As we repent of our sins, no matter how grievous, one important step is restitution which involves removal and substitution. When we try to rectify our sins, we return that which was stolen, ask forgiveness from the offended party. But this is not all.We need to completely remove that section of our lives and replace with something good; something to prove to the Lord our repentance is sincere, and we love Him and want to serve Him. Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah do this by "zealously striving to repair all the injuries". And in addition was filled with the love of God that they were "desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish."
"In abandoning sin one cannot merely wish for better conditions. He must make them. He may need to come to hate the spotted garments and loathe the sin. He must be certain not only that he has abandoned the sin but that he has changed the situations surrounding the sin. He should avoid the places and conditions and circumstances where the sin occurred, for these could most readily breed it again. He must abandon the people with whom the sin was committed. He may not hate the persons involved but he must avoid them and everything associated with the sin. He must dispose of all letters, trinkets, and things which will remind him of the "old days" and the "old times." He must forget addresses, telephone numbers, people, places and situations situations from the sinful past, and build a new life. He must eliminate anything which would stir the old memories." Spencer W. Kimball The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.171
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