By Tina Thorley
tina@newsroom.byu.edu
Elder L. Tom Perry admonished LDS Church members to have a spiritual housecleaning.
He related a story from his childhood about his mother. Every Saturday she would remind her children to clean the corners thoroughly.
She knew that since 'that which is visible to the eye would never be left unclean,' if the corners are clean the whole room will be clean, Elder Perry said.
He related this concept to life. He said thoughts are one corner in our lives that need to be kept clean.
'The ideal is to keep our thoughts focused on spiritual things,' Elder Perry said.
Another corner in our lives that can get dirty pertains to our families, he said
Elder Perry quoted President Spencer W. Kimball from the 1978 Ensign: 'I repeat that our success, individually and as a church, will largely depend on how faithfully we focus on living the gospel in the home.'
Elder Perry said his main concern for church members is whether they can create a path for an ongoing and continual progress of spiritual housecleaning that will bring them closer to the Lord.
He said the purpose of mortal life is to prepare to meet God. The Savior has prepared the way if church members become his disciples.
'A dramatic change occurs in the life of individuals when they really dedicate themselves to becoming disciples of the Lord,' Elder Perry said.
Elder Perry said, 'Discipleship requires sacrifice. For many of us, an equally challenging test is to shed our bad habits and worldly thoughts so we are unconflicted and uncompromised in our devotion to the Lord's service.'
He hopes for church member's lives reflect Christ's example as they do their 'spiritual housecleaning.'