In our stake, when a missionary comes home from their mission, they are asked to speak not only in their home ward, but other wards in the stake. Several weeks ago, a recently returned missionary came and spoke in our ward. I don't know this young man's name or where he served, but the words he shared are ingrained in my brain. The words he spoke were so powerful that I have shared them again and again with other people.
This young man shared something along these lines...
When he left on his mission, he made a goal to come home honorably without any regrets. Early, like within the first few weeks of his mission, he realized that he had mad mistakes. He forgot to make his bed one day. He was late to a meeting. He forgot to pray for someone. He didn't talk to every person he passed on the street. He quickly realized that his goal had gone out the window. He was in the first few weeks and he had made some mistakes. He became very discouraged. He messed up, what was the point in finishing his mission now?
One day his dad said the following to him, "A regret is only a regret, if you don't learn from your mistake."
In time he came to realize that we are all human and we all make mistakes. Nobody, I repeat nobody is or will ever be perfect in this life except for Jesus Christ. Because of Christ, we can repent and we can live a life free of regret.
If regrets haunt or weigh you down, pray to your Father in Heaven for help. Ask Him if is He loves you. Pray to see yourself though his eyes.
He is real. He is there. He hears your prayers. He knows what you are going through. He loves you more than you could possibly know. He will help you, if you ask.
