Repent FAST

So, it is almost 2 o'clock in the morning... I can't sleep. So, I started emailing my brother who is currently on a mission. As I shared some of the thoughts I was having this week, I figured I may as well share them with all of you.

Some of you may have noticed the title of this post - REPENT FAST.  Hopefully it is not the first time you have seen these words in one phrase together... considering they are an important bullet in the Bearrie Pact.  As a Bearrie, we have signed our names to always REPENT FAST.  I want to share a story of a man who I know for a FACT would have fit in well with the Bearries.  His name is J. Golden Kimball.

I don't know when my Dad told me this story... I was young... but I have always remembered it. It's kind of a goofy story, but it has left a real impression on me.

I will be honest, I had to look up his name... I only remembered the story. But anyways, turns out this guy is a pretty important dude. Wikipedia says that he is "legendary character among church members, possibly comparable to what Mark Twain is to the general American public." He was a member of the Quorum of the 70 for over 40 years... that is pretty impressive.

Anyways, the story that I remember went something like this:

J. Golden Kimball grew up on a farm and had a bad swearing habit. I guess some members were pretty critical of it. One conference he got up to the pulpit and said something like this, "I hear that there are a few of you out there that are concerned about my bad swearing habit. I want you all to rest assured. I know my standing with the Lord is good; I repent too damned fast for it to be anything other than good!"

I looked up the story and there are quite a few accounts of him communicating a similar point.  Another one was an answer of how he "gets away" with swearing like he does.  He said, "Hell, they can't excommunicate me; I repent too damned fast!"

The point is - we all make mistakes!  Whether we have a hard time swearing, or stealing, or just forget to read our scriptures a little too often - we all blow it!  And we all need to REPENT.  And the moral of the story here is - REPENT AND DO IT FAST.

I searched the scriptures for the words often and repent.  Only one scripture came up - Mosiah 26:30

 30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

God is willing to forgive us as often as we repent!  So why not repent often?!?!  If we make a point of repenting as quickly as possible, we can literally always be clean.

I know that the Atonement is real.  I know it works.  And boy am I glad that it works!  I, for one, will always repent fast.  No matter what.  And I hope that you will to.

Love you all.

Postscript - Here is a picture of the Bearrie Pact just for your reference... I know, it is kind of a bad copy.  Repent Fast is the last bullet on the list...