A couple of weeks ago Brother Clark taught our Institute class. He shared several things well worth remembering, but the thing probably most easily put down in words was a message about humility and mirrors.
Brother Clark pointed out that there were essentially two distinct kinds of repentance. Firstly, there is the specific kind of repentance most often referred to, where one has committed an act of transgression and then tries to make restitution for it. That might be called repentance of a thing. The second kind of repentance is more of a conscious attempt to change yourself--repentance of who/how you are. While this kind of repentance really goes hand in hand with the first kind, it doesn't necessarily require that you do something wrong.
Brother Clark gave the example of a man (I believe he eventually became a general authority) who devoted much of his life to the art of music, being extremely talented at playing the saxophone. During his early adult years he enjoyed playing in a band that travelled the country. However, when he got married he came to the conclusion that the life of a traveling musician was not one conducive to raising a family. Thus he quit the band and locked his saxophone in its case never to be taken off the shelf again, using that time instead to focus on rearing his family. His daughter relates that he did in fact play again, but only for the occasion of Family Home Evening. Apparently he was a very good player.
For this brother, playing the saxophone could hardly be called a vice, and his talent and enjoyment of music was certainly not a bad thing. Continuing to play probably would not have seriously hurt him. However, by taking the moment to step back and examine his life, this man saw a way in which, through what in the grand scheme of things was really a small sacrifice, he could better the lives of his future family. While it was not bad to play the saxophone, it was certainly better to build up his family and no doubt he was blessed for his sacrifice.
These kind of repentant changes in our lives are different in how they apply to each individual (some might need to take up the saxophone rather than put it away) but the way they come about is by increasingly seeing ourselves as we really are--how God sees us. God sees us in our weakness, yet he still loves us. He also sees our potential. The friends with whom we associate can be mirrors that assist us in examining ourselves. I once heard that we ourselves are the sum of our five closest friends. Seeing ourselves as God sees us is a kind of humility, but discouragement is not an element of humility. Another mirror that helps us examine ourselves is our patriarchal blessing. A patriarchal blessing declares one's heritage--which is through the tribes of Israel, among the sons and daughters of Abraham. This heritage marks us with the responsibility and potential to walk with the elect in building God's kingdom. You are a child of God, a soul of godly potential. The rest of a patriarchal blessing outlines specific blessings available to you because of that potential. It's good to know our weaknesses so that we can improve, but it is equally important to know that the Lord will make your weakness your strength and has a plan that enables you to reach your celestial goal.
"And if men come into me I will show them there weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." -Ether 12:27
And that is a little of what I took away from Institute last week.
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