The other day, I was reading something about a girl who had stopped going to church because she felt like she wasn’t “good” enough. The story went into detail about why she felt that way, she had made some mistakes and was working on repenting. But in the meantime, she felt like she didn’t belong at church because of her mistakes. This is never the case for anyone, no matter the sin.
Something I have learned from making mistakes is that the best thing to do is repent sincerely and immediately. One of my favorite passages of scriptures is Alma 41:12-15. This is where Alma explains why it’s so important to repent now, not procrastinating until it’s too late. It’s why we don’t believe in deathbed repentance: You really have no opportunity to prove that you honestly have changed your spiritual clothes. Someone once told me about these parties that her friends would have called “come as you are” parties. Basically, they would invite people minutes before the party started and people would just come in whatever they were wearing at that moment. People would show up in weird clothes like pajamas, dirty art smocks and cooking aprons, they would show up with bare feet and crazy hair. And nobody cared, they didn’t criticize each other, they just accepted them no matter what they were wearing. Everyone got to see the human side of people that they usually saw polished up and formally presented. This person went on to tell me that when she was wearing something dirty or ratty around the house, her mom would ask, “what if someone invited you to a come as you are party right now?” She would then go change her clothes immediately. When I listened to her story, I thought of how we should always repent immediately. Because we never know when our time is coming, not that we should always be scared to die or anything. But our final breath can come as surprisingly as a phone call. And we’ll be judged on what we were wearing, spiritually speaking, when we pass away. I know someone that has always told people that he does what he wants in the moment and that he’ll repent later. This is not what the atonement is for, it is not an excuse to commit sins and then say that you’ll repent later. Repentance is for getting better. It is okay to use it if you are being sincere, but if you intend to make the mistake, assuming that you can repent later, it defeats the purpose. It’s human nature to put things off, especially when the things you need to do are difficult or uncomfortable. Changing into our “Sunday best” means giving up grudges and bad habits that have become as comfortable as worn PJs. But do you really want that final phone call to come when you’re wearing a dirty oversized t-shirt, or when you’re clean and dressed in your best? When the time comes, there will be no last-minute scrambling to change into your best – it’s how you are right now that matters.
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I think the best part of life is experiencing hard things and then a little ways down the road, you look back on them. And it’s in those moments, you realize why Heavenly Father gave you that trial. Then when you really think about it, it makes sense why you needed to experience it. Maybe later, you’ll realize that you can help others because of it. Or maybe it was because in the future, having that knowledge of what it feels like to go through something like that can be used to encourage others. It could also help you have confidence that if you could do that, this is going to be breeze.
There have been so many times where I think that there is no way I would be able to do something. I can get really overwhelmed and I start to doubt myself. The best thing I have found most helpful in these situations is to take a step back and remind yourself that everything is going to be okay. Because there is nothing that Heavenly Father will give you that you can’t handle. We are never left alone to deal with our trials, we have our Savior who can succor us. Adversity can come from a number of things. You see, different kinds of adversity require different responses. For example, people who are stricken with illness may simply need to be patient and faithful. People who suffer because of others’ words or actions should work toward forgiving those who have offended them. If a person’s trials come because of disobedience, he or she should correct the behavior and humbly seek forgiveness. When you repent, the sin committed is no longer stopping you from becoming more like Christ. I think when we are experiencing something tough, we need to remember that it is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us. We may not see it at the time, but when Heavenly Father gives us trials, it is because He loves us and wants us to grow stronger. Its also important to remember that He has a bigger plan for us than we have for ourselves. And while His plan isn’t always the same as ours, it is always better. When I was a freshman, I this picture of what I wanted my life to be like and looking back at what I thought I wanted, I was so off. Even now, I don’t really know exactly what I want to be. But I do know that if I trust in my Heavenly Father, He’ll help me know what I am supposed to do. If you are feeling uncertain as to whether you can endure your trials, just know that Heavenly Father will always prepare a way for you to accomplish whatever is put in your way. Remember that you are never alone. Try to recognize and be grateful for the people that Heavenly Father puts in your life to teach you things that you need to know. |
My name is Ellie. I am a sophomore at BYU Idaho. I am excited to live life and to share a small piece of it with you!
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