Pres. Uchtdorf teaches us that a powerful expression of the love of Christ is often called the 'grace of God' - the divine assistance and endowment of strength by which we grow from the flawed and limited beings we are now into exalted beings of "truth and light, until [we are] glorified in trith and [know] all things.
Grace unlocks the gates of heaven in the sense that because we all sin and come short of the the glory of God, grace is our salvation through Christ to reach our full potential. Pres. Uchtdorf says, "With the gift of God's grace, the path of discipleship does not lead backward; it leads upward. It leads to heights we can scarcely comprehend! It leads to exaltation in the celestial kingdom...."
A story from Brad Wilcox about a young man who had been in prison more than once. Bro. Wilcox thought he could be helped if he attended EFY. The young man didn't last even one day. At the days end he called his mother and said, "Get me out of here." Bro. Wilcox then says, "The older I get and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgement it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, 'Let me stay.' No, he will probably be saying, 'Get me out of here!' Knowing Christ's character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it will probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, 'Please choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement - not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay." Brother Wilcox then states, "Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly."
Pres. Uchtdorf teaches us, "To inherit this glory, we need more than an unlocked gate; we must enter through this gate with a heart's desire to be changed - a change so dramatic that the scriptures describe it as being "born again; yea, born of God, changed from [our worldly] and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters."
"So when does Grace happen? When do we receive the gift of Grace?" Sis. Bashford explains that it happens right now, every day, all day long. Bro. Wilcox helps explain this by thinking about a young pianist. "When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don't say he is not worthy to keep practicing. We don't expect him to be flawless. We just expect him to keep trying. Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction. Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven?" Grace takes time. President Uchtdorf says, "Throughout our lives, God's grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves."
Pres. Uchtdorf then teaches us, "Living the gospel faithfully is not a burden. It is a joyful rehearsal - a preparation for inheriting the grand glory of the eternities. We seek to obey our Heavenly Father because our spirits will become more attuned to spiritual things. Vistas are opened that we never new existed. Enlightenment and understanding come to us when we do the will of the Father. Grace is a gift of God, and our desire to be obedient to each of God's commandments is the reaching out of our mortal hand to receive this sacred gift from our Heavenly Father."
