How important is repentance? As President Russell M. Nelson has pointed out, the Lord told Joseph Smith on more than one occasion to “say nothing but repentance unto this generation” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:9; 11:9; see also Doctrine and Covenants 19:21).¹ Nothing but repentance! That clearly illustrates just how important personal repentance is to the Lord and our own salvation.
“The doctrine of repentance is as old as the gospel itself,” President Nelson said. “Biblical teachings from the books of Genesis to Revelation teach repentance. … References to repentance are even more frequent in the Book of Mormon. … With the Restoration of the gospel, our Savior has again stressed this doctrine. The word ‘repent’ in any of its forms appears in 47 of the 138 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants!”²
Notes
1. Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” April 2019 general conference.
2. Russell M. Nelson, “Repentance and Conversion,” April 2007 general conference.