When a person in cofirmed a member of the Church he is directed to “receive the Holy Ghost”. This is an imperative statement, a commmand. There is no salvation save the command be heeded. Through the new member’s living worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the second part if the baptismal ordinance -the rebirth of the Spirit- begins. Scripturally this process is called the “baptism of fire”; the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier who burns dross and iniquity out of the soul as if by fire.
Thus the remission of sins comes only after the reception and cleansing influence of the Holy Ghost. Nephi explained: “Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for this cause have they been shown unto me, That ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Nephi 31:17)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: “Sins are remitted not in the waters of baptism, as we say in speaking figuratively, but when we receive the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and brings us into a state of righteousness. We become clean when we actually receive the fellowship and companionship of the Holy Ghost.” (New Witness, p. 290; see also p. 239.) You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, “ said Joseph Smith,”if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half- that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost“ (Teachings, p. 314)”