1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:18,540 Well, hello everybody and welcome to Redeemed Through His Blood. 2 00:00:18,540 --> 00:00:23,060 In this podcast we discuss hope, healing and redemption through the Atonement of Jesus 3 00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:24,060 Christ. 4 00:00:24,060 --> 00:00:25,060 I'm Scott Durfey. 5 00:00:25,060 --> 00:00:30,080 It's my pleasure to introduce my partner in this project and our teacher, Brother David 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:31,080 Durfey. 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:32,080 Say hi Dave. 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:33,580 Oh, it's so great to be here Scott. 9 00:00:33,580 --> 00:00:38,880 I always look forward to being with you and sharing these things with others. 10 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:39,880 So thank you. 11 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:40,880 Yeah, it's good. 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:42,360 We look forward to today. 13 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,800 We've got some great stuff. 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,200 I'm really excited to talk about the things that we'll be talking about today. 15 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,940 Just a reminder, each of these podcasts sort of build one from the next. 16 00:00:52,940 --> 00:00:58,880 And so to get the complete experience, which we'd encourage you to do, go back to episode 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:00:59,880 one. 18 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,320 In episode one, we talked about Holy Week. 19 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,000 We actually released that right around Easter. 20 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:10,640 In fact, it was Easter weekend where we released that and we talked about the life of the Savior 21 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:11,640 during that week. 22 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:17,960 And then from there, we start in a progressive way. 23 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,560 We start moving towards these great and wonderful things that we've been talking about. 24 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,720 So again, to have the complete experience, we'd encourage you to go back to those early 25 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,400 episodes if you haven't already done so. 26 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:35,280 We also know that there's been a lot of occasion because I've seen this in emails that we've 27 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,840 received and people that we've talked to that people are going back multiple times and listening 28 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:40,840 to the same podcast. 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:46,840 Dave, I know I've done that just to glean from your wisdom and to take notes better. 30 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,360 And anyway, we'd encourage you to continue to do that too. 31 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,640 So we want to thank you for your emails. 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:58,440 We've received several emails this week, wonderful, wonderful emails, comments and anecdotes 33 00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:59,440 and experiences. 34 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,760 And we're just grateful for that. 35 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:07,920 Also, if you do have recommendations or suggestions for us, we're still new at this too. 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:13,360 We're just a couple of guys sharing our witness of the truthfulness of things that are important 37 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:14,360 to us. 38 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:19,280 We're not professional podcasters, but we do want to make this as a good of experience 39 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:20,960 for you as we possibly can. 40 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,120 And so we try to up our professionalism as much as we possibly can when we can and much 41 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:26,840 of that comes from your suggestions. 42 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,040 We encourage you to continue in that vein. 43 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:38,440 Our email where you can reach us for those types of things is, he redeemsusatgmail.com. 44 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,520 He redeemsusatgmail.com. 45 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,440 So encourage you to send those emails. 46 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,200 We appreciate it very much. 47 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:53,280 We get excited to hear from you, to be encouraged by you, to receive suggestions from you, to 48 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,080 receive questions from you that we try to integrate in our discussion. 49 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:02,600 And again, we'll be probably filling complete podcasts in the future with some of those 50 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:03,600 questions. 51 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:04,600 So keep those coming. 52 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,000 We appreciate it very much. 53 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:11,800 So Dave, last week, if you'll remember, we extended an invitation. 54 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:18,360 We extended an invitation to our listeners, and do you remember what that invitation was? 55 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:27,680 Well, we reminded everybody that it was an invitation to overcome their fears, to be 56 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:28,920 more sensitized. 57 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:32,000 I want to remind everybody of that invitation. 58 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:39,520 And then in regards to the last week's specific lesson, it was to just try to have a different 59 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,720 perspective, try to think of repentance a little differently. 60 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:51,400 And instead of thinking about it as far as changing yourself, try to see repentance as 61 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,320 being changed. 62 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:59,120 Approach our daily repentance, our repentance to prepare to partake of the sacrament on 63 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:10,200 Sunday as casting our sins upon the altar, giving them to Christ and allowing Him and 64 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,280 His atoning sacrifice and His blood to change us. 65 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:22,120 So again, it was just to change their perspective instead of seeing repentance as changing to 66 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,120 see it as being changed. 67 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,120 Right. 68 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:31,600 Yeah, and I think as we adopt that new view, which is going to take some effort and some 69 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,240 time, I think, for many of us. 70 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:40,000 I think that for so many years and for maybe even most, if not all of our lives, a lot of 71 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,120 us, myself, have in the past been included in this. 72 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:45,640 We've kind of seen it the other way. 73 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:54,640 And so I think this change of view as we put it more towards the effects of the Atonement 74 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,000 of Jesus Christ, our repentance. 75 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:04,760 And instead of thinking of it as I'm repenting of a sin, I think of it now as my repentance 76 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:09,520 just means that I'm more fully coming unto Him and as I more fully come unto Him, those 77 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:15,880 types of desires and the propensities that I may have had from who knows when start to 78 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:25,360 dissipate and I notice that the things that in my life preclude or don't allow the visitation 79 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:30,480 and the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, which is, as we've talked about the 80 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,080 way that we put on the Atonement of Jesus Christ is through the administration of the 81 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,560 Spirit, those things that I have done that have offended the Spirit and have disallowed 82 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,080 the Spirit to be completely with me in my life, they go away. 83 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:48,760 And I no longer, and it's talked about throughout Scripture, that I actually have no longer 84 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,080 have a desire to do those wicked, that wickedness or those things. 85 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:56,520 And I think that wickedness sometimes can be harsh, but those things that have kept 86 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:02,720 the Spirit away from me as I now focus on being changed, changed how through the Atonement, 87 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,000 through the power of Jesus Christ, through His Atonement, with the relationship with 88 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,720 Him, all of those things change for me. 89 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,920 And I tell you that lifting doesn't quite feel so heavy because I don't feel like I'm 90 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,520 lifting alone anymore, Dave, and so very helpful. 91 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:23,680 Well, that's described in the Book of Mormon, Scott, and it's the real miracle, I think, 92 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:30,640 in the process of repentance and relying upon Jesus Christ, learning, and there is great 93 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:37,480 effort in learning how to rely upon Jesus Christ and His Atonement. 94 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:44,040 But in the Book of Mormon, it talks about, I have no more disposition to do evil. 95 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,600 That's a miracle. 96 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:49,200 And that's not because of anything really I did. 97 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:54,760 That's because of the gifts of the Spirit that can flow into our life as we learn to 98 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,120 rely on our Savior. 99 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:06,040 So I think that's an important realization, that's an important work, is to be able to 100 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:11,520 learn how to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ and access His power and receive that 101 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,240 gift of the Spirit. 102 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:23,680 Scott, in regards to that, I've been thinking about the importance of, we talked about the 103 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:30,800 godly sorrow that we need to feel in order to really repent, the broken heart and the 104 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,880 contrite spirit. 105 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,720 And you know, we've interviewed a couple of individuals who have definitely experienced 106 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:38,720 that. 107 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,920 I know you have experienced that. 108 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,760 I have experienced that. 109 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:49,360 And when an individual reaches kind of that point, and maybe some would call it a rock 110 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:58,040 bottom, their repentance comes rather naturally and it kind of flows where they are compelled 111 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:04,800 to be humble, as Alma describes it in Alma chapter 32, that the Zoramites who were cast 112 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,600 out of their homes and had nothing left and were starting from scratch, that they were 113 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,680 compelled to be humble. 114 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:20,680 Well, it's awesome and it's awful to have to be compelled to be humble and to hit rock 115 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:22,520 bottom. 116 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:28,800 And I reminded our listeners, this is in Elder Anderson's book, but I shared it because it 117 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,800 was a personal experience that I had, was the missionary who was being sent home who 118 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:40,320 kind of hit his rock bottom because he hadn't been honest and he hadn't taken care of his 119 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,160 sins before coming to the MTC. 120 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:48,960 And as his branch president, I told him that he couldn't come back to the MTC and tell 121 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:53,120 he had a broken heart and contrite spirit and he asked me, well, how do I break my own 122 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:54,620 heart? 123 00:08:54,620 --> 00:09:01,680 And I knew by the spirit what to say to him that he would never be able to have a broken 124 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:09,840 heart and contrite spirit until he understood what his sins had cost Jesus Christ. 125 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:16,880 And I think, we didn't say this last time and so I wanted to say it today, was that 126 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:26,560 more powerful than us hitting our rock bottom, because not a lot of people hit rock bottom 127 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:29,040 Scott, they never really repent. 128 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:33,840 They never really tap into the power of Jesus Christ. 129 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:38,320 Some of those who hit rock bottom maybe don't even know about Jesus Christ. 130 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:47,920 But for us, more important than our hitting our rock bottom, we need to go to Gethsemane 131 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:57,200 and see him hit his rock bottom where he descends below all things. 132 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:07,320 Dr. Incomvenient section 88 verse 6, where he descends below all things, nobody could 133 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:16,800 have been lower or hit a lower rock bottom than Jesus Christ in Gethsemane and on the 134 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:27,040 cross when he paid the price, met the demands of justice and suffered for all of the sins 135 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,480 of all the world. 136 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:35,720 What really breaks my heart, Scott, and I think the most effective way to feel godly 137 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:44,680 sorrow and to come to contrition, the level of contrition that one must reach to repent, 138 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:57,200 they must see with an eye of faith Jesus Christ in his rock bottom and the role we played 139 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:03,040 to put him there. 140 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:10,640 That is the most humbling experience that I've ever received in my life that I continue 141 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:19,040 to experience in my life and that I hope all of our listeners can have that same experience. 142 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,160 Yeah, I'm with you. 143 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:27,560 We talk about rock bottom and I think that this is something that I have had some experience 144 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:28,560 with. 145 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:32,040 I think we all have potentially, but this is one thing that especially in the rooms of 146 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,200 recovery that gets talked about quite a bit, Dave. 147 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,320 Rock bottom, have you hit your rock bottom or he hasn't or she hasn't hit the rock bottom 148 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,320 yet? 149 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:46,120 There's some confusion, I think, my experience tells me this, that there's some confusion 150 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:50,240 about what that rock bottom really means sometimes. 151 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:56,880 As we go to Gethsemane, and for me especially the cross, as he's hanging on the cross there, 152 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:02,760 for me, bloody, beaten, any of the rest of us would be dead, it's his Godhood that's 153 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,560 keeping him alive. 154 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:12,880 As he fills the removal of our heavenly Father Spirit and is there completely alone, that's 155 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,320 a rock bottom that none of us can comprehend because we are never left completely alone, 156 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,600 even in our deepest and darkest turmoil. 157 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:25,400 Even if it's just because we experience the light of Christ, which we all do, even if it's 158 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,640 just from that, none of us are left completely alone. 159 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:35,120 Now, having said that, I don't want to minimize the feelings of loneliness that we sometimes 160 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,600 feel in that rock bottom because sometimes we do. 161 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:43,720 Here's the thing though, the thing about rock bottom is rock bottom is not a place, it's 162 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,680 not even an event, it's not even a series of events. 163 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:53,240 And this is I think the important thing for us to differentiate right now. 164 00:12:53,240 --> 00:13:01,080 Rock bottom is a choice, it's where we decide at that point to turn and we talk about it 165 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:05,440 in the rooms of recovery, that's where we decide to turn our will and our life over 166 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:07,920 to the care of God as we understand him. 167 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:16,720 And that takes a lot Dave, to make that process, to make that decision to begin to turn, to 168 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:21,680 have that broken heart and contrite spirit as we would put it in our vernacular here, 169 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:23,400 that takes a lot of effort. 170 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:29,680 But it's important for us to know that because it is a decision, I can choose my rock bottom 171 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,280 as high as I want it to be. 172 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:36,600 We sometimes talk about high bottom drunks and low bottom drunks and what that means 173 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:41,280 is some people come in beaten and bloody and some people come in because they just can't 174 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:45,240 hand, when I say come in, come into the rooms of recovery, they just come in because they 175 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,720 just don't like the disconnect that they're feeling in their life. 176 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:55,520 When these majors happened, nothing super negative, they didn't go to jail, they didn't lose their 177 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:56,960 family, those types of things. 178 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:03,600 So knowing that rock bottom, and we're getting into semantics here, I get that. 179 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:09,240 But knowing that that rock bottom is and can be a choice can kind of help us, especially 180 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:14,320 as we start to attune and make alignment with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Dave. 181 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:24,400 Well even a higher and holier choice would be to choose to see Christ in his rock bottom 182 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:35,000 and to take the responsibility, to take responsibility for what we have done to put him into that 183 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,000 rock bottom. 184 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,200 Faith is also a choice. 185 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,160 Faith in Jesus Christ is a choice. 186 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:49,160 Faith to do the work necessary and to receive the gift of faith and the eye of faith, to 187 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:56,680 see our Savior Jesus Christ meet those demands of justice for us so that we don't have to 188 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:01,840 and receive his mercy and his grace is also a choice. 189 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:08,840 And I don't know that we need to, again this may be semantical as well, there is a difference 190 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:14,440 between receiving mercy and grace and it kind of goes back to what we were saying earlier 191 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,760 about having no more disposition to do evil. 192 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:23,800 You know mercy as I see it is to receive a forgiveness of sin. 193 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,160 We all seek mercy. 194 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:34,000 But also as a result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can receive his grace which is the 195 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:42,040 enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ so it's not enough just to be cleansed and 196 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:52,000 forgiven of sin and receive mercy and redemption from sin but we can receive through the Atonement 197 00:15:52,000 --> 00:16:01,120 of Jesus Christ and through his blood the enabling power which strengthens us to overcome 198 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,320 sin. 199 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:08,040 And we need to kind of understand I think that the Atonement of Jesus Christ does more 200 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:15,440 for us than forgives us and it does more for us than cleanses us. 201 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:23,960 It strengthens us and that also I think is an important understanding to fully appreciate 202 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,160 the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our life. 203 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:38,040 So maybe just again some review there and again how we should see what repentance is 204 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:48,380 instead of just again us changing I mean again atheists and agnostics and anyone can change 205 00:16:48,380 --> 00:16:58,080 that being changed through the blood and Atonement of Jesus Christ that's more sacred, it's more 206 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:07,200 redemptive, it's longer lasting, it's a different level of change. 207 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:14,600 Yeah definitely a higher and holier way there's no question and I think that that's why we're 208 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:21,040 here that's why we are trying to go with this podcast and I think in our lives as well. 209 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:27,240 So Dave having all that in mind now I think we kind of set the stage for the next part 210 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:31,320 of our discussion and I'm going to go ahead and let you introduce what that's going to 211 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:35,280 be and start to we'll start moving in that direction. 212 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:43,600 Well again before we talk about any real specifics about what we need to do to be changed and 213 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:53,640 to get into the specifics of the process we call repentance we need to understand a quality 214 00:17:53,640 --> 00:18:01,840 that we an attribute that we all need to focus on in order to complete the process of repentance 215 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:14,840 and I think that's called accountability for sin or honesty, complete total honesty in 216 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:26,640 Elder Anderson's book it's called uncompromising honesty in his book this is chapter 18 he 217 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:35,520 did a marvelous job in describing this attribute that we all must have in order to completely 218 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:40,840 and fully repent and to be able to go through the process of repentance. 219 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:50,760 I also have really loved over I don't know it's been probably five to ten years ago Elder 220 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:59,960 Lynn G. Robbins gave this amazing talk called being 100% responsible it was I think given 221 00:18:59,960 --> 00:19:08,360 at BYU as the opening address of Education Week and I just really recommend that to 222 00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:16,960 our listeners as well to read Elder Anderson's chapter and Elder Robbins talk called 100% 223 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:27,680 being 100% responsible and as we do that Scott we need to take 100% responsibility and we 224 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:35,200 need to understand what it means to be 100% blameless I love the phrase blameless in the 225 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:43,200 scriptures in the standard works and I think what that means is two things number one that 226 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:49,280 no one can blame us because we we have been forgiven of our sins we've been cleansed and 227 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:56,120 strengthened and we become 100% blameless that way but it also means in the scriptures 228 00:19:56,120 --> 00:20:02,520 when it talks about being blameless that and our listeners should just look that up in 229 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:14,120 the index or it also means that we stop blaming others including ourselves that we we we don't 230 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:24,480 blame and we don't shame there can be no blame or shame when it comes to repentance we don't 231 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:30,840 blame others we don't blame ourselves we don't shame others we don't shame ourselves I think 232 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:39,680 blame and shame are really two two negatives that people pick up on and it holds them back 233 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:46,040 and it's I think the natural man in us to beat ourselves up then to beat up others and we 234 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:52,520 need to eliminate that which is the shame and we need to eliminate the blaming of others 235 00:20:52,520 --> 00:21:02,000 or seeing ourselves as victims we need to take we need to take 100% responsibility and accountability 236 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:10,600 and exercise 100% honesty in the process or we will not complete the process if we start 237 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,440 looking at that list you know you say you say blaming others and there's a lot of other 238 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:21,680 things that kind of work into that that separate us or distract us or keep us from making a 239 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:28,160 complete repentance process or in other words completely turning under the Savior for rescue 240 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,360 and for all things that we need but you know as we start looking at these things David 241 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:39,040 I think that as I go through here you know and Elder Robbins he's got a pretty comprehensive 242 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:43,440 list there of 19 things we won't go through all of them here we'll encourage you to do 243 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:48,400 that but you know there's a lot of these as I go through each one of these I'll just maybe 244 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:53,600 mention a few but that was definitely with the first one was blame the second one's rationalizing 245 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:58,320 or justifying the other one's making excuses I go down the list there's rebelling I go 246 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,120 down the list even further there's indulging in self pity and the victim mentality I go 247 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:07,960 down even further procrastination allowing fear to rule we talked about that a couple 248 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:13,080 of weeks ago on our podcast that was released just recently and then enabling and you know 249 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:18,360 as I go through each one of these David they all fall under one category and that's the 250 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:25,120 category of ego they're all about me they're going pride ego and pride and and you know 251 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:31,200 driven by fear insecurities insecurities and all those other things which are all tools 252 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:36,800 of the enemy I see all of this you know when we talk about ego there's a lot of traditions 253 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:41,520 that I've studied that when we talk about ego that go right come right out and say ego is 254 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:46,160 nothing more than a separation of ourselves from our Heavenly Father we do not see our 255 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:51,640 connection with our Heavenly Father that's ego I think I can subscribe to that definition 256 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:57,840 and and I think I'm not according to present Ben exactly pride is eminent he eminent he 257 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:03,880 between us and God especially and ourselves and others and thereby we're separated and 258 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:10,040 that separation makes the repentance process not only confusing and difficult but it can 259 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:16,720 throw up barriers that make it impossible to be complete in that process Dave yeah absolutely 260 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:21,960 I just want to read a paragraph from Mildred Anderson's book there is no true repentance 261 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:31,240 and no true forgiveness without complete honesty in our desire to repent honesty becomes critically 262 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:39,360 important first and foremost we must be honest with our Heavenly Father and with ourselves 263 00:23:39,360 --> 00:23:46,920 any dishonesty and deception are at the foundation and root of almost all sin that it's just 264 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:54,000 so true I love my favorite definition of sin is is not just breaking commandments my favorite 265 00:23:54,000 --> 00:24:01,240 definition of sin is it's a form of self deception it's a form of not being honest with ourselves 266 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:08,680 not being honest with our conscience not being honest with the light of Christ sin is a form 267 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:15,000 of dishonesty and self deception elder Anderson continues sometimes when someone begins to 268 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:21,680 repent he or she begins by exposing and this can be in personal prayer or confession to 269 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:29,240 a church leader but they begin by exposing only a part of a larger issue sometimes we 270 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:35,120 fool ourselves into thinking the whole picture need not be told or that part of what occurred 271 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:44,440 was someone else's fault good people can deceive themselves and be deceived any deception delays 272 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:49,880 the repentance process yeah yeah I love that you brought that up self deception you know 273 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:55,120 and we won't get into a whole lot of detail here but many years ago I was certified to 274 00:24:55,120 --> 00:25:01,120 teach and present a concept called leadership and self deception and so for those of you 275 00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:06,240 who are interested I would go out and look up Arbinger group the Arbinger principles 276 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:13,120 because there you will get a real concise definition of what self deception is in a 277 00:25:13,120 --> 00:25:20,240 nutshell what self deception is is horrible icing other people or horrible icing other 278 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:27,080 events or making them blaming but always blaming always blaming others we say that in there 279 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:33,200 always always blaming others and as we're doing that what we're doing is we're justifying 280 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:40,960 and extolling our own perceived and sometimes manufactured virtues around those things so 281 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:46,480 in other words that's so bad and I try so hard and you know I guess what it distills 282 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:52,960 down to Dave is almost a victim mentality around that stuff well I love the book that 283 00:25:52,960 --> 00:26:00,400 I read so many years ago called leadership and self deception and I've been always grateful 284 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:09,200 for the great work that Terry Warner has done in this regard and some of his work in publication 285 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:16,760 on what it means to be blameless that's how I see it anyway we don't want to minimize 286 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:24,120 either here Scott those who have been abused those who have been hurt truly those who have 287 00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:33,960 been victimized and we don't want to minimize or discount the downward spiral that abuse 288 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:40,800 being abused by others can put an individual in and so we're not minimizing that discounting 289 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:51,480 that or in any way making light of the reality that some of our listeners no doubt and again 290 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:59,560 to some small in some small way all of us are victims victims to Satan victims to sin 291 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:08,680 victims to others that's part of mortality that's part of life but to to live in that 292 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:17,920 realm and to rationalize our behaviors by putting ourselves in a place where we are 293 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:27,880 not responsible and we're not accountable is double abuse right we are now beginning 294 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:35,160 to abuse ourselves right and it becomes a form of self abuse through self deception 295 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:41,640 yeah that's exactly right and for for reasons that are complex and sometimes difficult to 296 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:47,120 understand but even in those even in those states that we find ourselves you know those 297 00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:52,560 of us who have been abused those of us who have had things perpetrated against us that 298 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:58,400 are ugly and unspeakable and and and all of that even those of us who have gone through 299 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:05,840 that have the ability to own a little bit of what is ours and what is not and and owning 300 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:10,360 that little bit of what is ours even then we still have the ability and therefore the 301 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:15,800 responsibility to attach ourselves to the principles of hope healing and redemption 302 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:21,920 through the Atonement of Jesus Christ exactly right and I want to again emphasize we did 303 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:29,480 a whole podcast almost on this on the effects after we spoke about the events we spoke about 304 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:35,080 the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our life and one of those effects which 305 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:44,760 is completely unconditional is the compensatory powers and blessings that flow into our life 306 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:52,000 through the Atonement of Jesus Christ for those who have been abused right and to accept 307 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:59,760 that unconditional gift even though it's unconditional it must be accepted and to accept that helps 308 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:08,000 us to move on from victimization to receive the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ 309 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:15,160 and the compensatory powers that can flow into our life to have faith in that and to accept 310 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:25,000 it helps us then to move on from abuse and and those any ugly form of crime criminal 311 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:32,440 activity abuse at the hands of others it helps us to to move on from that right. 312 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:38,360 Well I think that you know as we as we start talking about becoming more honest and and 313 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:44,840 completely honest and I think the level to which we can practice honesty in our lives 314 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:50,800 and especially in our repentance most especially in our repentance process and again just reiterate 315 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:55,280 meaning to turn away from that which is not of God and turning towards a relationship 316 00:29:55,280 --> 00:30:00,440 with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to help eliminate the things in our lives that keep 317 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:07,120 the spirit away but as we embark on this effort to become more honest I think Dave there's 318 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:13,400 a chapter in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous it's called it's chapter six into action and 319 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:20,480 in a portion of that I'm just going to read it and I'll modify it to fit us more than 320 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:25,240 most people it says the alcoholic but I'm going to say more than most people the fallen 321 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:31,560 man the natural man leads a double life he is very much the actor to the outer world he 322 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:37,880 presents his stage character this is the one he likes his fellows to see he wants to enjoy 323 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:43,760 a certain reputation but knows in his heart he doesn't deserve it to a degree Dave that's 324 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:48,800 that can be all of us at least at some points in our lives because sure we try we fail we 325 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:53,280 try we fail the failure is embarrassing you know we through because of guilt and mostly 326 00:30:53,280 --> 00:31:01,080 because of shame we begin to develop we can begin I did develop a stage persona if you 327 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,440 will that I wanted others to believe where deep inside there were things that were not 328 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:12,000 congruent with that which allowed the enemy to be more in control of what was going on 329 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:17,600 inside my heart then I was able to give my life and my will to to my Lord and Savior 330 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:18,600 Jesus Christ. 331 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:27,760 Well Scott goes back to Adam and Eve when he says Adam where art thou Eve where art 332 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:40,160 thou and he could have asked who art thou right anyway we all have this natural man in 333 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:48,160 us since the fall of Adam and Eve where we where we hide you know we have a place when 334 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:57,320 we sin that we all go to and we try to hide our real selves are our true identity is covered 335 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:05,880 up and we hide and we become an actor and we we act out and we become actors we become 336 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:12,360 two faced we we're all hypocrites when we sin whenever we sin we become hypocrites 337 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:19,440 because that's not who we really are right but we are all sinners helping sinners and 338 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:25,160 we should understand that and understanding that should help us to forgive ourselves and 339 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:36,680 others well have we said enough about honesty taking 100% responsibility being 100% accountable 340 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:42,840 and taking accountability and being blameless and shameless we'll we'll say more about 341 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:48,040 these things but Dave what if we talk just for a second about what we talked about barriers 342 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:52,520 to repentance what can be some of the barriers to our honesty and I think that you identified 343 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:58,520 some of those just then right with we all have is a role we want to play we all have 344 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:03,200 the actor a little bit in us we're all two faced to a degree we all can become hypocrites 345 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:07,920 but what are some of the barriers and how do we overcome those do you think I think 346 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:15,920 the the major barriers to honesty accountability responsibility are the same that that we identified 347 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:23,200 that are barriers to to repenting in general Scott and I think it's number one fear and 348 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:29,400 number two pride I mean we're all afraid of of really being found out that's right we're 349 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:37,760 being caught yep in a lie we all love and make a lie that's such an interesting description 350 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:44,000 for those who go to the celestial kingdom that's two places in the scriptures in doctrine 351 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:51,760 and covenants I think 64 and I know it's in 76 doctor and come to 76 and describing the 352 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:57,120 quality or attributes of those who go to the celestial kingdom it says and those who love 353 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:08,000 us and make us a lie yeah lying not being true not being congruent makes up that the 354 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:14,440 large part of those who go to the the celestial kingdom or hell as we might as we might call 355 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:25,120 it so I think that the great roadblocks or stumbling blocks to again repenting and to 356 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:34,080 being 100% accountable responsible and honest are fear that you fear that's that whole description 357 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:39,800 is given in in fact I think I want to read it Scott if I can find it real quick yeah 358 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:48,080 is this is this passage of scripture here it is in section 63 of the doctrine and covenants 359 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:55,080 beginning with verse 16 it reads and verily I say unto you as I have said before he that 360 00:34:55,080 --> 00:35:00,520 looketh on a woman to lust after her or we could say man or we could say any other sin 361 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:06,160 here they commit adultery in their hearts or they sin in their hearts they shall not 362 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:15,160 have the spirit number one but shall deny the faith number two and shall fear where 363 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:23,720 for I the Lord have said that the fearful and the unbelieving and all liars and whosoever 364 00:35:23,720 --> 00:35:31,200 loveth and maketh a lie shall have part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone 365 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:37,800 yeah which is the second death I love that because we think you know my first response 366 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:44,480 to that is who loves a lie that's ridiculous nobody loves a lie but then if you give further 367 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:51,400 attention to that to that concept he who loves lie we all love lies you know lying I really 368 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:56,000 believe that lying or not being a hundred percent truthful if you want to soften it a little 369 00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:00,880 bit which I don't care to do so I think lying is a universal sin we all participate at some 370 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:08,600 point because all of us and maybe I should speak in the eye form I I have a certain idea 371 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:15,720 in my mind about how the world sees me and I've developed that idea based on the inputs 372 00:36:15,720 --> 00:36:21,000 of others especially those who are important to me and sometimes that hasn't been the most 373 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:28,920 accurate or most holy or most benevolent way to see myself but I see myself in a way again 374 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:35,160 creating that stage actor right and so you know I hope that as we hear that well I don't 375 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:40,160 love a lie I hope that's not our attitude I hope that's not our thought process because 376 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:47,000 you know what yeah we all kind of do and in that we find separation from our heavenly 377 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:53,520 Father so when we are able to overcome that and move in a direction where honesty is more 378 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:59,440 prevalent and prevails more deeply in our lives that's when the repentance process can 379 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:06,160 actually gain traction and put us in a in a posture where we are more inclined to our 380 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:10,960 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His powers and healings that come through that. 381 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:21,520 It's it's always been funny to me that we describe small lies as white lies right like 382 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:26,920 like they're okay yeah that's okay you know and I know there's different degrees of being 383 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:36,360 dishonest or being honest but this just seems there's nothing white about any lie and it's 384 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:42,600 interesting to me Scott that the way the enemy as you choose to call him and the devil or 385 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:52,920 Satan or Lucifer as I'll call him is 90% honest in everything that he whispers to us and is 386 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:59,520 10% dishonest and that's how he gets us yeah that's how he gets us yeah and and that's 387 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:05,560 how we that's that becomes our downfall I mean I think all of us as sinners we whisper 388 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:11,880 these part truths that we rationalize and we tell ourselves things that may be even 389 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:19,760 true but it's that that's that 10% part that's untrue in the Garden of Eden you know when 390 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:28,680 when Satan is whispering to Eve that you need to you need to learn the difference between 391 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:35,800 good and evil and this is how you become gods and and he's telling he's speaking all of these 392 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:44,120 truths and then he gets to this one lie you shall not surely die but because he's told 393 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:53,200 her already whispered 90% truth and then he gives her the one lie she buys it and that's 394 00:38:53,200 --> 00:39:00,480 the way we are with ourselves I mean even in even in my own sins you know he whispers 395 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:08,480 to us or we whispers to ourselves well it will feel good or it will hide my pain or 396 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:15,600 cover my pain or it will be comfortable or it will be fun or it will be whatever whatever 397 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:21,000 whatever right yeah it even moves into you're not hurting anybody else yeah you're only 398 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:25,840 hurting yourself hurting yourself which is a complete lie because no one can sin in a 399 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:32,240 bubble because as soon as we sin we lose the spirit and that hurts everyone else that 400 00:39:32,240 --> 00:39:40,960 we know everyone else that we touch or have a relationship with I mean it's just so easy 401 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:54,560 for us to buy a lie and the lie which can then destroy begin to destroy us from within 402 00:39:54,560 --> 00:40:03,120 which then begins to affect everyone else that is important to us so I just there can 403 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:13,760 be no in all lies there is nothing but darkness and in all truth there is nothing but light 404 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:23,560 and I think one of the greatest lies that Satan pours into us is that you're not who 405 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:32,040 you really think you are that you're something or someone else and that you must be like 406 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:41,680 someone or something else or that to be comfortable or to to find pleasure and and happiness you 407 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:51,200 have to do this or be like them and he whispers that to us but the lie that he also whispers 408 00:40:51,200 --> 00:41:01,080 to us and you will not surely die or be accountable and then he's got us yeah well I think that 409 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:06,280 you know as we talk about this and you know we could we could continue to talk about this 410 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:12,360 the concept of honesty and complete honesty for a long time but I think that you know 411 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:18,040 we have done a sufficient job and kind of putting forth our thoughts around it the importance 412 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:22,200 around it and I hope that the the witness of the spirit I trust that it is that the 413 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:27,080 witness witness of the spirit is touching our hearts as we consider this and as we think 414 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:33,720 about this and as and here will be my invitation today and as we start to have thoughts about 415 00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:40,480 where can my honesty be made better where can I be more complete in my honesty or more true 416 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:46,840 in my dealings with myself first with with my heavenly Father first with myself to and 417 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:52,320 with others you know I think that if we as we start to identify those and ask for his 418 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:58,120 help in moving past those through the atonement through Jesus Christ power through the atonement 419 00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:04,560 of Jesus Christ those things can be made right and healed and we can then begin to move into 420 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:12,320 a more more peaceful life here in this planet Dave yeah so then I would like to maybe begin 421 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:23,480 to transition from being totally honest accountable blameless responsible to maybe another part 422 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:34,120 of the process of repentance which is confession confessing to ourselves being honest and recognizing 423 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:47,200 a need confessing our inadequacies to ourselves confessing our sins recognizing 100% our accountability 424 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:57,080 confessing our sins to God our heavenly Father in private and personal prayer laying it out 425 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:09,640 for him no more hiding telling him about all of our inadequacies and all of our sins this 426 00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:15,440 is kind of interesting because when we confess to our heavenly Father it's not like he doesn't 427 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:22,560 know what we've done right and who we are who we really are yeah he knows it already 428 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:34,160 yeah but there is a power in us being accountable and confessing it to him coming clean right 429 00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:40,480 I mean that's I know that's important in our personal prayers to him in our confession 430 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:46,800 and I think it's really important in in addiction programs right yeah 100% right I mean I mean 431 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:51,640 everybody knows why you're there but yeah but but but here's the thing with that though 432 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:56,720 you know everybody knows that we're there but as we come we come with those and it and 433 00:43:56,720 --> 00:44:01,360 it's rarely been the exception I've never seen the exception to my 23 years of sponsoring 434 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:06,640 people and sitting through what we call a fifth step inventory where they read or we 435 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:12,960 talk about all of our defects of character with a fearless and searching moral inventory 436 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:19,000 to having done that first there's never been an exception to this where we just have something 437 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:24,640 that I'm just gonna take to my grave you know I just don't want to talk about that and we 438 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:31,440 find that yeah so yeah yeah I've had people tell me that yeah Scott yeah in the church 439 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:37,520 who have confessed to me who have said you know I I had just decided I had come to the 440 00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:44,080 conclusion that I was gonna be the best person I could be and I was just gonna never confess 441 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:49,520 that sin and take it to my grave and trust that I could work that out on the other side 442 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:55,360 or that Heavenly Father would eventually or that I would suffer for my sins which I think 443 00:44:55,360 --> 00:45:00,320 is is complete false doctrine because Jesus paid for all the sins of all the world but 444 00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:05,720 they were gonna suffer and then God would forgive them with a few stripes and they would 445 00:45:05,720 --> 00:45:12,960 be able to to go to heaven yeah but you know what we find we find that we all have those 446 00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:17,960 and yeah there you know Deb my wife has she has a lot of great saying she was raised by 447 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:23,440 a wonderful mother who had sayings on the fridge every day in fact we get every year 448 00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:29,720 we get a calendar a family calendar and you know each family has a month and there's almost 449 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:34,640 enough fact there are enough kids in the family to do that each family has month but there 450 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:39,760 are sayings all over this calendar they call them surely isms because she came up with these 451 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:44,440 sayings as they were growing up and they were raised on these sayings and so surely there 452 00:45:44,440 --> 00:45:48,880 you go I know you listen to this I love you and power the word that's exactly right and 453 00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:53,640 I want to give you credit for some of the greatness in your sweetheart your sweet daughter 454 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:59,400 my sweetheart but Deb always says we're only as sick as our secrets our secret our secrets 455 00:45:59,400 --> 00:46:04,640 will keep us sick I love that yeah they will keep us ill they will keep us separated from 456 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:09,120 our Heavenly Father they will keep us separated from being true to those around us and we 457 00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:15,640 can feel that Dave we can feel when somebody's incongruent living outside of their integrity 458 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:21,440 sometimes we don't know why sometimes we can't put words to it sometimes it's unexplainable 459 00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:27,080 to us but there's that thing that just fills off yeah and and we create that when we try 460 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:34,280 to hide our secrets when we try to keep those things that secret that keep us from our Heavenly 461 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:45,320 Father we are only as sick as our secrets as our secrets well I love that yeah well I 462 00:46:45,320 --> 00:46:55,520 amen and so in in moving forward as we confess to our Heavenly Father we need to be just 463 00:46:55,520 --> 00:47:07,400 completely honest I've always been impressed with evangelicals who confess their their 464 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:16,440 sins now I'm not I'm not saying it's completely accurate or or complete or the best way I'm 465 00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:24,120 just saying I'm impressed I'm touched I respect evangelicals very much who confess that they 466 00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:33,360 are sinners right and it seems as though I know we all know we are but it seems like 467 00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:39,760 there's a lot of members of the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints and and others 468 00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:47,400 and many others who have that have a hard time doing that yeah going before their Heavenly 469 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:58,360 Father and calling upon him and and and just crying out I am a sinner I I just think that's 470 00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:06,360 an important step in the process of repentance is the the crying out yeah that I not only 471 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:15,960 have I sinned but that I am a sinner and recognizing our complete utter total need and dependency 472 00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:23,680 upon him and that that we're fallen this goes back to the doctrine of the fall knowing that 473 00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:33,440 we are sinners and that we need him is a really important realization and point that we must 474 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:43,400 all all experience to be able to repent and we need we need to talk about why we confess 475 00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:50,280 and not only to our Heavenly Father but maybe the two to the proper priesthood leaders in 476 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:59,480 the church who we confess to and what should be confessed so maybe those are the three 477 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:06,720 questions Scott that we can talk about when it comes to confession and we probably don't 478 00:49:06,720 --> 00:49:12,120 have time to get into those three and so maybe that's just a little bit of a teaser yeah 479 00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:17,240 what we can definitely do that with our next podcast for sure for our next podcast is to 480 00:49:17,240 --> 00:49:24,720 to answer those those questions and begin to explore the role of the church when it comes 481 00:49:24,720 --> 00:49:31,960 to to repentance but maybe we can kind of conclude today by just talking about the importance 482 00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:39,160 of complete honesty and accountability and even when it comes to confession and the scripture 483 00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:47,920 that I think is really awesome in this regard in being accountable being honest is doctrine 484 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:55,360 covenants I think it may be one of the ultimate scriptures on repentance actually and we'll 485 00:49:55,360 --> 00:50:03,360 explore it in some depth especially in our next next episode doctrine comes 58 verses 486 00:50:03,360 --> 00:50:12,280 42 and 43 behold he who has repented of his sins the same is forgiven and I the Lord remember 487 00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:24,320 them no more by this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins behold he will confess 488 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:36,200 them and forsake them I I choose not to see confession and forsaking of sin as steps 489 00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:44,560 of repentance but rather Scott I see them as signs of our repentance and that's the 490 00:50:44,560 --> 00:50:52,800 way this reads by this or this is how you'll know right right by this you may know if a 491 00:50:52,800 --> 00:51:01,280 man repenteth of his sins yeah he'll confess them all of them be be completely honest he 492 00:51:01,280 --> 00:51:11,360 will confess them and he will forsake them so that those I think are the evidence of 493 00:51:11,360 --> 00:51:19,360 repentance the evidence of repentance the manifestations we could call them of repentance 494 00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:29,360 that we confess that we come clean and doing that precedes our ability to forsake them 495 00:51:29,360 --> 00:51:36,200 and put them behind us and maybe we can explore that in the next episode absolutely I and 496 00:51:36,200 --> 00:51:41,720 I think that we need to because you know Dave as we go through life and in life in the church 497 00:51:41,720 --> 00:51:45,720 for those of us who have been raised in the church and those of us who have come to the 498 00:51:45,720 --> 00:51:50,840 church later in life and those of us who have taken hiatuses and come back to the church 499 00:51:50,840 --> 00:51:55,840 you know in the church we're encouraged to be our best selves and the best that we can 500 00:51:55,840 --> 00:52:02,480 and I think sometimes we view it's and it's it's it's been an age-old problem and it 501 00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:09,400 will probably continue to as long as ego and is alive and well among us I think that there 502 00:52:09,400 --> 00:52:16,000 can be a problem of we feel like going back to the actor on a stage type of scenario we 503 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:23,880 need to at some point in order for us to be completely in the fold you know taken like 504 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:28,840 a hen takes her chicks under her wings with we want to become one of those chicks we definitely 505 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:35,240 need to have the ability to confess and can say now or forsake now that doesn't mean I 506 00:52:35,240 --> 00:52:40,200 wear my sin like a badge of honor that doesn't mean that I show up everywhere I go and I'm 507 00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:45,920 talking about my sins and and all of those things but what it does well anyone who does 508 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:52,760 that Scott hasn't forsaken it that's my point what it does mean is that I put on I have 509 00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:59,400 put on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and because of that my nature has changed when we confess 510 00:52:59,400 --> 00:53:06,760 them and we come clean with them especially with the Lord and with our Heavenly Father 511 00:53:06,760 --> 00:53:15,280 then we will forsake them confessing and forsaking go together we confess them we're honest we're 512 00:53:15,280 --> 00:53:22,520 accountable responsible right and then we put them behind us and we don't do not continue 513 00:53:22,520 --> 00:53:28,520 to beat ourselves up or to shame ourselves or to blame ourselves they're in the past 514 00:53:28,520 --> 00:53:34,720 they're in the past if we've been honest if we've been accountable responsible we can 515 00:53:34,720 --> 00:53:40,680 forsake them and to and tell we are honest they're always in front of us they're always 516 00:53:40,680 --> 00:53:47,560 before us we can lie to ourselves and our Heavenly Father and others but those those 517 00:53:47,560 --> 00:53:54,960 lies or those those sins and deception is always in front of us when we are honest and fully 518 00:53:54,960 --> 00:54:01,800 confess they move behind us we put them behind us and that's what it means to forsake them 519 00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:09,160 and anyone who goes around confessing their sins over and over and over again have obviously 520 00:54:09,160 --> 00:54:17,400 not either been totally honest or accountable or confess them and I think that there's an 521 00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:23,920 order to this that there must be complete confession in order to for there to be a complete 522 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:33,080 forsaking of sin right I do too I do too well I think you know we have spent almost a complete 523 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:39,240 podcast talking about some very important things specifically how do we begin the repentance 524 00:54:39,240 --> 00:54:45,320 process you know we we talk about honesty being completely honest with who we are I think 525 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:51,360 that as we do that that it's important for us to that we also give credit and are honest 526 00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:56,560 about our the good things in our lives you know we we should acknowledge the things in 527 00:54:56,560 --> 00:55:02,280 our lives that are working for us we should acknowledge my prayers are substantial that 528 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:07,840 I'm working towards moving closer to my Heavenly Father because my prayers are good or because 529 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:14,840 I participate or I serve or whatever the case may be we can't let the things that are keeping 530 00:55:14,840 --> 00:55:19,840 us from him overrule us you know ladies and gentlemen I think that this is a good time 531 00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:26,960 for us to extend it yet another invitation an invitation to look into our own lives where 532 00:55:26,960 --> 00:55:33,400 are we completely honest and maybe even more importantly than that where do maybe we compromise 533 00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:41,400 our honesty about who we are not just to others but especially to our Heavenly Father we invite 534 00:55:41,400 --> 00:55:47,040 you to do a complete and I'll say it in the you know in the vernacular of recovery a complete 535 00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:53,160 moral and searching inventory of ourselves identifying those character defects those defects 536 00:55:53,160 --> 00:55:59,560 of character in our life that propagate and perpetuate those types of things that keep 537 00:55:59,560 --> 00:56:04,640 us from him it's been a great podcast Dave I'm going to let you say a few final words 538 00:56:04,640 --> 00:56:08,800 here and then we'll go ahead and close out today well I hope everyone will will take 539 00:56:08,800 --> 00:56:16,600 that invitation given by Scott seriously and just do a really honest open our hearts and 540 00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:26,160 our minds the review review our past and to be able to see things that maybe only the 541 00:56:26,160 --> 00:56:31,760 spirit of the Lord can help us to remember I know that this promise in the scriptures 542 00:56:31,760 --> 00:56:40,760 is sure that he who has repented of his sins that the Lord will forgive them and that he 543 00:56:40,760 --> 00:56:47,760 will remember them no more he'll remember them no more it's not like he forgot them he'll 544 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:57,560 choose not to remember them however for us Scott I think it's hard for us to I know that 545 00:56:57,560 --> 00:57:04,080 we'll never forget our sins and that's that's actually a gift right so that we won't repeat 546 00:57:04,080 --> 00:57:11,160 the same sins that will I think it's good for us to remember the pain and it's good for 547 00:57:11,160 --> 00:57:19,520 us to remember the process of repentance and remembers our serious sin more serious sins 548 00:57:19,520 --> 00:57:27,040 that we commit so it's a gift that we don't forget but I think it's really important 549 00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:35,720 that in our honesty as we seek to remember even the sins that we have not repented of 550 00:57:35,720 --> 00:57:42,960 that we make that inventory as you invited us to do that we that we maybe write down 551 00:57:42,960 --> 00:57:51,120 some things and that we take care of those things and then we burn them or like the anti-nephi 552 00:57:51,120 --> 00:57:59,840 leis in the Book of Mormon that we dig a big hole in the in our heart or in the ground 553 00:57:59,840 --> 00:58:08,880 the sometimes hard ground of our heart and that we bury them that we bury them and that 554 00:58:08,880 --> 00:58:17,000 they're gone that we bury our weapons or our sins and that we leave them always buried 555 00:58:17,000 --> 00:58:25,280 so hope you'll take that invitation seriously to take an inventory and to be honest and 556 00:58:25,280 --> 00:58:31,840 I testify that I know that that'll that'll help us to move forward as we look backward 557 00:58:31,840 --> 00:58:37,120 and we're honest with ourselves then we can move forward putting those things behind us 558 00:58:37,120 --> 00:58:43,200 and I absolutely love how you paralleled that to burying our weapons of war because these 559 00:58:43,200 --> 00:58:48,240 can truly be weapons of war you know maybe just an extension on that invitation would 560 00:58:48,240 --> 00:58:54,640 be let's identify how some of those things have become weapons of war to us and how we've 561 00:58:54,640 --> 00:59:00,480 used them as weapons of war in our life and how burying those weapons of war might make 562 00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:06,240 our lives different thanks so much Dave it's been awesome to be with you as always ladies 563 00:59:06,240 --> 00:59:11,000 and gentlemen it's been awesome to be with you as always another great podcast I feel 564 00:59:11,000 --> 00:59:16,640 that we've had here today we want to just remind you of our love for you of his love 565 00:59:16,640 --> 00:59:22,000 for you and most importantly remember that you have been redeemed through his blood we 566 00:59:22,000 --> 00:59:48,760 look forward to being with you again everybody take care and have a great week.