Repentance

"To some degree, the natural man described by King Benjamin is alive and well in each of us. The natural man or woman is unrepentant, is carnal and sensual" David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, General Conference, April 2013

"Consider sin as a spiritual wound that causes guilt or, as described by Alma to his son Corianton, “remorse of conscience”. Guilt is to our spirit what pain is to our body—a warning of danger and a protection from additional damage. From the Atonement of the Savior flows the soothing salve that can heal our spiritual wounds and remove guilt." David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, General Conference, April 2013

"Please remember, however, that the extent and intensity of your repentance must match the nature and severity of your sins—especially for Latter-day Saints who are under sacred covenant. Serious spiritual wounds require sustained treatment and time to heal completely and fully." David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, General Conference, April 2013

"When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance.10 Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined." Quentin L. Cook, Can Ye Feel So Now?, General Conference, Oct. 2012

"C. S. Lewis, the striving, pragmatic Christian writer, poignantly framed the issue. He asserted that Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness; but until people know and feel they need forgiveness, Christianity does not speak to them. He stated, “When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor.”" Quentin L. Cook, Can Ye Feel So Now?, General Conference, Oct. 2012

"I want to assure you young people, as Alma taught, that through repentance you can qualify for all the blessings of heaven.20 That is what the Savior’s Atonement is all about." Quentin L. Cook, Can Ye Feel So Now?, General Conference, Oct. 2012

"Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others." Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, General Conference, April 2012

"But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate. Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We make exceptions when it comes to our own bitterness because we feel that, in our case, we have all the information we need to hold someone else in contempt.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that those who pass judgment on others are “inexcusable.” The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin." Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, General Conference, April 2012

"Without repentance, there is no real progress or improvement in life. Pretending there is no sin does not lessen its burden and pain. Suffering for sin does not by itself change anything for the better. Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life. And, of course, only through repentance do we gain access to the atoning grace of Jesus Christ and salvation. Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it." D. Todd Christofferson, The Divine Gift of Repentance, Oct. 2011

"If we do not invite others to change or if we do not demand repentance of ourselves, we fail in a fundamental duty we owe to one another and to ourselves. A permissive parent, an indulgent friend, a fearful Church leader are in reality more concerned about themselves than the welfare and happiness of those they could help. Yes, the call to repentance is at times regarded as intolerant or offensive and may even be resented, but guided by the Spirit, it is in reality an act of genuine caring." D. Todd Christofferson, The Divine Gift of Repentance, Oct. 2011

In the page on revelation I referred to two experiences with the spiritual revelation and detailed one. The other occurred while doing personal scripture study, and focusing on the principle of repentance in the Book of Mormon. As I read in Mosiah 5, I thought about the things for which I sought repentance, and in a moment I was overcome by a feeling of peace and happiness and knew that I had been forgiven. Learning more about the nature of repentance has enhanced my understanding of what I felt that day, and what I need to do as a result of it.