Forgiveness

Ch. 20 Repentance and Forgiveness in Family Life

There will be many times where we ourselves need to repent and ask for forgiveness as well as members in our family. Sometimes it may be for more serious reasons than others, but the principle is the same. Let me tell you about a time I felt the need to ask my little brother for forgiveness. I was about 18 years old at the time and my little brother was 16. One day we got into this argument over something super stupid. To be honest I can’t even remember what it was about. However, I do remember the hurtful comments and names that were being exchanged back and forth between the two of us. I remember feeling so angry… rage even! I remember feeling so mad I wanted not only to hurt him with my words (emotionally) I wanted to hurt him with my fist (physically.) Instead of getting physical I stormed off saying something along the lines of I hate you! I then got in my car and went for a drive. I was still fuming, but the more I drove the more that anger wore off and I was able to see the situation more clearly. I knew that I was in the wrong for saying those hurtful things and I did not like the way it made me feel physically and the way I felt towards my brother. I knew I needed to apologize and ask for his forgiveness. I went back home and walked right up to my brother and apologized. At first, he did not want to talk to me but as I continued to express my love for him and ask for his forgiveness the spirit entered the conversation and I felt an instant amount of love for my brother. All that anger was gone and I felt better and I could tell he felt better. Our relationship became so much stronger after that experience. I share this story because even though it was over something so small the power of repentance and forgiveness worked miracles in the relationship of my brother and I. Forgiveness is healing and I know that we need it for ourselves and for others. We are not perfect and will make mistakes and that is the beauty of the atonement.