Can a person repent through personal communication with the Lord, or must he see his bishop?

Jerry Taylor, bishop, Provo 32nd Ward, Provo Utah Stake

This question actually contains two parts, and the answer to both parts is yes. In his book The Miracle of Forgiveness, President Spencer W. Kimball (then of the Quorum of the Twelve) wrote: “Many offenders in their shame and pride have satisfied their consciences, temporarily at least, with a few silent prayers to the Lord and rationalized that this was sufficient confession of their sins. ‘But I have confessed my sin to my Heavenly Father,’ they will insist, ‘and that is all that is necessary.’ This is not true where a major sin is involved. Then two sets of forgiveness are required to bring peace to the transgressor—one from the proper authorities of the Lord’s Church, and one from the Lord himself. This is brought out in the Lord’s clarification of Church administration as he gave it to Alma:

“‘Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also’ (Mosiah 26:29; italics added.)” (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, p. 179).

To understand the second half of the question, it would be helpful to know the purpose of confession. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants that the spirit is much like the body, only that the matter which constitutes the spirit is “more fine or pure” (D&C 131:7). If we suffer major trauma to the body we visit a doctor, and he will prescribe a course to make us whole again. The same holds true for an injury or insult to the spirit. In order for the spirit to heal properly, part of the therapy is confession.

Recently our seven-year-old son, Wade, had his appendix rupture. The infection had spread throughout his abdomen, yet from outward appearances nothing seemed seriously wrong. Without proper medical care and attention he would have surely died. Like a person who has a serious physical illness, the spirit cannot heal itself after a major transgression without confession. The spirituality of a person can only remain weak, somewhat hesitant in fulfilling its immortal purpose, and could even wane and die.

Perhaps a point can also be made that as we do not visit a doctor for every little scratch, also we should not confess every “minor” sin to the bishop. President Brigham Young counseled, “Do not tell about your nonsensical conduct that nobody knows of but yourselves” (in Journal of Discourses, 8:362). The key is that we must be able to honestly differentiate between major transgressions and “nonsensical conduct.”

In The Miracle of Forgiveness, President Kimball has given us clear guidelines to help us in this decision: “The transgressor must have a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit’ and be willing to humble himself and do all that is required. The confession of his major sins to a proper Church authority is one of those requirements made by the Lord. These sins include adultery, fornication, other sexual transgressions, and other sins of comparable seriousness” (p. 179).

If you are uncertain whether a personal transgression lies within this definition, you should discuss it with your bishop. He will give you wise counsel and keep confidences.

The very best time to talk to your bishop about a transgression is right now. Call and make an appointment to visit him in his office. He is always available to help and counsel ward members.

It is also the privilege of all young men and women in the Church to have a regular interview with their bishop. On these occasions he will make inquiries concerning worthiness. It is important that these questions be answered truthfully. There may be a strong temptation to lie about transgressions to avoid embarrassment, but President Kimball has issued a stern warning against such an action.

“Those who lie to Church leaders forget or ignore an important rule and truth the Lord has set down: that when he has called men to high places in his kingdom and has placed on them the mantle of authority, a lie to them is tantamount to a lie to the Lord; a half-truth to his officials is like a half-truth to the Lord; a rebellion against his servants is comparable with a rebellion against the Lord; and any infraction against the Brethren who hold the gospel keys is a thought or an act against the Lord. As he expressed it: ‘For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth my father.’ (D&C 84:36–37.)” (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 183).

The scriptures repeatedly underscore the importance of confession to the proper authority in cases of serious transgression.

“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

“By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them” (D&C 58:42–43).

“And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them [Alma] did number among the peoples of the church;

“And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out” (Mosiah 26:35–36).

“But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord” (D&C 59:12).

In chapter 13 of The Miracle of Forgiveness President Kimball explored this question in greater depth.

“Confession brings peace. How often have people departed from my office relieved and lighter of heart than for a long time! Their burdens were lighter, having been shared. They were free. The truth had made them free” (p. 187).