Any pain entailed in repentance will always be far less than the suffering required to satisfy justice for unresolved transgression.

All of us can meet God's high expectations.

Whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness.

Everyone has gifts; everyone can contribute.

We need strong Christians who can persevere against hardship, who can sustain hope through tragedy, who can lift others by their example and their compassion, and who can consistently overcome temptations. We need strong Christians who can make important things happen by their faith and who can defend the truth of Jesus Christ against moral relativism and militant atheism. What is the source of such moral and spiritual power, and how do we obtain it? The source is God. Our access to that power is through our covenants with Him.

The Savior's suffering in Gethsemane and His agony on the cross redeem us from sin by satisfying the demands that justice has upon us. He extends mercy and pardons those who repent. The Atonement also satisfies the debt justice owes to us by healing and compensating us for any suffering we innocently endure.

Only through repentance do we gain access to the atoning grace of Jesus Christ.