A Divine Gift

Whoever you are and whatever you have done, you can be forgiven. Every one of you young men (young women) can leave behind any transgression with which you may struggle. It is the miracle of forgiveness; it is the miracle of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you cannot do it without an active commitment to the gospel, and you cannot do it without repentance where it is needed.-Elder Holland


Elder Christofferson spoke on The Divine Gift of Repentance this last conference and several of his thoughts impressed me. I only felt love, hope, and motivation when he spoke of repentance.

"Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration."

"Repentance is an expansive subject, but today I would like to mention just five aspects of this fundamental gospel principle that I hope will be helpful.
First, the invitation to repent is an expression of love.
Second, repentance means striving to change...Real repentance, real change may require repeated attempts, but there is something refining and holy in such striving.
Third, repentance means not only abandoning sin but also committing to obedience.
Fourth, repentance requires a seriousness of purpose and a willingness to persevere, even through pain...“By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them” (D&C 58:43).
Fifth, whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness."

Such a good talk, so I will post the whole thing for you below. I was also talking to my Dad this week about repentance. When he served a mission before arriving in Indonesia he went to the LTM (Language Training Mission) in Hawaii. He taught me since many Polynesian or Tropical cultures have never seen snow it is harder to comprehend the scripture in Isaiah that says "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;" so they would change that to though your sins be as blood, they shall be as white as coconut. I love that analogy! Everyone can be saved through the Atonement. I know that everyone needs to repent, and everyone deserves forgiveness if they go through the process.

Managing time and technology

Usually when watching conference there is always one session I am distracted in or fall asleep. I try my best, but during the Saturday afternoon session I had a two year old distraction. Since then I have listened to the talks again and was impressed by Elder Ardern's talk called "A time to Prepare."

My favorite quote in his talk was "Electronic games and cyber acquaintances are no lasting substitute for real friends who can give an encouraging hug, who can pray for us and seek after our best interest." I have really needed "real friends" this year so this really hit home for me. Am I or you wasting to much time on facebook, playing games, or watching TV? How hard is it really to call a friend, drop by, or send a note to a friend or family member?

Love this too..."I know our greatest happiness comes as we tune in to the Lord (see Alma 37:37) and to those things which bring a lasting reward, rather than mindlessly tuning in to countless hours of status updates, Internet farming, and catapulting angry birds at concrete walls. I urge each of us to take those things which rob us of precious time and determine to be their master, rather than allowing them through their addictive nature to be the master of us."

How do I love thee?

It's hard being lonely, but...

Must be important!

As with every Conference I am anxious to listen to or watch the Priesthood session as soon as it is available. This month I am teaching a lesson in Relief Society on President Monson's Priesthood address from April titled "Priesthood Power." In studying for that and just listening to President Monson's recent talk from the Priesthood session this past weekend I saw so many similarities. That being said, what our Prophet is telling us must be important!

The main similarity that I noticed was him talking about societies morals and our responsibility to be better in the world. He said, "We have come to the earth in troubled times. The moral compass of the masses has gradually shifted to an “almost anything goes” position.

I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed much of the metamorphosis of society’s morals. Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider." I have been thinking about what I need to strengthen in my own life or what can help me withstand temptation. President Monson answers that point on by saying, "What will protect you from the sin and evil around you? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior and of His gospel will help see you through to safety. If you have not read the Book of Mormon, read it. I will not ask for a show of hands. If you do so prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. If it is true—and it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The Church is true. If you do not already have a testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. Once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through obedience to the commandments of God and through regular prayer and scripture study. Attend church. You young men, attend seminary or institute if such is available to you."Since the text is not available yet from this last weekend I encourage you to watch or listen to his message that the Lord wants us to hear. Study it and you will see the similarities and realize the importance of the words of our Prophet.