souls from spiritual darkness into spiritual light.

Elder Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, April 1965