Great Spiritual Experiences For the Sinners

The Lord's language about Martin Harris in several of the early revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants is pretty harsh.  Joseph was told, "Thou deliveredst up that which was sacred into the hands of a wicked man, who has set at naught the counsels of God, and has broken the most sacred promises which were made before God, and has depended upon his own judgment and boasted in his own wisdom" (D&C 3:12-13).  The Lord further explained, "The man in whom you have trusted has sought to destroy you. And for this cause I said that he is a wicked man, for he has sought to take away the things wherewith you have been entrusted; and he has also sought to destroy your gift" (D&C 10:6-7).  The Savior also described Martin in these words, "He exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me" (D&C 5:24).  Given that, it's amazing to me that the Lord still allowed him to be one of the three witnesses.  Despite being a "wicked man" and having broken his covenant that he made before the Lord, the Lord was still merciful and allowed him to repent: "If he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see" (D&C 5:24).  Martin eventually was allowed to see the plates at the hands of an angel, and he would testify with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery that he had heard the voice of the Lord and knew the record to be true.  I think this story contains a great lesson for us--even those have made serious mistakes can still hope for great spiritual experiences and mercy from the Lord if they will repent.  

              As I thought about the Lord's willingness to forgive Martin Harris and give him such an incredible experience despite his former mistakes, I realized that this is actually a theme that we see in the Book of Mormon.  Some of the greatest spiritual manifestations were given to those who at times were in serious sin or at least under condemnation from the Lord.  For example, Alma was one of the priest of Noah and part of the group described in these words: "They did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness....  They were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms" (Mosiah 11:2, 6).  But Alma chose to repent, and he became a powerful servant of the Lord, culminating in his experience at the end of his life when "the voice of the Lord came to him, saying: Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi" (Mosiah 26:14-15).  His son Alma was similarly rebellious in his youth, being "a very wicked and an idolatrous man... going about to destroy the church of God," and yet the Lord likewise gave him the opportunity to repent and even visited him by an angel (Mosiah 27:8,10).  Later in his life when he had spent many years preaching to the people the Lord's angel came to him again with words similar to that which his father had received from God: "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him" (Alma 8:15).  His companions the sons of Mosiah had a similar story--they were rebellious in their youth, causing much harm to the Saints of God, but they repented and had perhaps the most incredible missionary experiences recorded anywhere in scripture as they brought thousands to repentance.  Their spiritual experiences in their missionary labors were so great that Ammon would exclaim, "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name" (Alma 26:35).  The Brother of Jared was another who, though not guilty perhaps of serious sins like Alma and the sons of Mosiah, still had been called to repentance by the Lord for his "evil" he had committed: "And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.  And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done" (Ether 2:14-15).  Despite this failing he was given one of the greatest spiritual experiences ever recorded--so great that the record of it has been sealed up.  Moroni explained, "Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared" (Ether 4:4).  All of these stories highlight the fact that even those who have sinned and made significant mistakes can repent and hope for great spiritual experiences in the future.  We may think that if we have committed serious sins in the past that we cannot hope for anything but a mediocre spiritual life in the future, but the Lord is willing to reveal Himself to all who fully repent.  To even the "workers of iniquity" the Lord offers all the blessings of the gospel on conditions of repentance: "Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.  Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely" (Alma 5:32-34).