Repentance isn't scary!

As a child I always that repentance was something scary and should make me feel bad. That is so not the case! Sin is scary and makes us feel bad, repentance makes us feel better!

I am walking, living proof that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. That it works. I am eternally grateful for Him and His sacrifice.

My favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon is Moroni 6:8. It says, "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness with real intent, they were forgiven." I love this scripture because I am CONSTANTLY messing up. But I don't mean to! Jesus Christ understands that. And as long as we are TRULY trying to become better and not sin anymore, we will be forgiven no matter what.

I was reflecting on my life and some of the major mistakes I have made. I realized that I had a lot of regrets. I knelt and prayed because they were weighing on me and I didn't realize they were. As I was praying to God, a thought entered my mind, that as long as I learned and am trying to be better, then they cannot be regrets. In fact quite the opposite. They are GOOD learning opportunities. I pondered that thought a lot and came up with a quote, it is:

"Regrets are made into good learning experiences, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." 

-Christine Eastwood

I don't know if you like it, but I do! Through Jesus Christ we are able to gain ultimate happiness through EVERYTHING. Please go to Him in your hard times, don't turn away. Another cheesy quote by me:

"When you look back, don't be ashamed. That person in the past made you who you are today. "

-Christine Eastwood

If I could teach only one thing for the rest of my life to others, I would tell them about Jesus Christ and his Atoning sacrifice. It is the way to have ultimate happiness now and in the eternities. It is the way that we are able to live with God again. It is the way that we can have our burdens taken from us. It is the way we can be forgiven. It is the way that we gain strength.

So I want to relate a little story of what happened today to repentance.

Today I totally biffed it hardcore on my bicycle. I landed on my knee, and rolled, scraping up my knee really bad, my hands, elbows and legs as well. I got back up and we finished our ride to the Library. We went to the bathroom so I could clean up. Well let me tell you, It HURT! Here is a picture collage of the whole experience!

It really doesn't look too bad in the picture... Well now I feel like a pansy, but still! I am going to post this...

Anyways, me failing to ride a bike can be related to repentance. :)

So I was hurt and everything right? So we are in the bathroom and I assess the situation. I'm not bleeding to death, so I run my leg under water to wash it. Well Daddy always taught me to be prepared, so I had an alcohol wipe, neosporin and band-aids with me! So after I rinsed off my knee, I cleaned it with the alcohol wipe. After that I put the neosporin on it to keep it from getting any worse and to help it heal. Then I placed band-aids over it. (Yes I used a lot of band-aids because they make everything feel better, just ask a 3 year old.)

We are going to fall, sin and mess up constantly, but because of Jesus Christ, we are able to lifted and cleaned up and healed. We are not promised instant cures. We have slower healing processes because we can learn better that way. We will remember the lessons we learned from them more. As I was prepared with simple band-aids and neosporin, Jesus Christ had prepared for us the ability to be forgiven and lifted.

I want to just bear a simple testimony that because Jesus lives, we don't have to scared of the unknown. He is our healer. He is there for us when we need him. He will never abandon us. Jesus is the way. He is truly our Savior.