His Image

On my mission, I encountered a woman in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, who shared her conversion story with us. She said that when she opened the door to the missionaries, one of the elders was different. She said that his countenance glowed and that she truly felt he was a messenger from God. I have tried to have that same image in my countenance since that day. It is a constant struggle because it means that my actions need to be the same as if Christ were performing these tasks and daily works. It also means that it cannot just come from actions. It must begin in the heart. If I forget my goal, I can get upset and frustrated. When I truly am trying to be like Jesus, I must have a pure heart focused on doing what is right and for the correct reason.
I reflect upon this again as I am reading Uncle Tom's Cabin. There is a lot to ponder religiously as you read this novel of Harriet Beecher Stowe. In the section I am currently reading, St. Clare, a Southern slave owner, is pontificating on the evils embodied in slavery, and also in himself. He comments upon his twin brother and mentions that this brother is exactly like their father, not just in appearance, but also in personality. In fact, he states, "My brother was begotten in his image." I had never considered the scripture "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:27) in this way. Of course, I have always been of the opinion and understanding that man is in the appearance of God. I just never applied "image" to pertaining to our personalities, desires, actions, and hearts...those things that truly account for who we are.
This understanding brings greater light and understanding to the reason we are taught to discipline ourselves and become master over our will and desires. We know we are to follow the commandments and "be good" because God has commanded this of us. I just never thought about us actually changing that nature from the pureness we began with. This gives me more appreciation for the true gospel of Jesus Christ, as there is no "original sin" and that children ARE born innocent and completely sinless. We are born into mortality to gain a body, and we remain alive in Christ until we become accountable for our actions and can actually commit sin (see Moroni 8). Committing sin is not possible for infants and young children, which is why they feel so pure and innocent: they are still in possession of the image of God.