How do you know when your sins have been remitted and you have been forgiven? You will feel the Spirit of the Lord, you will feel joy, and you will have “peace of conscience” (the opposite of “remorse of conscience” mentioned in Alma 42:18). All of this comes about through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is the number one principle of his gospel. It is what makes all the repentance, forgiveness, healing, joy, and peace of conscience possible.
President Boyd K. Packer explained: “Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness… .
“That great morning of forgiveness may not come at once. Do not give up if at first you fail. Often the most difficult part of repentance is to forgive yourself. Discouragement is part of that test. Do not give up. That brilliant morning will come.
“Then ‘the peace of God, which passeth … understanding’ comes into your life once again [Philippians 4:7]. Then you, like Him, will remember your sins no more. How will you know? You will know!” 14