Bishopric message

A Divine Gift

In this season of Thanksgiving, we wish to express our deepest gratitude for your Christ-like love and examples. We feel especially blessed to have a unique view of your service and goodness. It is during this season that we invite all to embrace the divine gift of repentance as a token of our gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ. We testify that any effort to repent grants us critical access to the Savior’s infinite atonement, with all its healing and strengthening power.

Repentance is not a desperate act of recovery or response to failure—it is a proactive leap towards the Savior, Jesus Christ. President Nelson taught, “Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.” The greatest act of love in history was the Savior’s atonement in Gethsemane and on Golgotha. Thus, heartfelt repentance might be the ultimate offering of thanksgiving to our Redeemer!

President Nelson also taught: “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.”

As we enter this holiday season, we express our love for each of you. We thank you for the many ways in which you exemplify true discipleship. We bear witness of Jesus Christ, that He lives. We are grateful for and we testify of the joyful power of His divine gift of repentance!

With love,
the Bishopric