The Attributes of Jesus Christ.

"a firm mind in every form of godliness" Moroni 7: 30, forms of godliness? the attributes of God? The attributes of Christ? I believe that the very attributes of Christ are forms of godliness and are the things we should emulate to become more like him.

First I believe we must have a desire to obtain any of these things. That desire I believe is a measure of our Virtue. Virtue is our innermost thoughts and desires. However, even if we are not inherently Virtuous we can become such. In Alma 32:27 it says "...even if you can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe ..." this also applies here. If you no more than have a desire to be Virtuous, let the desire work in you. Pray for help to become Virtuous and God will grant your prayers.

Now once we are Virtuous, or we have a desire to do what is right and to be Moral, then comes the other Attributes.

Obedience is doing what you should, and what the Lord wants you to do, without knowing why.
Obedience will develop your Faith.
Faith. Faith is a hope for things which are not seen which are true.
If you have faith, you will have Hope.
Hope is trust, trust in God and his promises to the saints, and to you individually.
If you have Hope you will have Patience and Humility.
Patience is the ability to endure hardships and shortcomings in yourself and others.
Patience and Humility will lead you to Diligence.
Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest and energetic effort in doing the Lord's work.
Diligence will help us to obtain more Knowledge.
Knowledge is facts and information acquired though experience and education.
All of these things together will lead to Charity, Love and further Virtue. As well as reciprocating and enforcing each other.

Increased Charity will increase our desire to be Obedient as well as improve our motive for being Obedient. Obedience increases Faith, Faith increases Hope, Hope increases Patience and Humility. Patience and Humility will increase your Diligence and your Diligence will increase your Knowledge.

Charity is the most important of the Attributes of God. I know this to be true. In Moroni 7 45-47 we are plainly told so. "45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her hown, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 46 Wherefore, my beloved brother, If he have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-- 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and is endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

 In 2 Nephi 25:29 Nephi explains exactly what we need to do to return to live with God. "29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, (Faith, Hope.) and deny him not;(Knowledge) and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, (Humility) and Worship Him (Obedience) with all your Might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; (Diligence) and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out."

Now that is missing Virtue, Charity and Love, however, looking at all these things and as I have explained, if you have these other things you will have Virtue, Charity, and Love. They are all intertwined.

    This to me is another example of how the Gospel is so intricate and deep yet at the same time so basic and simple. Now of course the order I have established here isn't the only way that these attributes effect and increase the others, for instance Faith also increases your Knowledge, as you increase in Faith and test it more and more. You will gain more and more Knowledge of Faith, the Gospel and many other things. This is just one pattern that I have seen. The fact of the matter is These Attributes are Key to becoming like our Father in Heaven and they each effect the others in turn. Now this is a simple overview of the separate Attributes of Jesus Christ. Over the next few weeks I will attempt to delve into each separately.