“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).
On December 1, 1838, members of the First Presidency: Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and Sidney Rigdon, as well as Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae, and Caleb Baldwin were imprisoned in the lower level of Liberty Jail in Clay County, Missouri, on charges of “crimes of High Treason.” They spent nearly four months in what Elder B.H. Roberts called a “prison temple”. Baldwin, while confined in Liberty Jail, penned Joseph Smith’s deepest thoughts in letters to the dispersed Latter-day Saints; excerpts later became Doctrine and Covenants sections 121, 122, and 123.
President Jeffrey R. Holland, in speaking about Liberty Jail, observed: “You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life—in the worst settings, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odds and opposition you have ever faced” (“Lessons from Liberty Jail,” BYU Devotional, September 7, 2008).
One of those profoundly instructive insights is “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45). What does it mean to “let virtue garnish thy thoughts”?
Nature and Nuances of Virtue
The term “virtue” has diverse roots—Latin, Greek, and Hebrew—all of which point to a sense of strength, excellence, and moral goodness. It is an essential characteristic for spiritual progress and for gaining confidence in the presence of God.
“Virtue” is a word often used in church, but it’s frequently misunderstood. Society partly caused this confusion by using it in so many ways. Defining is difficult because it seems to be synonymous with sexual purity. While virtue includes moral purity, ancient Hebrew contexts used it to show a strong character.
Virtue has two primary meanings:
- “Strength” or “Power” (Latin virtus, Greek dunamis or Hebrew chayil):
- The Latin root of virtue, virtus, means strength.
- In the Greek New Testament, the word dunamis is sometimes translated as “virtue,” particularly in instances referring to Jesus’s power to heal. For example, when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus’s garment, “virtue” (power) went out of Him and healed her. Similarly, it refers to the healing power of the word of God.
- The Hebrew word chayil, translated as “virtuous” in the Old Testament (e.g., Proverbs 31:10), denotes strength, power, or might. It can refer to God’s strength, man’s physical strength, or even a plant’s strength. When used for a woman, it suggests a woman strong in all facets of her life, including moral purity, strength of character, and possibly wealth or social standing.
- Virtue, along with charity, is the spiritual power to become holy and is the pathway to exaltation. It is essential for becoming confident before God. Virtue is a prerequisite for receiving the Spirit’s guidance, as the Holy Ghost does not dwell in unclean tabernacles.
- Virtue is described as spiritual strength and personal sanctity. It is the power that comes from cultivating Christlike attributes and living according to God’s moral standards. It is a force that makes everything better and happier, driving away anxious, troublesome, or impure thoughts.
- President Russell M. Nelson talks frames virtue as spiritual strength and personal sanctity, rather than mere social compliance. It is the moral courage that fuels sanctification (see “Confidence in the Presence of God,” FAIR, July 6, 2025).
- This spiritual strength is essential for preparing to return to Heavenly Father and for temple worthiness. It is a pathway to exaltation, transforming individuals into celestial beings through consistent choices.
- A dictionary definition from 1828 echoes this, defining virtue as “voluntary obedience to truth,” emphasizing its active, empowering nature.
- “Excellence” or “Moral Goodness” (Greek aretē):
- The Greek word for virtue is aretē, which signifies excellence or virtue. It is defined as excellence, goodness, and valor.
- Aretē implies being very good—acting in a way that is above reproach. It encompasses moral excellence, integrity, and righteousness, reflecting the character of Christ.
- Being virtuous means trying to uphold all virtues, such as honesty, morality, integrity, humility, charity, accountability, civility, patience, compassion, cleanliness, dignity, faith, generosity, forgiveness, gratitude, repentance, and self-reliance.
- Webster’s 1828 Dictionary emphasizes the voluntary nature of virtue, defining it as “voluntary obedience to truth”. It is also measured by what you choose to think and do when you are alone and believe no one is watching.
Virtue is a profound strength or power that comes from a life of moral excellence and voluntary obedience to divine truth. It is not merely about avoiding sin, but about actively cultivating Christlike attributes in thought, word, and deed, leading to spiritual growth, healing, and confidence in God’s presence.
Nature and Nuances of Garnish
“Over time, sometimes in decades, certainly in centuries, words often change in their senses, meanings and sometimes even their basic definitions. Also, because many words have a number of senses or definitions, it is not unusual for one definition to become more commonly used than others. Sometimes the earlier definitions are forgotten or lost altogether from common usage. ‘Garnish’ is just such a word. Today, garnish is most often thought of as the parsley on the plate of food in a restaurant . . . The earliest root of the word garnish comes from the idea ‘to cover.’ In the book The Roots of English, we learn that ‘In the (Germanic) sense cover (in addition to adorn), came to mean protect.” For example, a garage protects vehicles and a garrison protects military conquests.
“It turns out that in past centuries, virtue and garnish were often used together. The Oxford English Dictionary quotes William Caxton (1422-91), the first English printer, describing someone ‘By the right great virtue whereof he was garnished.’ The dictionary also quotes Hugh Latimer (1485-1555), an English Protestant martyr, warning of problems, ‘When the Devil cometh, and findeth the heart of man not weaponed nor garnished with the word of God.’
“With that background, when we read garnish in the context of Section 121, it has a richer sense than simply adornment. We can read garnish also to mean ‘let virtue, be a fortress to defend, warn and guard our thoughts unceasingly’” (Joseph A. Cannon, “Garnish,” Jan 22, 2009 Deseret News).
In the Old Testament, garnish often refers to the beautification of sacred spaces, like the Tabernacle and Temple, using precious materials and elaborate designs. This embellishment symbolized the reverence and honor due to a holy God, highlighting the importance of creating a space worthy of His presence.
In the New Testament (Matthew 12:44; Matthew 23:29) the word kosmeo means “set in order” “make ready,” “adorn,” etc. In Matthew 25:7 it is translated “trimmed,” and in Revelation 21:19 “adorned.”
The words garnish and garment are related. The word garment comes from the Old French garnement, which was derived from garnir, meaning “attire, clothing” or “that with which one is equipped”. This reflects the sense of clothing as a means of being “equipped”.
We adorn our body with a garment which defends us as a shield and a protection. The First Presidency noted, “As you keep your covenants, including the sacred privilege to wear the garment as instructed in the initiatory ordinances, you will have greater access to the Savior’s mercy, protection, strength, and power” (Church News, 14 April 2024).
Think Celestial
So, how do we let virtue garnish our thoughts? In the 13th Article of Faith we read, “we believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous…if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” As His disciples, we should cultivate these Christ-like attributes. Elder S. Dilworth Young testified, “he who obeys the commandments and thus seeks the virtuous, righteous life will find the pearl of great price of knowledge of the Son of God who is our Savior, and, finding this, will have joy. If in addition he loves and serves his fellowmen, he will add a chain of pearls and will find eternal life in the presence of his Heavenly Father and that Savior. (“News of the Church,” Ensign, Sept. 1981, 74).
President Nelson counsels, “When you make choices, I invite you to take the long view—an eternal view. Put Jesus Christ first, because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement. It is also dependent upon your obedience to His laws. Obedience paves the way for a joyful life for you today and a grand, eternal reward tomorrow.
“When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial!” (“Think Celestial,” Liahona, Nov 2023).
He added in this last General Conference, “Now, let us speak of virtue. The Lord tells us to garnish our thoughts unceasingly with virtue. Imagine the boost you will receive to any positive thought when you enhance it with virtue. Virtue makes everything better and happier! On the other hand, imagine what will happen when you add virtue to an impure thought, a cruel thought, or a depressing thought. Virtue will drive away those thoughts. Virtue will free you from anxious, troublesome thoughts. Brothers and sisters, as the world grows more wicked, we need to grow increasingly pure. Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be unfailingly virtuous and filled with the pure love of Jesus Christ towards all men. . .
“Brothers and sisters, as the world grows more wicked, we need to grow increasingly pure. Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be unfailingly virtuous and filled with the pure love of Jesus Christ towards all men. The great opportunity before us is to become the people God needs us to be.
“Regular worship in the house of the Lord increases our capacity for both virtue and charity. Thus, time in the temple increases our confidence before the Lord. Increased time in the temple will help us prepare for the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ” (President Nelson, “Confidence in the Presence of the Lord,” Liahona, May 2025).
