Dear Angela,
I want to get back to the temple but I can’t get the negative influences and people out of my life. How can I repent once and for all and move forward with my life?
— Trying and Failing
Dear Trying and Failing,
Focus on one thing for one day. If you can conquer a day, you can learn the tools to conquer many days and ultimately a lifetime — but it starts with just one day. Remove one negative influence and replace it with a positive one — just for one day. Share with a loved one how the process went, set goals for the next day, and repeat.
Look for people who are living how you want to live and increase your associations with them. It's hard to cut out bad influences without positive ones to fill the void. And at the risk of sounding cliche, repentance (mercifully) can be a part of your life forever. You can keep changing, keep improving, sometimes struggling, sometimes failing, but always striving to have your heart more fully turned to the Lord. Always including your Heavenly Father and always repenting.
But for now, remember, focus on one day.
Love,
Angela
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