The importance of Earnest

Mel would often playfully mention how nerdy (adorably, I hope) it is of me that I often get sucked into reading the dictionary. I will go and look up a word (gasp - yes I do that, and gasp-gasp I still do it in a book on occasion) and end up reading a number of surrounding, preceding, and following words. While I find this a worthwhile experience, Mel finds it quixotic.
I have recently (perhaps I am late to the game) found that the same exercise in the Bible Dictionary is an exceptionally worthwhile experience. What follows is a recent example. I went to the dictionary to see what it had to say about Ecclesiastes and ended up also reading the entry on earnest.
Honestly, I was surprised that there was even an entry in the Bible Dictionary for earnest. I would expect it in the Topical Guide, but to find it in the Bible Dictionary was intriguing. Until I read the entry. Then it made perfect, wonderful sense.
When we are baptized, we witness (among other things) that we wish to be cleansed of our sins and be found worthy of Celestial glory. In effect, we are telling our Heavenly Father that we wish to do what is necessary to become like Him and to live with Him. The Holy Ghost, specifically, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is Heavenly Father's "earnest money", as Paul explains (see link or entry in BD).
In accompaniment to our covenant and witness, Heavenly Father provides a member of the Godhead (who, being One with Heavenly Father is identical to Him in will and purpose) to be our constant companion. In effect, we have entered in God's presence and are given, from time to time, contingent on our acceptance and obedience, direction and instructions (i.e. personal revelation, whispering of the Spirit) on becoming more like God. Covenant, Witness, Ask and ye shall receive. At that point, we are enabled to live in God's presence and to become like Him, just as we wished. It is then incumbent on us to remain in that presence. We learn though trial and error, and often sad experience, to differentiate between good and evil. Quite simply, we learn the good because we notice that we remain in God's presence and the evil because we have withdrawn ourselves from God's presence with the act. Thus we learn the nature of God and how to become like Him, by learning what may and may not be done in His presence.
To prevent repeating myself too many times I will stop there.