Lesson Helps

Young Women Lesson 27: Forgiving Ourselves

Manual 3; Supplement from "Point of Safe Return" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Discussion Questions:

  • Why is it hard for people to forgive themselves? Why is it important to forgive ourselves?
  • What do you know about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that encourages you, after truly repenting, to forgive yourself? (See D&C 18:13.)
  • How does a better understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ help you forgive yourself?

Excerpt from "Point of Safe Return" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

Once we have truly repented, Christ will take away the burden of guilt for our sins. We can know for ourselves that we have been forgiven and made clean. The Holy Ghost will verify this to us; He is the Sanctifier. No other testimony of forgiveness can be greater.

The Lord said, “He that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven” (D&C 1:32; emphasis added). And He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Be faithful and diligent … and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love” (D&C 6:20).

And He declared, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).

Satan will try to make us believe that our sins are not forgiven because we can remember them. Satan is a liar; he tries to blur our vision and lead us away from the path of repentance and forgiveness. God did not promise that we would not remember our sins. Remembering will help us avoid making the same mistakes again. But if we stay true and faithful, the memory of our sins will be softened over time. This will be part of the needed healing and sanctification process. Alma testified that after he cried out to Jesus for mercy, he could still remember his sins, but the memory of his sins no longer distressed and tortured him, because he knew he had been forgiven (see Alma 36:17–19).

It is our responsibility to avoid anything that would bring back old sinful memories. When we continue to have a “broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 12:19), we may trust that God will “remember [our sins] no more.”

*To read the full talk, click here.

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