2 Chronicles 26 - 31

Hezekiah is a great example of what great impact a righteous leader can have on a nation and people. Moroni told Pahoran -

"...Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also." (Book of Mormon Alma 60:23)

This is exactly what Hezekiah did for -

"...in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 29:3 - 5)

And to those to whom were given authority to administer in the ordinances, he tells them -

"My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him..." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 29:11)

And in obedience -

"...they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 29:15)

And after the temple was cleansed, Hezekiah went to the temple and -

"...the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 29:29)

Hezekiah followed -

"...Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD...So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 29:31 - 36)

Hezekiah did not end there with his people but reached out to other nations and -

"...sent to all Israel and Judah...that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 30:1)

With this challenge -

"...be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God..." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 30:8)

Of course, like today, there were those that -

"..laughed them to scorn, and mocked them." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 30:10)

But there were still those that -

"...humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 30:11)

And those that came and heard -

"...rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
27 ¶ Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 30:25 - 27)

It becomes apparent that a might change had taken place in their hearts as -

"...the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the fields; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly...they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 31:5 - 6)

"And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered." (Old Testament 2 Chronicles 31:20 - 21)