I Will Give Away All My Sins to Know Thee

I love the story in the Book of Mormon regarding the King of the Lamanites.  We are not even told his name but know that he was the father of Lamoni, a lesser king.  He led a blood thirsty people who knew not God nor his dealings. Through the grace of God and the diligence and faith of young missionaries brothers, Lamoni was converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The King was so impressed with the love that these missionaries showed to his son, even in the face of death, that he wanted to know what it was that gave them this great power.  One of the sons, Aaron, began to teach him, starting with the creation of the world and of our first father, Adam.  He taught him of eternal life through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The king, desiring such a gift, asked him, "What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou has spoken?  Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted our of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day?  Behold, said he, I will give up all that I posses, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy" (Alma 22:15).  Aaron taught him that he must call on God and repent of his sins.  What follows is one of the most heartfelt, tender prayers recorded in sacred writ.  "O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day" (vs. 18).

Two parts of this prayer stand out to me. In his question to Aaron, his desire was to have eternal life and he was willing to give up temporal possessions to obtain it.  When he called upon God, his request changed.  He understood through the spirit that eternal life is knowing God (see John 3:17) and that it is not bought with silver and gold but is accessed through the atonement by the repenting of our sins.  For many of us, our sins are as our proudest possessions.  Ones we are quite reluctant to part with.  Indeed they are as deep seated weeds, needing to be "rooted" out of our breasts.  We cannot do this alone.  It is only through the grace of our Lord that it can be done.  Each time we come to him through the atonement, we come to know him.  Step by tiny step, he purifies us and sanctifies us.  The reason why we can come to know him is because he is making us more like him.  This process takes a lifetime and will not be complete in mortality.  It does take all of our effort.  It takes giving up all of our sins.