To know God in that full sense which will enable us to gain eternal salvation means that we must know what he know, enjoy what he enjoys, experience what he experiences.  In New Testament language, we must 'be like him' (1 John 3:2).

But before we can become like him, we must obey those laws that will enable us to acquire the character, perfections, and attributes that he possesses.

And before we can obey these laws, we must learn what they are; we must learn of Christ and his gospel.  We must learn 'that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent' (Mosiah 3:18).  We must learn that baptism under the hands of a legal administrator is essential to salvation and that after baptism we must keep the commandments and 'press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.' (2 Ne. 31:20)"

Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Apr. 1966, p. 79