Gospel Message Day 188

Easter, Part 2

I've always loved Easter. And my parents did their best to raise us remembering what the true meaning and reason of Easter is.

But I don't think the greatness and wonder and hope of the season had ever before hit home as much as the last couple of years. I've seen friends and loved ones post on Facebook about the loved ones they have recently lost, and the hope they are reminded of when Easter comes around.

Because with Christ's resurrection that Easter morning came the ability for us to be resurrected after we die. Each and every single one of God's children will be reunited with the perfect, precious gift of their body. Forever. No matter their works in this life, this is something Christ grants to all of us.

Gospel Message Day 187

Easter

Yesterday's post seems to be a good segue into an Easter countdown. We kind of did one of those for Christmas, so we should certainly do one for Easter.

I've probably quoted it before, probably around Christmas, but I have long loved President Hinckley's Christmas Devotional quote: Without the death, it would be just another birth.

His Atonement, His crucifixion, and His Resurrection were the 3-fold culmination of our Savior's mission on Earth. Without them, He would just have been an amazing teacher. But He was unfathomably so much more.

Gospel Message Day 186

Repentance, Part 6

I think a great way to close this topic is referring to the 6th step that Elder Scott added in his talk, which I referred to a couple of days ago. This step is Recognizing the Savior:

Of all the necessary steps to repentance, I testify that the most critically important is for you to have a conviction that forgiveness comes because of the Redeemer. It is essential to know that only on His terms can you be forgiven.... You will be helped as you exercise faith in Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ That means you trust Him and you trust His teachings.... The Savior gave His life so that the effects of all transgression can be put behind us, save the shedding of innocent blood and the denial of the Holy Ghost. 

It is only through Him, and yet always because of Him that we can change.

Gospel Message Day 185

Repentance, Part 5

In the scriptures, we often see examples of those who had to repent from some big, grievous sins. There are many in life now who have big, grievous sins to repent of. But generally, if I strive to live a righteous life, it's not the big sins I have to be concerned with. My trouble is with all the small ones--and there are so many! There are sins of omission (like not taking the time to find ways to serve), and there are sins of forgetting (forgetting to study my scriptures now and then), and there are sins of neglect (not saying more meaningful prayers). There are, I'm sure, other kinds of these smaller sins. And as the scripture says, there are divers ways one could sin and no need to get in to each way. What I do know, and what I must be most wary of, are the small, day-to-day ways of sinning and do what I can to turn away from them and return to Heavenly Father.

Gospel Message Day 184

Repentance, Part 4

It's a cop out, but I don't think too much of one. I'm sharing a Conference talk from Elder Scott. I love that man. And no one can talk about repentance as sweetly and gently and tenderly as he can. But even more neat--I once had some time during a random study hall in 7th grade. I happened to have my notes from the recent April Conference with me, so I looked through them and wrote up the Steps to Repentance. It was the first time that I really delved into a Conference talk after Conference. It was such a great feeling to be applying what I'd learned. And guess what? This is the talk that I had those notes from!

Finding Forgiveness

Recently, while traveling on an unfamiliar road, I encountered a large temporary sign declaring Rough Road Ahead, and indeed it was. Had I not been warned, that experience would have been disastrous. Life is like that. It’s full of rough spots. Some are tests to make us stronger. Others result from our own disobedience. Helpful warnings in our personal life can also save us from disaster. A damaged road presents the same obstacles to every traveler until others repair it. The highway of life is different. Each one of us encounters unique challenges meant for growth. Also, our own bad choices can put more barriers in the path. Yet we have the capacity to smooth out the way, to fill in the depressions, and to beautify our course. The process is called repentance; the destination is forgiveness.

If you have ignored warnings and your life has been damaged or disabled by a rough road, there is help available. Through that help you can renew and rebuild your damaged life. You can start over again and change your course from a downward, twisting, disappointing path to a superhighway to peace and happiness.

I want to help you find that relief. To do that it is necessary to give you some background information that will make the remedy more logical and the steps to healing more meaningful.

Understand the Atonement

Every incorrect choice we make, every sin we commit is a violation of eternal law. That violation brings negative results we generally soon recognize. There are also other consequences of our acts of which we may not be conscious. They are nonetheless real. They can have a tremendous effect on the quality of our life here and most certainly will powerfully affect it hereafter. We can do nothing of ourselves to satisfy the demands of justice for a broken eternal law. Yet, unless the demands of justice are paid, each of us will suffer endless negative consequences.

Only the life, teachings, and particularly the Atonement of Jesus Christ can release us from this otherwise impossible predicament. Each of us has made mistakes, large or small, which if unresolved will keep us from the presence of God. For this reason, the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the single most significant event that ever has or ever will occur. This selfless act of infinite consequence, performed by a single glorified personage, has eternal impact in the life of every son and daughter of our Father in Heaven—without exception. ¹ It shatters the bonds of death. It justifies our finally being judged by the Master. ² It can prevent an eternity under the control of the devil. ³ It opens the gates to exaltation and eternal life for all who qualify for forgiveness through repentance and obedience. ⁴

The Redeemer can settle your individual account with justice and grant forgiveness through the merciful path of repentance. ⁵ Full repentance is absolutely essential for the Atonement to work its complete miracle in your life. By understanding the Atonement, you will see that God is not a jealous being who delights in persecuting those who misstep. He is an absolutely perfect, compassionate, understanding, patient, and forgiving Father. He is willing to entreat, counsel, strengthen, lift, and fortify. He so loves each of us that He was willing to have His perfect, sinless, absolutely obedient, totally righteous Son experience indescribable agony and pain and give Himself in sacrifice for all. ⁶ Through that Atonement we can live in a world where absolute justice reigns in its sphere so the world will have order. But that justice is tempered through mercy attainable by obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Repentance is the path to forgiveness

Which of us is not in need of the miracle of repentance? Whether your life is lightly blemished or heavily disfigured from mistakes, the principles of recovery are the same. The length and severity of the treatments are conditioned to fit the circumstances. Our goal surely must be forgiveness. The only possible path to that goal is repentance, for it is written: “There is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. …

“The Lord … [will] not come to redeem [His people] intheir sins, but to redeem them from their sins.

“And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance.” ⁷

Obedience and faith in the Savior give you power to resist temptation. Helaman taught: “It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, … when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to … endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, … whereon if men build they cannot fall.” ⁸

Forgiveness comes through repentance. What is repentance? How is it accomplished? What are its consequences? These may seem to be simple questions, but it is clear that many do not know how to repent.

Follow the steps of repentance

In The Miracle of Forgiveness, President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) gives a superb guide to forgiveness through repentance. It has helped many find their way back. He identifies five essential elements of repentance.

Sorrow for sin

Study and ponder to determine how serious the Lord defines your transgression to be. That will bring healing sorrow and remorse. It will also bring a sincere desire for change and a willingness to submit to every requirement for forgiveness. Alma taught, “Justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.” ⁹

Abandonment of sin

This is an unyielding, permanent resolve to not repeat the transgression. By keeping this commitment, the bitter aftertaste of that sin need not be experienced again. Remember: “But unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return.” ¹⁰ Joseph Smith declared: “Repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not … pleasing in the sight of God.” ¹¹

Confession of sin

You always need to confess your sins to the Lord. If they are serious transgressions, such as immorality, they need to be confessed to a bishop or stake president. Please understand that confession is not repentance. It is an essential step, but is not of itself adequate. Partial confession by mentioning lesser mistakes will not help you resolve a more serious, undisclosed transgression. Essential to forgiveness is a willingness to fully disclose to the Lord and, where necessary, His priesthood judge all that you have done. Remember, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” ¹²

Restitution for sin

You must restore as far as possible all that which is stolen, damaged, or defiled. Willing restitution is concrete evidence to the Lord that you are committed to do all you can to repent.

Obedience to all the commandments

Full obedience brings the complete power of the gospel into your life with strength to focus on the abandonment of specific sins. It includes things you might not initially consider part of repentance, such as attending meetings, paying tithing, giving service, and forgiving others. The Lord said: “He that repents anddoes the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.” ¹³

I would add a sixth step:

Recognition of the Savior

Of all the necessary steps to repentance, I testify that the most critically important is for you to have a conviction that forgiveness comes because of the Redeemer. It is essential to know that only on His terms can you be forgiven. Witness Alma’s declaration: “I was … in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But … I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.” ¹⁴ You will be helped as you exercise faith in Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ That means you trust Him and you trust His teachings. Satan would have you believe that serious transgression cannot be entirely overcome. The Savior gave His life so that the effects of all transgression can be put behind us, save the shedding of innocent blood and the denial of the Holy Ghost.

The fruit of true repentance is forgiveness, which opens the door to receive all of the covenants and ordinances provided on this earth and to enjoy the resulting blessings. When a repentant soul is baptized, all former sins are forgiven and need not be remembered. When repentance is full and one has been cleansed, there comes a new vision of life and its glorious possibilities. How marvelous the promise of the Lord: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” ¹⁶ The Lord is and ever will be faithful to His words.

Serious sins require deep repentance

Do not take comfort in the fact that your transgressions are not known by others. That is like an ostrich with his head buried in the sand. He sees only darkness and feels comfortably hidden. In reality he is ridiculously conspicuous. Likewise our every act is seen by our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son. They know everything about us.

Adultery, fornication, committing homosexual acts, and other deviations approaching these in gravity are not acceptable alternate lifestyles. They are serious sins. Committing physical and sexual abuse are major sins. Such grave sins require deep repentance to be forgiven. President Kimball taught: “To every forgiveness there is a condition. The plaster must be as wide as the sore. The fasting, the prayers, the humility must be equal to or greater than the sin.” ¹⁷ “It is unthinkable that God absolves serious sins upon a few requests. He is likely to wait until there has been long, sustained repentance.” ¹⁸

If you have seriously transgressed, you will not find any lasting satisfaction or comfort in what you have done. Excusing transgression with a cover-up may appear to fix the problem, but it does not. The tempter is intent on making public your most embarrassing acts at the most harmful time. Lies weave a pattern that is ever more confining and becomes a trap that Satan will spring to your detriment.

Repent now

Sometimes the steps of repentance are initially difficult and painful, like the cleansing of a soiled garment. Yet, they produce purity, peace of mind, self-respect, hope, and finally, a new person with a renewed life and abundance of opportunity.

This scripture will help you know what to do: “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, … because of their yielding their hearts unto God.” ¹⁹

In closing, with all the tenderness and sincerity of heart I invite each one of you to thoughtfully review your life. Have you deviated from the standards that you know will bring happiness? Is there a dark corner that needs to be cleaned out? Are you now doing things that you know are wrong? Do you fill your mind with unclean thoughts? When it is quiet and you can think clearly, does your conscience tell you to repent?

For your peace now and for everlasting happiness, please repent. Open your heart to the Lord and ask Him to help you. You will earn the blessing of forgiveness, peace, and the knowledge you have been purified and made whole. Find the courage to ask the Lord for strength to repent, now. I solemnly witness that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer. I know that He lives. I testify that He loves you personally and will help you.

Obtain His forgiveness by repenting, now.

For your peace now and for everlasting happiness, please repent.

When repentance is full and one has been cleansed, there comes a new vision of life and its glorious possibilities.

Full repentance is absolutely essential for the Atonement to work its complete miracle in your life.

If you have ignored warnings and your life has been damaged or disabled by a rough road, there is help available.

I love it--Repentance is a miracle! One we can access at all times because of the Savior and His Atonement.

Gospel Message Day 183

A pause in my current topic for a message. I've had experiences like this before. But they are never easy, and there's always more to learn in them. Most especially learning and building faith and trust--in myself as well as in my Heavenly Father and in my Savior.

I've been excited for over 4 months. I learned that a nearby city was doing Beauty and the Beast for their summer musical. B&tB has been an absolute favorite since I was 17 and first heard the soundtrack. I remember how grown-up I felt the night my friend and I couldn't go to another friend's musical (this was my first adventure of driving NOT to work or church). So, we went to the mall. And I bought my very own cassette tape of the B&tB soundtrack. Totally in love with it from the very beginning. Belle became a dream role, probably had been before I ever heard the soundtrack but going back to when I heard a fellow EFY Talent Show performer sing one of Belle's solos when I was 15.

There has never been a chance for me to participate before. So hearing of this production sent me into quite the ecstatic state. I was checking every week and then every day to sign up for my audition time. I harrowed over my solo choice for over a month. Of course, I would give anything to be Belle. But I live in Utah--it will likely never happen with the much better talent around me. But still--this is a musical that any role or any part on the chorus would be amazingly awesome to be a part of. I would have been happy to be any part of it. And was willing to sacrifice quite a bit for this chance.

But things have come up. And I started to wonder deep down if that, even though I could make all the sacrifices needed, perhaps I shouldn't. It took me a couple of weeks, but I finally realized I needed to turn this matter over to prayer. Because I wasn't sure if the deep down was a prompting that I just didn't want to hear. I needed guidance, and I was ready to be open to what answer the Lord had of what He thought might be best.

I've been praying over it for a week or so. This morning I received my answer. Or rather, I finally listened to that deep down feeling, brought the decision to the Lord, and felt the confirming feeling. There was my answer. It's not the answer I wanted, but it's what I got. If there's one thing I've learned in Institute class in the last year, it is to trust God because He always knows best. And often what seems like something terrible or sad could lead to something we couldn't have seen before and wouldn't have if we hadn't followed His guidance. I may always miss that I didn't get this opportunity, but I do look forward to one day seeing what Father has in mind for me.

Gospel Message Day 182

Repentance, Part 3

In Institute, we were talking about various Book of Mormon heroes and things they did to Come unto Christ. For Alma the Older and Alma the Younger, both were pretty far down the Sinning Path, and yet made huge steps in repenting and coming back to Christ. I love Elder Anderson's 1st Conference talk. It was about repentance, and talked of how repenting is returning to our Father and to our Savior.

The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God. It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven. They become part of us, shaping the way we think and feel.

Among the tens of thousands listening to this conference, there are many degrees of personal worthiness and righteousness. Yet repentance is a blessing to all of us. We each need to feel the Savior’s arms of mercy through the forgiveness of our sins....

Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is “re-turning” toward God.



My current set of scriptures has been slowly marked by topic. After that talk, I made sure that any time I came across a scripture that referred to return to God, I marked it with the same marking that I used for repentance. I found quite a few more scriptures on the topic because of it. Plus, when you see it as a returning, you can better understand how repentance is such a great blessing for us.

Gospel Message Day 181

Repentance, Part 2

This is one of my favorite songs concerning repentance. I think it explains well the difference between the sincere, or Godly, sorrow that is necessary for repentance.

And yet I also love that this song just isn't about the need to have godly sorrow. It reminds us that the pain from our mistakes helps us remember to repent, which allows us to return back to Heavenly Father.

Gospel Message Day 180

Repentance 

The new topic is a pretty big one. It's always wondering where to begin. I think I'll copy an entry from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. I highlighted the part that stands out to me the most as an intro.

The Savior suffered for our sins and gave His life for us. This great sacrifice is called the Atonement. Through the Atonement, you can receive forgiveness and be cleansed from your sins when you repent.

Repentance is more than simply acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments.

Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will humble yourself and make the effort that repentance requires. If you have sinned, the sooner you repent, the sooner you begin to make your way back and find the peace and joy that come with forgiveness. If you delay repentance, you may lose blessings, opportunities, and spiritual guidance. You may also become further entangled in sinful behavior, making it more difficult to find your way back.

First, this is a great source to begin the topic with--because it has scriptures and other links as well! Second, I have always loved how repentance is work. It isn't just an "Oh, I'm sorry!" In repentance, the person must show Heavenly Father true sorrow for what was done. Not sorrow for being caught, or for the consequences that may result from sinning. But sorrow for disobeying a loving Father who gives so much and asks so little. This will naturally lead to a desire to right one's self with the Lord again.

Also, repentance applies to temporal as well as spiritual things. I refer to repenting related to our sins against Heavenly Father's commandments. But this could work when we wrong a person in our regular lives. A simple sorry with no restitution or sorrow for the wrong doesn't mean much to the person who was wronged. And the wronged person knows the difference if the offending person is sincerely sorry for breaking the former's trust, or if they're just sorry that they got caught and weren't able to continue on in their wrong-doing. Love and sincerity are absent in the latter, and it causes a lot of pain. I know this from personal experience from just the last couple of weeks. Being the wronged person, I can tell you how much it hurts that the offender shows no true sorrow for the action, because it is an affront to me. And it shows no love or respect for me. I now have the tiniest glimpse of how our Father feels when we do not sincerely repent of the wrongs we've made against Him.

Gospel Message Day 179

Sacrifice, Part 6

I was going to move on to a new topic, but this morning I read the Relief Society Visiting Message and it put in mind what I was saying yesterday. I highlighted the passages that really stood out to me, the one in purple tying in to the current topic. And I love that one of my favorite stories during Christ's life on Earth is shared.

Patience is often thought of as a quiet, passive trait, but as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said, “Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something … even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”

In our premortal life, our Heavenly Father prepared a plan for us—His spirit children—and we shouted for joy at the opportunity to come to earth (see Job 38:7). As we choose to align our will with His during our earthly life, He “will make an instrument of [us] in [His] hands unto the salvation of many souls” (Alma 17:11).

President Uchtdorf continued, “Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being ‘willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father’ [Mosiah 3:19]. Ultimately, patience means being ‘firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord’ [1 Nephi 2:10] every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so.”¹

Additional Scriptures

Psalm 40:1; Galatians 5:22–23; 2 Peter 1:6; Alma 17:11

From the Scriptures

The scriptures tell us that in our earthly life, we should “be patient in afflictions, for [we shall] have many.” God then gives us this comforting promise, “Endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days” (D&C 24:8).

The following Bible story is an example of patience and faith.

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years … touched the border of [Christ’s] garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched [stopped].

“And Jesus said, … Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

“And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace” (Luke 8:43–48).

Like her, we can find blessings and comfort, and even healing, as we reach out to Jesus Christ—whose Atonement can heal us.

With Heavenly Father knowing best, and me trying to sacrifice my will as I work towards aligning it with His, it takes a lot of patience--"active waiting and enduring"--on my part. 

Gospel Message Day 178

Sacrifice, Part 5

When I think about it, my entire life--if I'm doing things right and for the right reason--is a sacrifice. I am human, and I know what I want. But often I do not know what I need, and especially what is best for me. I have spent my life learning to trust my Heavenly Father that He not only knows what is best for me, but will help it all to come about if I sacrifice my selfish, limited-vision of desires and wants.

True, sincere sacrifice on my part is aligning my will to His and being obedient to the commandments that have been given to me. And then truly Sacrifice will bring forth the Blessings of Heaven.

Gospel Message Day 177

Sacrifice, Part 4

My scripture reading today (Alma 34) fit perfectly with today's topic so I'm going to share those verses here:

1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began to teach them, saying:

 2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea, I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before your dissension from among us.

 3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should make known unto you what ye should do, because of your afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—

 4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness.

 5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ.

 6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.

 7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock; and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true.

 8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

 9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

 10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

 11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.

 12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.

 13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.

 14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

 16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

Amulek is one of my favorite of all scripture heroes--probably my scripture crush! I love Amulek's words, for they explain why Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice: He did it for each one of us.