“Repentance,” Doctrinal Study (2022)
“Repentance,” Doctrinal Study
Repentance
Growing and improving through Jesus Christ
Heavenly Father loves us. He wants us to return to Him and receive the blessings of eternal life. We’re not ready for that yet because our sins separate us from God. They keep us from becoming like Him. But there is hope. Because Father in Heaven loves us so much, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly took upon Himself our sins. This great gift is called the Atonement of Christ. Because of this gift, we can be forgiven of our sins and continue to learn and grow. We receive this blessing through repentance.
If you’d like to study repentance more deeply, consider the suggestions below.
“How is it done?”
In the Book of Mormon, Enos described “the wrestle [he had] before God” as he sought forgiveness of his sins. When at last his “guilt was swept away,” he asked something that perhaps you have wondered: “Lord, how is it done?” Read about his experience in Enos 1. What did Enos learn? What do you think about the way he described his repentance?
Of course, the only way to fully understand repentance is to experience it. As you repent and feel the peace and joy of forgiveness, consider writing about your experience. You may even feel inspired to share it with a family member or friend.
Think about
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Notice the words and phrases that describe repentance in Mormon 9:5–6. What do these words and phrases suggest to you about repentance and forgiveness of sin?
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Explore what the Savior has said about His atoning sacrifice for us in 3 Nephi 9:13–14 and Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19.
Learning about Repentance
The prophet Isaiah wrote of vivid colors to teach about repentance. Maybe you could read Isaiah 1:18 while your family is working together to clean something—like clothing or dishes. What makes it possible for these things to become clean? What makes it possible for us to become clean spiritually—or cleansed from our sins? (see 3 Nephi 27:19–20).
You might also compare how it feels to be cleansed physically with how it feels to be forgiven of our sins.
If you want to learn more
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President Dallin H. Oaks, “Cleansed by Repentance” 1
Repentance means change—and it’s for everyone
The scriptures give many examples of people who, through the power of Jesus Christ, repented and became righteous. The Apostle Paul, many of the Lamanites, and Alma the Younger all experienced a dramatic, miraculous change. Along with these exceptional examples, the scriptures also clearly teach that repentance is for each one of us as well.
Think about
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Consider studying the examples of repentance in Acts 22:3–21; Alma 24:6–19; and Alma 36. In your opinion, why is it valuable to read these experiences? You might think about and record what you learn.
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Think about changes that you feel inspired to make in your own life. How can you improve and grow? You might study James 4:17; Mosiah 4:29–30; Alma 5:26; and President Russell M. Nelson’s message “We Can Do Better and Be Better.” 2
Becoming New through Jesus
The world is full of examples of impressive change—a tiny seed that becomes a large tree, a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly. Maybe you could examine some of these examples and read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What are some ways that we can “become new” through Jesus Christ?
Children might enjoy learning about examples of repentance from Book of Mormon Stories such as “Alma the Younger Repents” and “The People of Ammon.” How did the Savior help them change? You could also make a list of some of the attributes of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (the hymn “More Holiness Give Me” lists several).
In what ways can we change to become more like Them? How do They help us?
If you want to learn more
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Romans 3:23; 1 Nephi 10:6; Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:14; Moses 6:57
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Elder Larry R. Lawrence, “What Lack I Yet?” 3
Repentance is joyful
Because change can be hard, sometimes we might feel afraid of repentance. We might mistakenly see it as a punishment to avoid. Or maybe we think it’s something sad or that we aren’t worth being forgiven. But Heavenly Father’s plan is a plan of happiness. Through repentance, we can become more loving, patient, humble, and joyful. It’s sin that brings misery—repentance is the way we escape that misery.
Think about
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Here are some scriptures that teach how joyful repentance and forgiveness can be. Think about these scriptures, and then record your feelings. Whenever you need encouragement, you could review these scriptures and the feelings you recorded: Alma 36:18–21; Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–16.
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You might also study Elder Dale G. Renlund’s message “Repentance: A Joyful Choice” 4 or watch the video. What do you think makes repentance and forgiveness joyful?
Growing through Repentance
Here are two videos your family might watch to learn about the joy of repentance: “The Shiny Bicycle” and “The Goal: A Story of Faith, Friendship, and Forgiveness.” As you watch either or both videos, family members could look for (1) things that made the person in the video sad and (2) things that made the person happy. You could do something similar with the parables in Luke 15.
If someone in your family has ever recovered from a sickness or injury, maybe you could compare that experience to repentance. Read 3 Nephi 19:13–14 and talk about the joy we feel when the Savior heals us spiritually as we repent. What might we say to help someone who feels afraid to repent?
If you want to learn more
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Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Divine Gift of Repentance” 5