Mosiah 5-8

Quote "No one can be born again without baptism, but the immersion of water and the laying on of hands to confer the Holy Ghost do not of themselves guarantee that a person has been or will be born again. The new birth takes place only for those who actually enjoy the Gift of companionship of the Holy Ghost, only for those who are fully converted, who have given themselves without restraint to the Lord."

~Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Question "How can you more fully give yourself to the Lord to experience the might change of heart?"

I think just like the quote says, being a "Christian" in name is not all that you need to do in life....you need to be humble, and submissive to the will of the Lord. In today's reading, King Limhi is explaining to Ammon that his people have fallen into transgression, and now they are slaves to the lamanites. Haven't we all been enslaved, or in bondage to something or someone in our lives because of foolish decisions (i.e. debt, addictions, etc...). We can all identify here. It doesn't mean that these are the worst people on the planet. I'm sure the majority of them are just normal, decent people, but have forgotten the importance of putting the Lord first. I've done this a million times in my life, and that is why the Book of Mormon is so great to read...because this is the theme of the whole book! And, it pertains to today just as much as back then.

So, I think that, as hard as it is some days, we need to be mindful of the Lord, and His commandments in order to have a desire to do better and experience a mighty change of heart. Sometime sin puts us in such dark places that we search for any glimpse of light that we can to get out of the darkness, and when you find the brightest light, you cling to it with everything you have......at least for a while. Then we get comfortable in the light, and forget how much we need it, and stray a little further, and further until the light gets dimmer and dimmer, until....BOOM! we are in the dark again...."how did this happen? the light was just there?"

When we really humble ourselves, and consider what our Savior has done for us, there is nothing that we would ever want to do to go against Him. The trick is, the more good you do, the more you want to do. The more knowledge you have, the more you realize you need to learn. Humility is being able to look at yourself and sincerely know that you can do better, and you desire to be better, and you try to do better.

I think the Lord works differently with all of His children. Some obtain a mighty change of heart after a painful experience, like Alma the younger. Some have a mighty change from their youth, and never lose it, like Nephi. I personally think that as soon as you have a "real" knowledge of your Father in Heaven, and his Son, Jesus Christ, that you desire that change of heart!