Introduction
The journey of repentance is a personal and ongoing process that allows us to grow closer to the Lord. By learning from the experiences of Joseph Smith and other early Church leaders, we can understand the importance of seeking forgiveness, striving for change, and relying on the Lord’s mercy. As we embrace daily repentance, we open ourselves to the transformative power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, finding peace, happiness, and the strength to continue our upward progression.
A Slinky & Repentance
Several years ago, I attended a priest quorum lesson about repentance. One of the leaders taught a portion of the lesson and gave an analogy I haven’t forgotten. He took out a slinky and told the young men that repentance was like a slinky. He explained that when you hold the slinky upright, the coils make a perfect but gradual upward motion. Each time we repent, we’re gradually moving upward. He encouraged the young men to never stop repenting because it was the process required for making any upward progress.
Repentance is Hard
For many of us, repentance is scary. We must admit we did something wrong. And as part of that, we then must rely upon someone else (Christ) to make up the difference for our mistakes.
We should be striving to keep the commandments, but in our lost and fallen state, we will sin. When we do, the Lord wants us to exercise humility and seek repentance. This slinky story is a great example of the Lord’s mercy for those who are constantly seeking to change and be better.
Repentance & Church Leaders
As members of the Church, we should remember that everyone is seeking their own change, including Church leaders. Some members have a difficult time understanding the faults of those in leadership callings, and unfortunately, this can negatively impact their testimonies.
The Doctrine and Covenants has several examples of early Church leaders and members repenting or being called to repentance with a promise that mercy would be granted. The Lord told Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants chapter 3:
10 But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work.
This instruction comes after Joseph lost the manuscript pages to Martin Harris. This mistake seems rather critical considering the book had not been published, and since Joseph had been given warnings not to share the pages. The pain of his mistake was intense. Of the experience, Volume One of Saints states:
“His mother tried to comfort him. She said maybe the Lord would forgive him if he repented humbly. But Joseph was sobbing now, furious at himself for not obeying the Lord the first time. He could barely eat for the rest of the day. He stayed the night and left the next morning for Harmony. As Lucy watched him go, her heart was heavy. It seemed everything they had hoped for as a family—everything that had brought them joy over the last few years—had fled in a moment.” 1
Despite his grief and pain, Joseph’s mother was right, the Lord would forgive him. As Joseph sought counsel, the Lord’s instructions were clear—repent. The result of his repentance was mercy, and Joseph would be called back to the work.
Joseph Smith Was Not Perfect
The Prophet Joseph Smith is often criticized for his imperfections. Like the lost manuscript experience, some of his mistakes are documented in the Doctrine and Covenants and other publications. I can’t imagine how it must have felt to know many were watching and waiting for his failure. Speaking of Joseph Smith, Elder Oaks said:
“The Prophet Joseph had no role models from whom he could learn how to be a prophet and leader of the Lord’s people. He learned from heavenly messengers and from the harvest of his unique spiritual gifts. He had to rely on associates who had no role models either. They struggled and learned together, and the Prophet’s growth was extremely rapid.” 2
In his own history, Joseph states: “I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God.” (JSH 1:28)
It’s easy for us as members to judge Joseph or judge the Church by his actions. However, I fear that when we go down this path, we often miss the beauty of the doctrine—because of Christ’s mercy, man can be forgiven.
His Servants Need Forgiveness
Despite his imperfections, the Lord forgave Joseph Smith. Why? Despite his sins, Joseph was still the person most capable of doing that work, “And thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work.” (D&C 3:10)
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord calls many people to repentance but also reminds them that He will forgive and have mercy on them:
- Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. (D&C 58:42)
- There are those among you who have sinned; but verily I say, for this once, for mine own glory, and for the salvation of souls, I have forgiven you your sins. I will be merciful unto you. (D&C 64:3-4)
- Nevertheless, he {Joseph Smith} has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death. (D&C 64:7)
Emma Smith and Repentance
The Lord’s messages of repentance are always to the individual. While the Lord doesn’t look upon sin lightly, He can comfort us in these moments of repentance. Consider D&C 25:1-3, a revelation given to Emma Smith that helps show how the Lord feels about us as we strive for change:
1 Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.
2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.
3 Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.
This revelation comes shortly after Emma had been baptized in June of 1830. Of this revelation, President Hinckley states:
“It is interesting that in this revelation, when the Lord gave that great conditional promise to Emma, he went on to say, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady.’ I am so grateful for the gift of forgiveness extended by a merciful Father….To any within the sound of my voice who may be grieving over serious mistakes in their lives, I hold out the assurance, given anciently and in modern revelation, that where there is repentance there may be forgiveness. Do not dwell upon the tragic mistakes of the past. Rather, look to God and live.” 3
The Lord needed Emma to realize that she would be involved in the work of the restoration, but first, she needed to know that she was forgiven. We don’t know her sins and it doesn’t matter—what matters is the Lord was willing to forgive and still call her to the work. Emma, like other early Church leaders, was learning the true nature of repentance. As Elder Renlund says, “As we change, we will find that God indeed cares a lot more about who we are and about who we are becoming than about who we once were.” 4
Personal Repentance
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord states, “I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death.” (D&C 64:7)
During the religious movement when the gospel was restored, it was common for individuals to confess their sins in public church meetings (communal confessions). The way Joseph and others were learning to repent was different from what many of them knew—they needed to seek forgiveness in a personal way.
Consider when Joseph Smith received the visitation from Moroni providing instructions about the buried plates:
“I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.” (JS History 1:29)
Again, Joseph went to the Lord seeking forgiveness. It was through this personal repentance that Joseph once again participated in a miraculous spiritual experience. Clearly, the Lord was willing to forgive Joseph and allow him to participate in the work of salvation.
The Lord’s mercy towards man is amazing. Imperfect people are leading the work of salvation. Joseph Smith and other early leaders had their mistakes on full display. For some reason, many of us expected perfect beings were needed to fulfill the work of the Lord. We often forget that only one person was the perfect person to do the work. The rest of us are learning how to rely on Him for the work we need to do.
We Can Learn from Others
What can we learn from Joseph’s experiences? Repent.
- Seek to understand your standing before the Lord.
- With humility, seek forgiveness.
- Seek to understand the way to move forward.
- Ask for help in changing your behavior.
- Have faith that He will have mercy and help you.
Sister Julie B. Beck, who served as First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, said, “The easiest, quickest path to happiness and peace is to repent and change as soon as we can.” 5
If we want to serve the Lord, we need to repent often and quickly. President Russell M. Nelson has taught members the importance of daily repentance. He has stated:
“Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” 6
Summary
In his blog post, The Sacrament: An Ordinance for Repentance, Justin Baer wrote, “If we are truly going to change our hearts and minds, we must enter into a covenant relationship with God. This requires us to consider how God wants us to live and change our lives to comply with his commandments. Certainly, that requires a change of heart and mind.”
Our early Church leaders made mistakes. The opportunities to repent helped them explore their relationship with God and provided learning opportunities. Through repentance, they were able to understand the Lord’s mercy and find peace that comes through Christ’s atonement. And they were able to have a change of heart and mind.
We should all strive for obedience, but when we sin, I hope we remember the Lord is there ready to forgive and ready to help. Joseph Smith and other early leaders help us realize that hope is not lost because of sin. The Lord provides countless ways for us to help in His work when we repent quickly and often.
- Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1, Published by
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2018, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/saints-v1/05-all-is-lost?lang=eng ↩︎ - Dallin H. Oaks, “Joseph, the Man and the Prophet”, April 1996, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1996/04/joseph-the-man-and-the-prophet?lang=eng#p17 ↩︎
- President Gordon B. Hinckley, “If Thou Art Faithful”, November 1984, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/11/if-thou-art-faithful?lang=eng&id=p22-p24#p22 ↩︎
- Dale G. Renlund, “Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying”, April 2015, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/latter-day-saints-keep-on-trying?lang=eng ↩︎
- Julie B. Beck, “Remembering, Repenting, and Changing”, April 2007, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/04/remembering-repenting-and-changing?lang=eng#title1 ↩︎
- President Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better”, April 2019, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/04/36nelson?lang=eng#kicker1 ↩︎