The Power of Forgiving

After reading this lesson, it felt like an extension of the lesson we had on the first Sunday of this month. The Lord saw it important enough for us to follow up with this lesson. I pray that we will take heed and apply ourselves diligently to this principle.

1. We are to exercise the principle of mercy and forgive our brothers and sisters.
2. Forgiving restores unity of feeling.
3. By showing long-suffering, patience, and mercy to the repentant, we can help bring them into "the liberty of God's dear children."

Some of my favorite paragraphs:

“Ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy, and be ready to forgive our brother on the first intimations of repentance, and asking forgiveness; and should we even forgive our brother, or even our enemy, before he repent or ask forgiveness, our heavenly Father would be equally as merciful unto us.”

“Suppose that Jesus Christ and holy angels should object to us on frivolous things, what would become of us? We must be merciful to one another, and overlook small things.”

The Prophet Joseph Smith said the following at a meeting with his counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve: “I have sometimes spoken too harshly from the impulse of the moment, and inasmuch as I have wounded your feelings, brethren, I ask your forgiveness, for I love you and will hold you up with all my heart in all righteousness, before the Lord, and before all men; for be assured, brethren, I am willing to stem the torrent of all opposition, in storms and in tempests, in thunders and in lightnings, by sea and by land, in the wilderness or among false brethren, or mobs, or wherever God in His providence may call us. And I am determined that neither heights nor depths, principalities nor powers, things present or things to come, or any other creature, shall separate me from you [see Romans 8:38–39].

(For the full lesson, click here)