Thursday, May 21, 2020

Anyone Can Repent

In our scripture study tonight, my family reviewed Mosiah 27, and one of the messages that stood out to me was that Alma the Younger, despite being one of "the very vilest of sinners" (Mosiah 28:4) was capable of repenting and being redeemed. He was "a very wicked and an idolatrous man" (Mosiah 27:8), yet he was, with help, able to turn his life around, 180 degrees.

This is comforting. If there was any hope for him, there is certainly hope for us.

Of course, Alma the Younger was visited by an angel, which certainly would have helped, but I believe that Alma's power to change came from within. Remember, Laman and Lemuel were rebuked by an angel as well, but they chose not to repent. Whether we're redeemed or not depends entirely on whether we repent or not, and the power to repent comes from within.

Elder Holland has taught that "Whoever you are and whatever you have done, you can be forgiven" (source) and that "It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines" (source). If the very vilest of sinners can repent, so can we.

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