Question
Dear Gramps,
For a few years I have been watching TV shows online without paying for them. At first I didn’t think about how it might be dishonest, but I am now convinced that it is wrong. I have already decided not to do it anymore. But I do not know how I can make amends for what I have done. Do you have any advice for me?
Holly
Answer
Holly,
Making amends is an essential step in the repentance process. However there are times it just is not possible. Imagine, for a second, that lighting a campfire was a sin. How would you make amends for it? How could you undo the damage you did?
The truth is that this very problem is why we are unable to pay for our own sins. This very situation is why the Atonement of Christ is essential to our eternal progression. Without it, we would be forever in debt for the wrongs we could not possibly repay.
Now, as to your situation specifically, you could try to contact the website owners and explain the situation, offering to repay what you owe. If that is not a workable situation, or if it goes nowhere, then it is time to trust in the Atonement and use the Sacrament to work through the rest. That’s what the sacrament is for, to help us apply the Atonement to our lives so that our moral debts don’t prevent us from returning to Heavenly Father’s presence.
May God be with you during this process, and may his peace be in your heart always.
Gramps