Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy speaking in the Saturday afternoon session of April 2023 general conference said:
Repenting daily and coming unto Jesus Christ is the way to experience joy—joy beyond our imagination.
Throughout His mortal ministry, the Savior showed great compassion for all of God’s children—especially for those who were suffering or had fallen away. When criticized by the Pharisees for associating with and eating among sinners, Jesus responded by teaching three familiar parables.1 In each of these parables, He emphasized the importance of seeking out those who had strayed and the joy that is felt when they return. For example, in the parable of the lost sheep, He said, “[Great] joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”2
My desire today is to strengthen the connection between joy and repentance—more specifically, the joy that comes when we repent and the feelings of joy we experience as we invite others to come unto Christ and receive His atoning sacrifice in their lives.
We Are That We Might Have Joy
In the scriptures, the word joy typically means much more than passing moments of contentment or even feelings of happiness. Joy in this context is a godly attribute, found in its fulness when we return to dwell in the presence of God.3 It is more profound, elevating, enduring, and life-changing than any pleasure or comfort this world can offer.
We were created to have joy. It is our intended destiny as children of a loving Heavenly Father. He wants to share His joy with us. The prophet Lehi taught that God’s plan for each of us is that we “might have joy.”4 Because we live in a fallen world, enduring joy or everlasting joy often seems beyond our reach. Yet in the very next verse, Lehi continues by explaining that “the Messiah [came to] … redeem [us] from the fall.”5 Redemption, by and through the Savior Jesus Christ, makes joy possible.
The gospel message is a message of hope, of “good tidings of great joy,”6 and the means whereby all can experience peace and occasions of joy in this life and receive a fulness of joy in the life to come.7
The joy we speak of is a gift for the faithful, yet it comes with a price. Joy is not cheap or casually given. Rather, it is bought “with the precious blood of [Jesus] Christ.”8 If we really understood the value of true, godly joy, we would not hesitate to sacrifice any worldly possession or make any necessary life changes to receive it.
A powerful but humble king in the Book of Mormon understood this. “What shall I do,” he asked, “that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy … ? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.”9
In response to the king’s question, the missionary Aaron said, “If thou desirest this thing, … bow down before God … [and] repent of all thy sins.”10 Repentance is the pathway to joy11 because it is the pathway that leads to the Savior Jesus Christ.12 ~For Elder Christensen’s complete talk, click ‘Nothing So Exquisite’.
