Forgiveness

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you." (Doctrine and Covenants 82:1)

Years ago, when I was not even 20, I helped our neighbors the Bakers with transporting their girls to and from places when they were gone. One day, as I was pulling their Suburban into their garage, I miscalculated the distance between the car and the wall and well---you get the picture. I was sick. I dented up their car and their house. I figured if I became an indentured servant to them I might be able to pay for the damage before I turned 40. Keith and Ellen were expected home that night, so I sat and waited for their arrival. Time went by slowly. Their son and nephews didn't help matters by telling me that Keith was going to kill me. It got later and later. I got sicker and sicker. I did not want to face the consequences that awaited me. After several hours I decided to go home. I left a message for Keith, expressing my sorrow and my willingness to do whatever was needed to rectify this situation. I slept restlessly. In the morning, I heard the doorbell ring. I knew my fate was to be sealed momentarily. A few minutes later my mom came to my bedroom with a message from Keith. He said that when he was a young boy he had crashed his uncle's car and his uncle had taken care of it. Never got upset. Never brought it up again. Keith had been waiting his whole life to do the same thing for someone else. Lucky me.

It was never mentioned again.

This story has taught me alot about forgiveness. And that if a mortal man with mortal weaknesses is able to forgive my trespasses against him, Heavenly Father in his perfectness is totally able to forgive me as well. And never to be mentioned again.