Never Too Late, Never Too Early

Many parts of Bishop W. Christopher Waddell's April 2019 talk, Just as He Did, reminded me of the famous quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's April 2012 talk, The Laborers in the Vineyard:

However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

Bishop Waddell repeatedly shared a similar sentiment, with the resemblance, in some places, being almost uncanny:

We must remember that it is never too late and no one has ever wandered so far from the path that he or she is beyond the reach of the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, which is limitless in its duration and scope.

However, Bishop Waddell added something that I feel is very important. He said that, "Just as it is never too late for the Savior, it is never too soon for us to extend [or, I might add, accept] an invitation." It's comforting that it's never too late to repent, but it's important to remember that it's also never too early. In fact, Amulek warned us not to "procrastinate the day of [our] repentance" (Alma 34:33). The success of our repentance can depend on how soon we begin the repentance process and how long we put it off. Besides, sin keeps us from enjoying many spiritual blessings. Sure, we might be able to earn those blessings later, but why wait? Why take the risk? We can secure some of those blessings now, and ensure that we'll receive all the others later, by repenting as soon as we realize that we need to. God will give us all the time we need to complete the repentance process, but it may be vital that we begin that process as soon as possible. It may never be to late to finish repenting, but it is also never too early to start.