25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.
(Moroni 8:25-26)
I like to look at this kind of passage graphically:
A few observations:
1. Faith, hope, and charity appear in this formula. Faith is at the beginning of the process, while hope and charity are the final result. Charity in particular needs to be maintained over time through prayer.
2. The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are featured. Faith and repentance jointly lead to baptism, which ultimately leads to the visitation of the Holy Ghost.
3. Baptism does not directly result in a remission of sins. Instead, it leads to the fulfilling of the commandments, which in turn brings a remission of sins. When we are baptized, we publicly attest that we are determined to follow Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. The act of making that promise increases our determination keep it. But it is in the keeping of the covenant, not just entering into it, that our sins are washed away. (See also D&C 76:51-52, which also inserts keeping the commandments between baptism and the remission of sins.)
How exactly does one “fulfill the commandments”? If I want a remission of my sins, I must first “fulfill the commandments”. So how do I do this??
It’s a good question, and an important one.
Remember that the beginning of the process is faith and repentance. Repentance means changing our behavior to align with God’s commandments. Obviously, we all fall short at times. Furthermore, our understanding of the commandments grows over time. So repentance is an ongoing need. Broadly, I think these are the steps to fulfill the commandments:
1. We have to know them. This involves studying God’s word as given in the scriptures, by modern prophets, and by personal revelation through the Holy Ghost.
2. We identify areas where our behavior doesn’t match the commandments. This can require some effort and some dedicated time of introspection.
3. We make an intentional decision to change the behavior.
4. We monitor our progress over time, perhaps enlisting the help of a friend.
5. When the new behavior becomes a habit, we repeat the process.
The good news is, we don’t have to do this alone. Jesus Christ will help us through every step. When we combine our efforts with His help, we will eventually achieve the goal.
I hope that’s helpful. I wish you the best in your journey of spiritual progression!