"No Unclean Thing Can Enter"

In his Conference talk, Remembering in Whom We Have Trusted, Elder Allen D. Haynie shared a story from when he was a young man. He, his brothers, and his friends got together to dig a hole, just for fun. In the process of digging, Elder Haynie became so dirty that his grandmother wouldn't let him into the house, which she had just cleaned, until he, too, had been cleaned. After a short time of being locked outside, filthy and cold, Elder Haynie allowed himself to be washed off with a garden hose, after which he was allowed to come inside, change into dry, warm clothes, and be comfortable.

And so it is with us. We all, at some points in our lives, find ourselves covered in mud, and the only way for us to enter our Heavenly Father's house is to be washed and pronounced clean. Jesus Christ said in 3 Nephi 27:19 "no unclean thing can enter into his [God's] kingdom," so we all need to be washed and cleansed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The cleansing process of repentance may be temporarily unpleasant, like being hosed off, but the results are that we can be once again welcomed into our heavenly home.

I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes it possible for me to be cleansed of my sins so I can return to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father. It is such a blessing to know that, after having been soiled by sin, I can be washed clean and re-enter my heavenly home.