Bury your wickedness and live in LOVE

This last week, we discussed as a family the account of the Lamanites who then changed their name to the "Anti-Nephi-Lehies." And they made a covenant to the Lord to not take up their weapons of war against their brethren again. They didn't want to risk breaking their covenant, and took extreme measures to make sure they would never physically hurt others or eternally hurt themselves gain. They buried their weapons and sealed them in the earth. 

In "The Friend" July 2020 edition there is a "find it" that shows a beautiful depiction of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies burying their weapons of war. It was very simple. It said, find 23 weapons in the ground and 30 hearts above ground. This simple rendition struck we very strongly, and thought to myself that they were burying their wickedness and choosing to live in love.  

We all make mistakes everyday. Repentance is real, it is hard and it is beautiful. A sister missionary in our ward bore her testimony and said, "Repentance was born of LOVE, not from punishment."
 I LOVED THAT! It struck my soul to quit thinking that repentance is a punishment, 

it is PURE - TRUE - ETERNAL LOVE.

We have the choice whether to live with our wickedness or we can choose to live in love. We can repent and forsake the evils we have done and live a beautiful life of love. Love for ourselves, our fellowmen and most importantly, love for our Savior.

I love the scriptures in this account Alma 24:7-10

7.... I thank my God, my beloved people, that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the traditions of our wicked fathers.

8 And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.

9 And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the many murders which we have committed.

10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.

I love knowing that I personally have a "portion of His Spirit" with me. I have been baptized and made a covenant with my Savior to follow Him and be a disciple of Him. He then blessed me with "a portion of His Spirit." He has given me a way to repent of the things I have done, that through the atonement He might forgive me and help me to live my life in love as He did.