Truths That Helped Me Trust in the Savior’s Power to Change Me

By Kahealani Betham Scanlan

The author lives in Samoa.

Embracing His healing power can help us grow and change.

Do you ever feel like you’ve messed up too many times? Like there’s no point in starting over and trying again, because you’ll just keep making the same mistakes?

I remember one day when I was feeling hopeless and stuck. I was crying to my best friend about a weakness I have. A weakness I feel like I’ve always had.

It had been knocking me down, and honestly, I didn’t even want to try to get back up again. I’d been working toward receiving my endowment and serving a mission for a couple of years, but my struggle was holding me back. I didn’t feel like I was even worthy to keep trying to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That night, I just wanted to give up. But my friend’s love and support reminded me of a few experiences that keep my testimony strong and help me trust in the Savior’s power to change me.

Maybe they’ll help you too.

Repentance—the Key to Progress

I have to be honest—I haven’t always believed Jesus Christ’s promise that He can “make weak things become strong” (Ether 12:27). I’ve felt like I’ve messed up too many times and that His promise of forgiveness isn’t available to me.

But learning more about the gift of repentance has changed my approach to overcoming weakness. President Russell M. Nelson taught that “repenting is the key to progress.” Repentance isn’t something we do once we’ve fixed ourselves and are ready to move on from our struggles; it’s how we invite the Lord’s power into our lives.

I’ve often felt that Satan knows exactly how to discourage me. But as President Nelson also taught: “Please do not fear or delay repenting. Satan delights in your misery. Cut it short. … The Savior loves us always but especially when we repent.”

It’s taken a long time, but I’m finally learning to trust that the Savior wants me to repent. He wants me to return to live with Him and Heavenly Father.

Understanding the Pure Love of Christ

The Savior’s endless invitations to repent helped me look at other gospel principles in a new light—like charity. In the Church, we define charity as “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection; the pure love of Christ.” I’ve always believed in the importance of charity, but I don’t think I understood how to begin developing charity until I started understanding how the Savior’s offer to forgive my sins as often as I repent is an expression of His perfect love for me.

And when I started believing that the Savior would truly offer me endless opportunities to repent and come unto Him, I started to see the people around me differently. I realized that I could follow His example by practicing charity toward those who hurt me. I could extend forgiveness and understanding to those who unrighteously judged my imperfections.

Foundation for Change

These two principles—repentance and charity—have been the foundation of my efforts to allow Jesus Christ to change me. I’ve begun to see them as complementary and interlocking principles.

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught that “gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity.” This has been true for me as I have changed through repentance and have felt gratitude for God’s love and forgiveness. And now I want others to experience God’s love as I have.

So on days when I lose motivation and am tempted to skip church or to let the important things slide, I remember that maybe I can bolster someone else. Maybe I can be an example to those around me who are also struggling.

The love I feel for my Savior and the charity I feel for those around me keep me strong. It reminds me of the charity He has for me. I’m still working on overcoming my weaknesses, but I know that trusting in His healing power will help me continue to grow and become more like Him.