Your Sins are Forgiven You

In his recent talk in general conference, Elder Kyle S. McKay highlighted the times when Joseph Smith sought forgiveness from the Lord. The First Vision was one of those times: “What we now call the First Vision marked the beginning of the Restoration of all things in this last dispensation. But for Joseph, the experience was also personal and preparatory. All he wanted was forgiveness and direction. The Lord gave him both. The instruction to ‘join none of [the churches]’ was directive. The words ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee’ were redemptive.” We of course know that Joseph went to pray in order to obtain direction about which church to join, but we sometimes forget that he also went to seek forgiveness of his sins. In one of his accounts of the First Vision he described his feelings before going to pray: “I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and to obtain mercy.” Three years later he also sought forgiveness before he was visited by the angel Moroni. He described, “I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies” (JSH 1:29). Elder McKay commented, “On September 21, 1823, Joseph earnestly prayed for forgiveness, confident that because of his experience in the grove three years earlier, heaven would respond again. And it did.” And with both of these experiences, as Joseph sought forgiveness he both received it and direction for further things he was to do in his life to further God’s work on the earth. Surely that is a pattern for us: as we seek forgiveness of our sins we will find it, but we will also find direction from the Lord for more that we are to do in the work He has for us.

                Elder McKay highlighted another time that Joseph likely was seeking forgiveness of his sins. He continued, “Almost 13 years after that, Joseph and Oliver Cowdery knelt in solemn, silent prayer in the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple. We do not know what they prayed for, but their prayers likely included a plea for forgiveness, for, as they arose, the Savior appeared and declared, ‘Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me.’” The Lord may have also been responding to the dedicatory prayer uttered by Joseph one week before which included these words from the Prophet Joseph: “O Jehovah, have mercy upon this people, and as all men sin, forgive the transgressions of thy people, and let them be blotted out forever” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:34). Joseph once again showed that as we come to the Lord sincerely seeking forgiveness, we will find it. He also learned much about repentance and forgiveness from his experience with Martin Harris losing the 116 pages. The Lord said to him after that, “But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:10). He did repent, and the Lord was merciful, and he was able to continue his work to bring forth the Book of Mormon. Another revelation again highlighted that Joseph had sinned and that the Lord had forgiven him: “And the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom shall not be taken from my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., through the means I have appointed, while he liveth, inasmuch as he obeyeth mine ordinances. There are those who have sought occasion against him without cause; Nevertheless, he has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:5-7). The Lord acknowledged that Joseph had sinned but also that He, the Lord, forgives sins. Joseph Smith showed us that when we sin and sincerely repent, God will forgive us.

                Forgiveness of sins is a theme throughout the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Lord expressed forgiveness towards many individuals in these revelations. To Emma Smith He said, “Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:3). He declared to Edward Partridge, “Behold, I say unto you, my servant Edward, that you are blessed, and your sins are forgiven you, and you are called to preach my gospel as with the voice of a trump” (Doctrine and Covenants 36:1). To Lyman Sherman the Savior gave these words, “Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed” (Doctrine and Covenants 108:1). In another revelation the Lord forgave the members of the First Presidency, “Thus saith the Lord, verily, verily I say unto you my son [Joseph], thy sins are forgiven thee, according to thy petition…. And again, verily I say unto thy brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins are forgiven them also” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:1, 6). To Isaac Galland, Joseph recorded these words of the Savior, “I, the Lord, love him for the work he hath done, and will forgive all his sins; therefore, let him be remembered for an interest in that house from generation to generation” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:78). These and other examples highlight that the Lord that Joseph Smith revealed to us through his revelation is a God who loves to forgive sins and show mercy to those who repent and come unto Him.