I spoke with a friend earlier this week about forgiveness, and following the theme of “gifts” from my last post, we decided that forgiveness is also a gift. It’s something that can’t be earned or deserved, but it can be given and received.

Notably though, it takes effort to receive a gift, and it’s also possible to reject one. I can buy you a $500K Ferrari for your birthday, for example, but if you never show up to receive it, I can’t give it to you. As hard as I try, even if I leave it running in your driveway, if you don’t accept the gift, I can’t give it.

I think forgiveness is similar, especially from Heavenly Father. I believe He’s eternally offering us the gift of forgiveness conditional upon us receiving it — in other words, us repenting. Our repentance process (confessing, forsaking, making amends…etc.) is like the metaphorical showing-up for the birthday party and opening the presents.

Along these lines, our Heavenly Father has called “eternal life” the “greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7). He also said that we can have this gift “if you keep my commandments and endure to the end.” That’s a good outline for how to show up for the party with the best gift ever :)

I heard HWN today in pondering that atonement, eternal life, and gifts :)

p.s. A couple highlights from the week…

Another of my coworkers left town for about a week, and here’s how she found her office when she came back on Monday :)

Also on Monday, I got to participate in a service opportunity at FHE, putting together backpacks with school supplies for refugees :) Guess which one I got to do :)