Change

In the Disney Pixar movie Ratatouille, Remy (left) and his father get in a heated exchange.  Remy wants to be a gourmet chef in Paris, and his father is worried about the bigotry that rats receive from humans, especially in the kitchen.

During their exchange, Remy's father concludes to his son that humans disliking rats is part of nature, which is something you can't change.  Remy goes on to say:

"Change is nature, Dad."

In our day, the world is constantly changing.  I first became a missonary 21 months ago, and since that time there have been SO many changes!  The Giants won the World Series(!),

 

the 49ers got a new head coach,

 

iPads have come out,                              there's some sort  of internet  thing called 3G or 4G or something , and Taco Bell's 5 Layer Beefy Burrittos are no longer 89 cents. :(

All in all, while some of these changes may be exciting or neat or lame, the principle of change can be scary at times.  Even though I am still living in the United States, the world will be completely different from when I left San Francisco in November of 2009 to when I return in 3 months.

The Lord requires us to make changes in our lives, which is a process called repentance.  To repent is to change our will and to allign it with God's will.  It requires us to be humble, to be teachable and requires a lot of trust and courage.  It's not easy to make positive changes in our lives, but repentance is a positive experience that brings us so many blessings.  We feel God's love and the reality of Christ's Atoning power.  We feel more at peace.  Whatever guilt or sorrow we may possess are swept clean.  We know of a surety the Lord keeps his promises as given to the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 1:18-19):

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:"

So how do we begin the process of repentance?  I like to follow call this the ABCD's of repentance.  It includes:

• A: acknowledge the sin
• B: be sorry
• C: correct the wrong
• D: don't do it again

As we make these changes in our lives, we experience happiness!  Look at this video and look at how these individuals were able to make changes in their lives to bring them true happiness.

"Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. (Doctrine and Covenants 58:42)"