Good morning brothers and sisters,

My name is Mariana, I am from Portugal, Lisbon. I am doing a 2 year Masters

degree here at Oxford University. I pray that my words can be conductive to
the spirit, and that today you might receive some personal revelation during
this talk.

Today I would like to talk to you about perfection.

When Christ gave his sermon on the mount, he said: Be ye therefore perfect,
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I am sure we all can agree - that the Lord must have realized who he was
talking too: the poor, the casted out and casted away of Judean society.
Imagine for a moment how those people, in the sight of their sins, felt when
the Lord himself established this unattainable goal: Be perfect.
This statement requires some context and some perspective.
President Harold B. Lee explained: It is impossible for us here in
mortality to come to that state of perfection of which the Master spoke, but in
this life we lay the foundation on which we will build (perfection) in eternity.
President Faust added that: Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be
perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment which ultimately,
through the Atonement, we can keep.
These words by these unwavering prophets of the Lord teach us three
thing:
1. Perfection will be necessary for our exaltation
2. Therefore Perfection must be attainable
3. But in this life, Perfection is a mainly a goal, the most serious goal
you have ever set in your life, yet still a goal.

Now, let us bring the term back to the tangible world.

What is perfection? This is essential to understand IF we wish to attain it. A

better question would even be HOW can I reach perfection or WHY do I even
want to be perfect? Let us try to answer these three questions in order:
 1. What is perfection?
In the Scriptures Dictionary, we can read that to be perfect is to be
whole, complete, and incorruptible. In that sense, it becomes clear why, in
mortality, we cannot be perfect: our bodies and minds are corruptible,
incomplete, and clouded by ignorance and fear. That is what we need to
understand mortality.
Perfection also takes another meaning, which is: without sin or malice.
One could even extend that to say: to be perfect is to have no darkness within,
no corruption.
The scriptures use the attribute perfect to describe God and what he
brings to the universe: He is and brings perfect knowledge perfect beauty
perfect love and perfect peace. To be God is to be perfect. In these terms, I
believe I have answered the second question: why do would I want to be
perfect? Well, the choice is simple: between love and hate, compassion or
selfishness, progression or regression. Brothers and sisters, we are sitting here
today, because we chose, every day, the light instead of darkness. That is just
the way it is.

3 How can I reach perfection?

In other words, how can I diminish the sings of corruption and increase
the light and goodness in me? Please remember, that to be perfect is a
CHOICE. I repeat. I choice. A choice to cast out all darkness, the darkness that
destroys because it is selfish and angry. In order to lay the foundations for our
perfection in eternity, when we can become complete and incorruptible,
certainly we should stop hurting others and ourselves.
Anything that causes misery and unhappiness, anything that DESTROYS
INSTEAD OF BUILDING UP does not come from God, therefore it is not the path
to perfection. Think today about one or two things you can change this week
to make you one step closer to your goal, perhaps start using kind words,
calling your friends or family who might need you, lighten the burden of
another who is going through a difficult time.

I would like to suggest one particular way that I have found to be

extremely helpful in my slow, almost stagnant , path to perfection.
 This has been my quest to embrace all good and all truth.
Brothers and sisters, do not take the arrogant step of dismissing the
truth and good that others see. When you try to understand the way other
people see their worlds, you will find great truth and light, things that solidify
your testimony in this gospel, even though they might not be related to the
church directly.

I have been studying Anthropology and Archaeology. I was drawn to this

field because I wished to enlarge my perspective of human experience. The
truth is that we are all very different in our aspirations and personalities, but
there are a few things that are practically universal. What I have found is a
long-lasting connection with the spiritual, from the pre-historic caves of
Lascaux to the Heroes of Troy.
David O. McKay said about spirituality " Every noble impulse,
every unselfish expression of love; every brave suffering for the
right; every surrender of self to something higher than self; every
loyalty to an ideal; every unselfish devotion to a principle; every
helpfulness to humanity; every act of self-control; every fine
courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy, but by
being, doing, and living of good for the very good's sake - that is
spirituality."

There is truth in the past, and light, even in moments of apostasy, when
the church was not organized on earth. Imagine a God that would not manifest
even a spark of his light and truth to all of his children. He would be no God.
He manifests himself through many means, but the language is always
the same: if the spirit testifies, it is true. That is the ultimate test: the spirit.
Even for what I am saying right now. I have felt the spirit in the ruins of Petra,
among Muslims. I have also felt the spirit while reading great works of
literature, or watching political debates.

Today, it is easy to mistake good from bad. We tend to create a fence

around what the church teaches and what the world teaches, the church being
good, and everything else being bad.
Please listen to the words of Moroni (7:12) when he wrote: all things
which are good cometh of God
 Our 13th article of faith adds: If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of
good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Brigham Young, with his usual energy, even said: [The gospel] embraces
all morality, all virtue, all light, all intelligence, all greatness, and all goodness. I
want to say to my friends that we believe in all good. If you can find a truth in
heaven, earth or hell, it belongs to our doctrine. We believe it; it is ours; we
claim it.

In your path to perfection, find ways to incorporate light and cast out
darkness. As the scripture says, light cleveth to light, so imagine how greater
your joy will be when you are in the presence of THE PERFECT LIGHT, our
eternal merciful Father.

Do not be discouraged or impatient with yourself if you consider

perfection out of your reach. Remember that we are almost there, and it is
within our grasp, if we chose to accept all good.

I leave these words with you, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.