"I Bear Record of the Father"

In one of the opening declarations of His doctrine, Jesus said, "I bear record of the Father" (3 Nephi 11:32). You must ask yourself when and how this happens. If this is part of the Doctrine of Christ - the only doctrine that can save you - it could be critical that you understand every part of it. The scriptures show that this witness from Jesus Christ happens sooner and more often than you might think.

Moroni 7:16 says, "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man…" D&C 84:45-46 confirms this. “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world…” (See also D&C 93:2) Literally everyone in the world has access to this Spirit or Light of Christ.

How is this possible? D&C 88:6-7 gives a clue. “He [Jesus Christ] that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ…” This is the same process that Alma 7:11-12 describes. “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people…and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

As the Lord descended below all things and suffered all things, He comprehended all things. He learned how to help literally everyone in every possible circumstance. It’s not just a nice thing to know that Jesus went through everything you have. The knowledge that He gained in going through all those things for you does not go to waste. There is a reason that “light” and “knowledge” often go together in the scriptures and in the temple. The Light of Christ transmits the knowledge that Christ gained and it can guide you from moment to moment. In all the ways that the Light of Christ guides you, He bears record of the Father (John 5:19; 8:28).

The Light of Christ is one of the principal effects of the Atonement. D&C 18:11 says that the Lord "suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him." Without the Light of Christ it would probably not even be possible for you to repent. Do not let the Light of Christ go to waste. It can enlighten you continually. Bask in it and use it to repent.

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"Ye Must Repent"

The all-encompassing theme of the Doctrine of Christ is the commandment to repent. That commandment specifically shows up three times in the few verses where Jesus lays out His doctrine in 3 Nephi 11. Numerous other verses of scripture attest to the primary importance of repentance  (Mosiah 18:20; Mosiah 25:22; Helaman 13:6; D&C 6:9; D&C 11:9). Judging by the importance of this critical component of the Doctrine of Christ, it is seems imperative that you understand it.

But first we must begin by explaining what repentance is not. Repentance is not a checklist of five steps. You might need to recognize what you did wrong. You might feel bad about it. You might find yourself "confessing" to someone. You might provide restitution to a victim. You might end up promising to never do something again. As tempting as may be to turn repentance into a formula, true repentance can't become a list of items that we memorize and check off in sequence.

Repentance is simply turning to God. I'll quote two very good definitions for repentance. The LDS Bible Dictionary says, "The Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined."

Wikipedia says, "In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nacham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), 'after/behind one's mind', which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind and change of conduct, 'change of mind and heart', or, 'change of consciousness'."

Turn to God, for He has the answers that you seek. Let Him change your mind and your heart. In other words, repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand (i.e. very close in proximity - Luke 17:20-21).