[This compilation was made by Matthew T. Evans, 2003. All excerpts were selected from chapter 5 (“Being Born Again,” pp. 92–118) of the following book:
Pace, George W. 1996. Knowing Christ. 3rd ed. Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, Inc.]

Should not our own spiritual second birth be as joyous, as real, and as veil thinning [as our mortal birth]? Should not the change from a selfish, egotistical, self-sufficient person to one who is really alive in Christ be as great as coming from another sphere into mortality? Should we expect less of a spiritual second birth, where the Savior and his gospel are so involved, than we would of a first, physical, birth? (p. 95)

If you or I will be most respectful of the “bride,” even the Church, we will acknowledge the prophet thereof as anointed and inspired of the Lord and we will submit to the sacred ordinances therein and remain true to those ordinances. And if, at the same time, we balance that commitment to the Church with a profound respect for and faith in the “husband,” even Christ, then he, the Holy One of Israel, will allow his spirit, his power, his divine nature to flow through the ordinances into our lives, enabling us in time to become so much like him that it can be said of us, “this day he hath spiritually begotten you; …therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.” (Mosiah 5:7.) (p. 96)

In the process of the second birth, we receive a remission of sins (see 2 Nephi 31:17), we are “sanctified from all sin” (Moses 6:59), we become “new creatures” (Mosiah 27:26), our nature is changed and “we have no more disposition to do evil” (Mosiah 5:2), and we have the “image of God engraven upon [our] countenances.” (Alma 5:19.)
When does the second birth occur? Does it occur following baptism and confirmation, or does it occur later? Generally speaking, it seems to me that it requires some extended time after we are baptized of the water and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Before physical birth, there is a period of gestation between conception and birth, that is, a period of time when the child grows and develops preparatory to birth. It seems that such is usually the case with the spiritual second birth. At baptism and confirmation, we become members of the Church, we take upon ourselves the name of Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. If we will seek for the Spirit with all our hearts, repenting of our sins and keeping the commandments, we will grow and become prepared for the greater endowment of the second birth. (p. 97)

Although it is possible to be born again when we are baptized of water and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, most of the time it seems to require much more effort and labor. Baptism of the Spirit has acquired for me much greater theological significance than it held in the first decades of my life. I’ve concluded that the spiritual second birth is the most important thing that can happen in our lives to facilitate our becoming true Saints. (p. 98)

Is the baptism of the Spirit always accompanied by a spectacular experience? (p. 99)

Because so many such experiences have happened, it is natural to conclude that all people who are born again experience such dramatic experiences. Nevertheless, I think we would make a serious mistake to say that we must have a spectacular experience to be truly born again. Probably in most instances the preparation for the experience occurs over an extended period of time, but the actual experience—the remission of sins, the change of nature, the mighty change—can occur without the experience being a spectacular one. (p. 99)

May I suggest a caution? Possibly because we may not be aware of dramatic experiences relative to the second birth occurring today as they did in the scriptures and in the early Church, we might assume that such experiences are not happening and therefore are not necessary. Or if we have been very faithful in keeping the commandments and laboring in the kingdom and haven’t had any “veil-thinning” experiences, then we might con[100]clude they surely aren’t necessary. Or it may be that we have drawn the conclusion that “dramatic” experiences are reserved only for the leaders of the Church and are of a very private nature, and consequently we are not aware of them. Whatever the reason might be, we need to be very careful not to rule out the possibility that you and I and others can have experiences as marvelous as those had by Saul or by King Lamoni and his wife.
To appreciate the effort required to be born again, we need to remember that even the original Twelve Apostles of our dispensation, after having served in that holy calling for three years, were promised that “if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.” (D&C 112:13.) If such was the case with the members of the first Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation, we, then, as members of the Church, should expect to make a very great effort to achieve the blessing of the second birth in our lives. (pp. 99–100)

Another great sermon on the spiritual second birth [besides that of King Benjamin] is Nephi’s discourse in 2 Nephi 31 and 32. In fact, it is my opinion that these two chapters shed more light on what it means to enjoy the spiritual second birth than any other single sermon in all of holy writ. I recommend strongly that you study carefully and prayerfully these two very illuminating chapters. (p. 105)

When I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church at the age of eight, I assumed that I had entered the gate and obtained the path. Nephi would have disagreed. He indicated that we haven’t gone through the gate and obtained the path until we are baptized “by fire and by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Nephi 31:17; see also vv. 18–19.) (p. 105)

When we desire deeply to be baptized of fire and of the Holy Ghost and while seeking with all of our hearts to do so, before the greater endowment comes, the Lord in his graciousness allows us to have spiritual experiences along the way that whet [110] our appetites to have such experiences consistently. (pp. 109–110)

I repeat that striving for the spiritual second birth, striving to know the Lord and to obtain his blessings and powers, is the most challenging, difficult, and yet exhilarating experience of mortal life. (p. 110)

The spiritual second birth is the experience the Lord has ordained to change our lives and prepare us for entrance into the celestial kingdom. If that experience occurs, we will be forgiven of our sins, our nature will be changed, and we will enjoy the daily companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because of the companionship of the Spirit, our love for everyone will be godly, and we will come to know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in a marvelous way and dedicate our lives to the building of the kingdom of God. (p. 117)