The thirteenth article of faith is the longest of all of the articles of faith:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous,
and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow
the admonition of Paul – We believe all things, we hope all things,
we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all
things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report
or praiseworthy, =D
we seek after these things.

The thirteenth article of faith can be broken into two parts. The second part talks about the admonition of Paul. But right now, I am going to talk about the first part.

Honest – Honesty is always telling the truth, even when it is not easy. Sometimes telling the truth is not easy and it is easy to justify not telling the truth, especially to save a persons feelings. We are commanded to always tell the truth. Telling the truth results in trust and if you are worried about a persons feelings, you should still tell the truth but do so kindly and lovingly and with some tact to truthfully build up the other person.

Here are some quotes about honesty by some famous people.

Mark Twain – If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.

Bill Copeland – When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback.

Abraham Lincoln – No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.

Austin O’Malley – Those who think it is permissible to tell white lies soon grow color-blind.

Thomas Jefferson – Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.

Ralph Waldo Emerson – The highest compact we can make with our fellow is – “Let there be truth between us two forevermore.”

True – a person is true when they are sincere and not deceitful. The best friends you can have are those who will always tell the truth, always treat you with love, always treat you with respect, and never leave you alone. These are they who are true.

True is synonymous with Sincerity
CHARLES SPURGEON said “Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.”
Chaste – Being chaste refers to living the law of chastity including proper dating and clean and proper relationships. It also refers to dressing modestly.

In First Corinthians, it says
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.”
President Clark, in a conference address in October 1938, said: “Chastity is fundamental to our life and to our civilization. If the race becomes unchaste, it will perish. “
Such is statement is scary today 73 years later as it seems that not living the law of chastity has become very normal. Could we be at the end of our civilization because of so many people not living this commandment.
Benevolent – Benevolent is a big word. It refers to having a desire to help others. It also refers to having kind feelings.

When Alma was at the Waters of Mormon talking to the people about baptism, here are some things he said.

Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort…Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized
By bearing others burdens, we are living a life that is benevolent. We are having a desire to help others and acting on it.

Virtuous To be virtuous means conforming to moral and ethical principles.

George Washington Carver said a Virtuous person is clean both inside and outside. … Neither looks up to the rich or down on the poor. … Loses, if need be without squealing.

By conforming to moral and ethical principles, we obey the commandments, and we do the right thing, even when no one is looking and we could easily get away with not doing the right thing. We don’t need to be commanded in all things, we use the spirit and our own intuition and make our own righteous decisions and emulate Christ-like behavior whenever a question of ethics exists.

Now I will speak briefly on the second part of the thirteenth article of faith.

In going over this article of faith, many people wonder, “What is the admonition of Paul.”

The admonition of Paul is similar to the second half of the thirteenth article of faith and it is found in Phillipians, chapter 3 verse 8.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

It seems that Joseph Smith was largely expounding on these verses when constructing the thirteenth article of faith.
I am thankful for the thirteen articles of faith because they give a summary of many of our churches teachings. I am thankful for the 13th article of faith because it teaches us not only to keep the commandments, it also teaches us to find the good things around us and embrace them. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.