4.13.2009

pgs. 198 and 199...yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. And ye shall also forgive one another.

25 And it shall come to pass that when the asecond trump shall sound then shall they that never bknew me come forth and shall stand before me.
26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.
27 And then I will confess unto them that I never aknew them; and they shall bdepart into ceverlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
28 Therefore I say unto you, that he that will not ahear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him I will not receive at the last day.
29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye ajudge baccording to the sins which he has committed; and if he cconfess his sins before thee and me, and drepenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye eforgive, and I will forgive him also.
30 Yea, and aas often as my people brepent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.
31 And ye shall also aforgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his bneighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.
32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will anot repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward.
33 And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words he awrote them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God.
34 And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the aword of the Lord.
35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did aconfess them, them he did number among the people of the church;
36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were ablotted out.
37 And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.
38 And now all these things did Alma and his afellow laborers do who were over the church, bwalking in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God.
39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also aadmonished, every one by the word of God, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to bpray without ceasing, and to give cthanks in all things.
THE BOOK OF MOSIAH
CHAPTER 27
Mosiah forbids persecution and enjoins equality—Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the Church—An angel appears and commands them to cease their evil course—Alma is struck dumb—All mankind must be born again to gain salvation—Alma and the sons of Mosiah declare glad tidings. Probably between 100 and 92 B.C.
1 And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah aconsulted with his priests.
2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever apersecute any of those who belonged to the church of God.
3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no apersecutions among them, that there should be an bequality among all men;
4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their apeace; that every man should besteem his cneighbor as himself, dlaboring with their own hands for their support.
5 Yea, and all their priests and teachers ashould blabor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the cgrace of God.
6 And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad upon the face of the earth, yea, on the north and on the south, on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages in all quarters of the land.
7 And the Lord did avisit them and bprosper them, and they became a large and wealthy people.
8 Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the aunbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an bidolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much cflattery to the people; therefore he dled many of the people to do after the manner of his einiquities.
9 And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; astealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his bpower over them.
10 And now it came to pass that while he was going about to adestroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king—

The promise that the Lord will forgive us as often as we repent is so powerful. It is humbling and uplifting to know that He cares for all of us in that way. It helps us to realize our worth and importance to Him. We are so blessed to have the knowledge of this truth!