By Erika Hulterstrom
BYU students flocked to the Harris Fine Arts Center Tuesday morning to hear counsel of repentance from a professor of ancient scripture during BYU’s weekly devotional.
Professor Kelly Ogden began with a strong statement to the students: “There is no principle of the gospel greater than repentance. This one principle towers above all others.” His talk focused on this key principle, informing students of how to repent, instructing them to forsake sin and pleading with them to act now.
Ogden’s first priority was to instruct students about how to repent. He told them, “Repentance is an attitude change, a behavior change. It is godly sorrow and suffering, and we must do whatever is necessary to come to repentance. … There will be no forgiveness until repentance.”
Ogden also focused on forsaking sin. He said, “As soon as possible, expel sin from your life.” Students were urged to forget the shame of their youth, to bury their sins. With a chuckle, Ogden added, “When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.”
Ogden then pleaded with the students, telling them they must always be ready, and repent daily, in order to keep themselves “ready to meet God at all times.” He asked students to forgive themselves and be born again through the Atonement. Ogden finished by saying, “Sin brings awful consequences; repentance brings extraordinary promises.”
Erika Hulterstrom is a high school student participating in the BYU Summer Scholars program sponsored by the BYU Department of Communication. Erika is from Provo.
