Filling our Vessels with Light and Truth

Light and truth are eternal companions.  The greater the light the more truth is illuminated, perceived and understood.  Section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants teaches in a brilliant way about the relationship of light and truth and it's application to our journey in mortality.  The Lord also warns us that the adversary does not operate in light and truth and one of his goals is to remove those precious qualities from our lives.  This basically sums up the battle of the universe.  The Lord tells us that if we "know" the truth, the truth shall make us free.  In D&C 93 the Lord defines truth for us:

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

He then tell us than anything less than or above and beyond that definition is in the camp of the adversary.

25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.

36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.
37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.

Our goal as sons and daughters of God is to receive all truth or in other words, a "fullness" of truth.  That quest is directly related to the keeping of the commandments.

26 The Spirit of truth is of God.  I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

The commandments are our shield against the adversary as we pursue the path of truth, thus the vital importance of the first law of the gospel, that of obedience.  Obedience is not to confine us, to impede us but to protect us so that we can grow.   

31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.

39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

Somehow our acts of disobedience gives the adversary access to our souls where he can bleed us of light and truth.  I like to think that obedience to the commandments places the armor of God upon us so we are impervious to the fiery darts of the adversary.  Our vessels remain without fissure. 

 24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 15:24)

8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 3:8)

Disobedience allows us to be wounded in our spirits.  If those wounds are not healed by the atonement of Jesus Christ we will continue to bleed spiritually in some way or we will perhaps only partially heal with scar tissue in place of true regeneration through the Savior.  Thus one of the greatest task of parenthood is to teach our children the importance of obedience to the commandments of God and repentance because humans are mortal and will disobey either purposefully or ignorantly.

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.
41 But verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you have continued under this condemnation;
42 You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:24 - 42)

In thinking about this subject I also wonder if we have the ability to hurt each other and cause wounds that allow the adversary access to bleed a victim of light and truth.  In this case the atonement is also the answer.  The act of forgiveness and turning to the Savior can heal us of wounds inflicted either purposefully or inadvertently by others.  The power of the priesthood has been given to us to use as a healer of spiritual wounds whatever may be the cause.  Those wounds can be sealed off so that the adversary can no longer cause spiritually searing damage to our souls.  

There is much we can do to heal the wounds in ourselves and in our children and increase our access to light and truth and to create vessels of our souls to hold those spiritual acquisitions until we receive a "fullness" in the perfect day.  May we pray, repent, forgive, obey and use the priesthood power the Lord has placed among us.