Watch below video to get all of my commentary on this lesson.
Full slideshow presentation I used for my lesson.
Lesson: We Can Do Better and Be Better By President Russell M. Nelson
Watch the video above to hear all my commentary and additional insights.
Make your focus on daily repentance so integral to your life that you can exercise the priesthood with greater power than ever before.
We are going to talk more about this later, but I just wanted to quickly have you ponder this question to yourself for a minute. What does this mean for you?
Recently I have found myself drawn to the Lord’s instruction given through the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Say nothing but repentance unto this generation.” This declaration is often repeated throughout scripture. It prompts an obvious question: “Does everyone need to repent?” The answer is yes.
I don’t know about you, but I was really hoping for some deep doctrine and when he said that, I felt a little let down, I guess. But, I quickly repented though, and throughout his talk and my preparations for this lesson have been shown how deep the doctrine of repentance really is and yet how simple at the same time.
Joseph Smith said, “What is the object of our coming into existence then dying and falling away to be here no more? This is a subject we ought to study more than any other, which we ought to study day and night… If we have any claim on our heavenly father for any thing it is for knowledge on this important subject (Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph).”
This quote kept coming to my mind over and over again throughout this week as I was preparing this lesson. It caused me to really dig deep into repentance, knowing that it was so important and also knowing that I had claim on this knowledge.
Alma 29:1-2
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
Here we have the great prophet Alma, who was translated and never tasted of death, wishing he was an angel and could “go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the e arth, and” to cry what…. “repentance unto every people!” There is a powerful connection between repentance and the plan of salvation and coming unto God. Also, think about that last line, “that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.” Remember that Alma spent 3 days and 3 nights being “tormented with the pains of hell” because of his sins. Do you think he knows just a little bit about sorrow?” Alma 36:13
Let’s take a quick look at what the Savior told Joseph Smith about sorrow and repentance.
Doctrine and Covenants 19:15-18
15 Therefore I command you to repent–repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore–how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit–and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink
No one wants to suffer what Christ suffered for us, so repentance helps us avoid great amounts of pain and sorrow, which should be enough for us to repent, but there is still more to repentance.
Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.
So, repentance is more than just avoiding the wrath of God, it helps us to look unto Christ, just like Alma taught us earlier. I was also drawn to this next concept over and over again. I didn’t see the connection at first and kept skipping over it, but the Lord kept putting it in front of me until I got it.
To set the stage, remember the second Article of Faith that states that faith is the first and repentance is the second principle of the Gospel.
David A Bednar teaches us in his talk, Seek Learning by Faith:
These teachings highlight three basic elements of faith: (1) faith as the assurance of things hoped for that are true, (2) faith as the evidence of things not seen, and (3) faith as the principle of action in all intelligent beings…
Faith in Christ is inextricably tied to and results in hope in Christ for our redemption and exaltation. And assurance and hope make it possible for us to walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness—expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way (see Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord, ” Ensign, Jan. 1983, 54). The combination of assurance and hope initiates action in the present.
Faith as the evidence of things not seen looks to the past and confirms our trust in God and our confidence in the truthfulness of things not seen. We stepped into the darkness with assurance and hope, and we received evidence and confirmation as the light in fact moved and provided the illumination we needed. The witness we obtained after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6) is evidence that enlarges and strengthens our assurance.
Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process. This helix is like a coil, and as it spirals upward it expands and grows wider. These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward. And the faith that fuels this ongoing process develops and evolves and changes. As we again turn and face forward toward an uncertain future, assurance leads to action and produces evidence, which further increases assurance. Our confidence waxes stronger, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little… (Seek Learning by Faith, February 3, 2006)”
So, there it is. Repentance is a powerful form of action that witnesses and testifies of your faith in Christ, that is inextricably tied to and results in your hope in Christ for your redemption and exaltation.
Just like the atonement that has two sides of the coin, the one is the forgiveness of our sins and the other is it’s enabling power to change and lift us to exaltation and eternal life. Repentance too has two sides of the coin, the first is the actual repentance of your sins and the other side, is that it witnesses to the Father of your faith and hope in Christ as the author and finisher of our faith.
The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means “change.” The suffix –noeo is related to Greek words that mean “mind,” “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.”
Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to “repent,” He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies.
Remember too that this repentance/change is a witness of your faith and your hope in Christ, which brings on a whole new meaning of change.
Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
How can we make repentance a regular, daily focus in our lives? How can we teach our children to do this in their daily lives?
When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him. When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!
Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God. Our repentance—our purity—will empower us to help in the gathering of Israel.
The Lord taught the Prophet Joseph Smith “that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.”
We know what will give us greater access to the powers of heaven. We also know what will hinder our progress—what we need to stop doing to increase our access to the powers of heaven. Brethren, prayerfully seek to understand what stands in the way of your repentance. Identify what stops you from repenting. And then, change! Repent! All of us can do better and be better than ever before.
Take a few minutes and answer these two questions.
- What stands in the way of your repentance?
- What is one thing you WILL DO TODAY to eliminate what stands in your way?
Read Spencer W Kimball quote while they write. Spencer W Kimball said,
“Why will only a few reach exaltation in the celestial kingdom? Not because it was not available to them, not because they did not know of its availability, not because the testimony was not given to them, but because they would not put forth the effort to pattern their lives and make them like the Savior’s life and establish them so well that there would be no deviation until the end.
Take a few minutes and answer these two questions.
- What stands in the way of your repentance?
- What is one thing you WILL DO TODAY to eliminate what stands in your way?
How we treat our bodies
There are specific ways in which we can likely improve. One is in the way we treat our bodies. I stand in awe of the miracle of the human body. It is a magnificent creation, essential to our gradual ascent toward our ultimate divine potential. We cannot progress without it. In giving us the gift of a body, God has allowed us to take a vital step toward becoming more like Him.
Satan understands this. He chafes at the fact that his premortal apostasy permanently disqualifies him from this privilege, leaving him in a constant state of jealousy and resentment. Thus many, if not most, of the temptations he puts in our path cause us to abuse our bodies or the bodies of others. Be cause Satan is miserable without a body, he wants us to be miserable because of ours.
Joseph Smith said, “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body… All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not.”
Your body is your personal temple, created to house your eternal spirit. Your care of that temple is important. Now, I ask you, brethren, are you more interested in dressing and grooming your body to appeal to the world than to please God? Your answer to this question sends a direct message to Him about your feelings regarding His transcendent gift to you. In this reverence for our bodies, brethren, I think we can do better and be better.
How we honor the women in our lives
Another way we can also do better and be better is how we honor the women in our lives, beginning with our wives and daughters, our mothers and sisters.
Brethren, your first and foremost duty as a bearer of the priesthood is to love and care for your wife. Become one with her. Be her partner. Make it easy for her to want to be yours. No other interest in life should take priority over building an eternal relationship with her.
What are some ways we can make it easier for our wives to want to be our partners?
Take an inventory of how you spend your time and where you devote your energy. That will tell you where your heart is. Pray to have your heart attuned to your wife’s heart. Seek to bring her joy. Seek her counsel, and listen. Her input will improve your output.
Never be the reason that a woman is unable to receive her temple blessings.
The forces of evil have never raged more forcefully than they do today. As servants of the Lord, we cannot be asleep while this battle rages.
My dear brethren, you were chosen by our Father to come to earth at this crucial time because of your premortal spiritual valor. You are among the finest, most valiant men who have ever come to the earth. Satan knows who you are and who you were premortally, and he understands the work that must be done before the Savior returns. And after millennia of practicing his cunning arts, the adversary is experienced and incorrigible.
Gratefully, the priesthood we hold is far stronger than are the wiles of the adversary. I plead with you to be the men and young men the Lord needs you to be. Make your focus on daily repentance so integral to your life that you can exercise the priesthood with greater power than ever before. This is the only way you will keep yourself and your family spiritually safe in the challenging days ahead.
The Lord needs selfless men who put the welfare of others ahead of their own. He needs men who intentionally work to hear the voice of the Spirit with clarity. He needs men of the covenant who keep their covenants with integrity. He needs men who are determined to keep themselves sexually pure— worthy men who can be called upon at a moment’s notice to give blessings with pure hearts, clean minds, and willing hands. The Lord needs men eager to repent—men with a zeal to serve and be part of the Lord’s battalion of worthy priesthood bearers.
I bless you to become those men. I bless you with the courage to repent daily and learn how to exercise full priesthood power. I bless you to communicate the love of the Savior to your wife and children and to
all who know you. I bless you to do better and be better. And I bless you that as you make these efforts, you will experience miracles in your life.
Craig
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