From D. Kelly Ogden’s book ‘8 Mighty Changes God Wants for You Before You Get to Heaven’. . . .
Though the consequences for not repenting are most unpleasant, even dire, the rewards for repenting are most appealing, even stunning. The gospel of Jesus Christ is occasionally referred to in the scriptures as the gospel of repentance (see Doctrine & Covenants 13:1; 138:57; Joseph Smith—History 1:69). The word gospel means “good news”; therefore it is the news of repentance. We sometimes look upon repentance as punishment, as a distasteful, negative thing. It does involve some pain, of course, but genuine repentance is a blessing—a happy, positive thing.
Repentance brings remission of sins, peace of conscience and joy (Mosiah 4:3). Two questions are often asked: (1) How can you know if you have been forgiven of your sins? King Benjamin’s answer, as indicated in the above passage is that you will have peace of conscience. By that peace and assurance of the Spirit you will know. (2) If the Lord says he will forgive and forget, why can’t I forget? If I sit down and think about it, why can I still conjure up the lurid details of my past sins? The Lord leaves the memory in your mind as an early warning system; it is protection against going back to the old ways, the old sins. Alma didn’t say He could remember his sins no more; he said he could remember his pain no more. He could remember his sins all right, but he was not harrowed up by the memory of those sins, because he had repented of them.
When you fully repent you are born again and become a new person (see Mosiah 27:24-29); you become a person who can know the mysteries of God, receive revelation, and bring souls to Christ (see Alma 26:22). The cloud of darkness that once overshadowed you is removed (see Helaman 5:41). You will continuously use the miracle of repentance, being relieved of the heavy burdens of sin, and eventually find yourself guiltless on your day of judgment (see 3 Nephi 27:16).
Whatever your past has been, your future is spotless; so tie yourself to your potential, not your past. One of the most beautiful truths of the plan of happiness is that the Lord forgives and forgets (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:42). He chooses what he will remember. When we forsake “Babylon,” God forgets we ever lived there.
Another question: What if you feel you have gone too far? That Heavenly Father would never allow you back? Isn’t that exactly what the prodigal son felt? “Father I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:18-19).
Truman G. Madsen taught: “If there are some of you who have been tricked into conviction that you have gone too far, that you have been weighed down with doubts, . . . that you have had the poison of sin that makes it impossible ever again to be what you could have been—then hear me. I bear testimony that you cannot sink farther than the light and sweeping and sweeping intelligence of Jesus Christ can reach. I bear testimony that as long as there is one spark of the will to repent and reach, He is there. He did not just descend to your condition; He descended below it.” 5 ~D. Kelly Ogden; 8 Mighty Changes God Wants for You Before You Get to Heaven (Deseret Book: Salt Lake City, 2004), 72-74
