Behold, A Mighty Change: By Marci Robison

A friend and I were having a phone conversation one night. I noticed that my friend was being uncharacteristically quiet. I asked if there was something that was bothering him. He insisted that there wasn't; however, there continued to be lengthy periods of silence. I told him that if he needed to and when he was ready, he could tell me what was going on, then I continued to carry on the conversation, with pauses every so often, in case there was something that he wanted to say. At length, he decided that he wanted to tell me something that I could sense was of great importance to him. I did my best to be supportive, without being pushy. It ended up being sort of an emotional subject, so it took a while for him to get it out and at the end, both of us were in tears. He had experienced some things in his past that he had felt like he had betrayed my trust, even though neither of us knew each other during the time that it happened. He told me later that he had been scared that when he divulged that information to me that I would be upset with him and that I wouldn't ever want to associate with him again. He said that he was pleasantly surprised that I did not pass judgment on him for the things that he had done in the past. I told him that as long as he had made it right with the people that he had wronged, with the Lord, and with himself, that it did not matter what I thought. I somehow knew that he had experienced a change of heart and that he had no desire in his heart to ever want to repeat those experiences.

Ezra Taft Benson said that in order to become true members of the church, there are some things that we need to do. One of the things that he mentioned is that we need to experience a change of heart, through the process of repentance. To repent, means to change what you are doing. If one only makes this change mentally, then the results may not be to everyone's liking. However, when one makes a change of heart, one appears to be more determined and one accomplishes a lot more than if he only mentally makes that change. "When we have undergone this mighty change, which is brought about only through faith in Jesus Christ and through the operation of the Spirit upon us, it is as though we have become a new person. Thus, the change is likened to a new birth. Thousands of you have experienced this change. You have forsaken lives of sin, sometimes deep and offensive sin, and through applying the blood of Christ in your lives, have become clean. You have no more disposition to return to your old ways. You are in reality a new person. This is what is meant by a change of heart."

In Mosiah chapter 5 verse 2, which is also mentioned in President Benson's talk, it says "...the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." I interpret this to mean that we cannot fully undertake a change of heart without the Spirit of the Lord with us and without using the Atonement of Christ in our lives. The Atonement is an important step. In fact, it is probably the MOST important step. Without the Atonement, we cannot progress very much in this life, if at all. Without the Atonement, I do not know if there would be much purpose for this life. I strongly believe that we have been sent to this earth for a divine purpose and that in order to progress in this life, the Atonement is very essential.

The fifth chapter of Alma has several verses that include the phrase "change of heart" in one form or another. Things are often repeated so that we remember them. I think that this may be one of those times. Apparently having a change of heart is important enough to be mentioned in approximately five different verses in the same chapter of scripture. in verse seven, it says that they were in darkness and that they experienced a change of heart and that they were "... illuminated by the light of the everlasting word..." I think that a great metaphor for having a change of heart is a change from the blackest night to the brightest day. How much hope is there in that statement? There is light at the end of the tunnel!!! In verses twelve, thirteen and fourteen of the same chapter, it says the phrase "a mighty change" about three times. I feel that this gives an even greater emphasis on the word change to put mighty in front of it. It makes me think that you cannot "half-heartedly change" or try, fail, give-up. One needs a mighty change of heart in order for the full effect to take place. In the French language, the word change is changement. This word may also translate to modify and switch. When one has a change of heart, one is switching or modifying one's behavior.

I know that even though we are not perfect, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all be made perfect in Him. I know that Christ suffered for our sins and our pains. I know that because Jesus suffered for all of us that we are able to repent and return to live again with our Father in Heaven. I know that I am a child of a Heavenly Father who knows and who loves me. I know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and He desires all of us to come unto Him. I know that my family can be together for eternity through faith and obedience of the covenants that we have made. I know that repentance is always a possibility and that Satan wants to make us think that when we make mistakes, that they are unforgivable and that there is no reason for us to change. I know that my Father in Heaven will love me despite the things that I do wrong. Even though He loves me, I also know that He desires that I continue to strive to keep his commandments and to repent so that I may progress in this life to try to be more like Him. Again, I know that I am a child of God, that we are all children of God and we all have divine potential to become as He is. Perhaps it is not attainable in this life, but I look forward to it in the world to come.




Sources:

Ezra Taft Benson, "A Mighty Change," Ensign, Oct 1989, 2

Alma 5:7
Alma 5:12
Alma 5:13
Alma 5:14
Mosiah 5:2

Picture:

http://cardiophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/heart-in-hands.jpg