Day 3: Do I really understand repentence?
Read: Doctrince and Covenants 58 41-43
Mosiah 4: 9-12
Mosiah 2:38
Ponder: Have I truly sought forgiveness from the Lord?
Do I believe He will forgive me?
I learned about the great plan of happiness, that we are on earth to be tested. We will all make mistakes. The Apostle John taught, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Fortunately he added, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I paid particular attention to the word cleanse.
I thought that repentance, like soap, should be used frequently. I found that when I apologized for mistakes, things were better. But for serious mistakes, an apology was not enough - sometimes not even possible. While these mistakes were, for the most part, not major ones, the spiritual pain called guilt invariably set in. Sooner or later they must be resolved, but I didn't know what to do. That happens when you break somthing that you alone can't fix.
Among you young people are those who are "vexed," as Peter said, "with the filthy conversation of the wicked." Some of you joke about standards and see no need to change behavior. You tell yourselves it doesn't matter because "everybody's doing it."
But that doesn't work because you, by nature, are good. How many times have you heard someone say, after doing some generous or heroic deed or simply helping others, how good it made them feel? Like any natural feeling or emotion, that reaction is inborn in you. Surely you have experience that yourself! Happpiness is inseparably connected with decent, clean behavior.
The prophet Alma bluntly told his wayward son that because he transgressed he was "in a state contrary to the nature of happiness" and that "wickedness never was happiness." Those who don;t know how to erase mistakes often feel cornered and rebellious and lose themselves in unworthy living . . .
It was through reading the scriptures, and listening, that I could understand, at least in part, the power of the Atonement. Can you imagine how I felt when finally I could see that if I followed what ever conditions the Redeemer had set, I need never endure the agony of being spiritually unclean?
Imagine the consoling, liberating, exalting feeling that will come to you when you see the reality of the Atonement and the practical everyday value of it to you individually.
You need not know everything before the power of the Atonement will work for you. Have faith in Christ, it begins to work the day you ask! The scripture speaks of "obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." We all pretty well now what it means to obey laws. But how are we to obey ordinances?
Generally we understand that, conditioned upon repentance, the ordincance of baptism washes our sins away. Some wonder if they were baptized too soon. If only they could be baptized now and have a clean start. But that is not necessary! Through the ordinance of the sarcrament you renew the covenants made at baptism. When you meet all of the conditions of repentance, however difficult, you may be forgiven and your transgressions will trouble your mind no more.
From "Washed Clean"
President Boyd K. Packer
Saturday Morning Session 5 April, 1997
Among you young people are those who are "vexed," as Peter said, "with the filthy conversation of the wicked." Some of you joke about standards and see no need to change behavior. You tell yourselves it doesn't matter because "everybody's doing it."
But that doesn't work because you, by nature, are good. How many times have you heard someone say, after doing some generous or heroic deed or simply helping others, how good it made them feel? Like any natural feeling or emotion, that reaction is inborn in you. Surely you have experience that yourself! Happpiness is inseparably connected with decent, clean behavior.
The prophet Alma bluntly told his wayward son that because he transgressed he was "in a state contrary to the nature of happiness" and that "wickedness never was happiness." Those who don;t know how to erase mistakes often feel cornered and rebellious and lose themselves in unworthy living . . .
It was through reading the scriptures, and listening, that I could understand, at least in part, the power of the Atonement. Can you imagine how I felt when finally I could see that if I followed what ever conditions the Redeemer had set, I need never endure the agony of being spiritually unclean?
Imagine the consoling, liberating, exalting feeling that will come to you when you see the reality of the Atonement and the practical everyday value of it to you individually.
You need not know everything before the power of the Atonement will work for you. Have faith in Christ, it begins to work the day you ask! The scripture speaks of "obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." We all pretty well now what it means to obey laws. But how are we to obey ordinances?
Generally we understand that, conditioned upon repentance, the ordincance of baptism washes our sins away. Some wonder if they were baptized too soon. If only they could be baptized now and have a clean start. But that is not necessary! Through the ordinance of the sarcrament you renew the covenants made at baptism. When you meet all of the conditions of repentance, however difficult, you may be forgiven and your transgressions will trouble your mind no more.
From "Washed Clean"
President Boyd K. Packer
Saturday Morning Session 5 April, 1997
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