Trouble You Down Unto Repentance

K. Douglas Bassett

Enos 1:6; Alma 36:17-19; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; D&C 58:42; Morm. 2:13; Psycho-Cybernetics, Maltz, pp. 60-62, 112; Conference Report, Apr. 1973, pp. 177-178; Ensign, June 1992, pp. 30-31

“Alma desired that his son experience appropriate guilt—no more than was requisite, but surely no less than is needful to bring about change.” (Robert Millet, Studies in Scripture, ed. by K. Jackson, 8:51)
“Alma didn’t promise that Corianton would forget. He taught him how to live with his memories, productively, humbly, continually appreciative for the mercy and long-suffering and forgiveness of God. ‘You’ll remember your sins’ we can almost hear Alma saying. ‘You probably won’t ever forget. But remember in the right way for the right reasons.’” (Marion D. Hanks, Improvement Era, Mar. 1966, p. 246})
“Sometimes even after confession and penalties the most difficult part of repentance is to forgive oneself. President Joseph Fielding Smith, a man whom I love—great friend, told of a woman who had repented of immoral conduct and was struggling to find her way. She asked him what she should do now. In turn, he asked her to read to him from the Old Testament the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Lot and of Lot’s wife who was turned to a pillar of salt (see Gen. 19:26). Then he asked her what lesson did those verses hold for her. She answered, ‘The Lord will destroy those who are wicked.’ ‘Not so,’ President Smith told this repentant woman, ‘The lesson for you is ‘Don’t look back!’” (Boyd K. Packer, BYU Fireside, Mar. 29, 1992)
“At times the statement is made, ‘I never can forgive [this person or that person].’ Such an attitude is destructive to an individual’s well-being. It can canker the soul and ruin one’s life. In other instances, an individual can forgive another but cannot forgive himself. Such a situation is even more destructive. Early in my ministry as a member of the Council of the Twelve, I took to President Hugh B. Brown the experience of a fine person who … could not show mercy to himself. He could forgive others but not himself… . President Brown suggested that I visit with that individual and counsel him along these lines: … ‘Tell that man that he should not persist in remembering that which the Lord has said He is willing to forget’ (D&C 64:10). Such counsel will help to cleanse the soul and renew the spirit of any who applies it.” (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1995, pp. 59-60)

Latter-Day Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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