"Repentance means turning the heart and the will to God. It denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. It is a cleansing process. It is the way back."

—Elaine L. Jack (Ensign, November 1989, p. 88)

Gems for Youth

If Necessary, Can I Be Clean Again?

"Through the infinite Atonement, God has provided a means whereby we can both overcome our sins and become completely clean again. This is made possible by the eternal law of mercy. Mercy satisfies the claims of justice through our repentance and the power of the Atonement. Without the power of the Atonement and our complete repentance, we are subject to the law of justice."

(Earl C. Tingey, "The Great Plan of Happiness," Ensign, May 2006, 72)

"When a person has gone through the process that results in what the scriptures call a broken heart and a contrite spirit, the Savior does more than cleanse that person from sin, He also give him or her new strength. That strengthening is essential for us to realize the purpose of the cleansing which is to return to our Heavenly Father. To be admitted to his presence, we must be more than clean. We must also be changed from a morally weak person who has sinned into a strong person with the spiritual stature to dwell in the presence of God. We must, as the scriptures says, '(become) a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord' (Mosiah 3:19) This is what the scripture means in its explanation that a person who has repented of his sins will 'forsake them.' (D&C 58:43.) Forsaking sins is more than resolving not to repeat them. Forsaking involves a fundamental change in the individual."

-Dallin H. Oaks

Gems for Youth

Repentance

"I will speak briefly of the principle of repentance. How grateful I am for the understanding we have of this great principle. It is not a harsh principle, as I thought when I was a boy. It is kind and merciful."

(Richard G. Hinckley, "Repentance, a Blessing of Membership," Ensign, May 2006,49)

Gems for Youth

Clean Again

"Through the infinite Atonement, God has provided a means whereby we can both overcome our sins and become completely clean again. This is made possible by the eternal law of mercy. Mercy satisfies the claims of justice through our repentance and the power of the Atonement. Without the power of the Atonement and our complete repentance, we are subject to the law of justice."

(Earl C. Tingey, "The Great Plan of Happiness," Ensign, May 2006, 72)