3 Nephi 30:2

"Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel."
3 Nephi 30:2


You know, it is cool to me that God asks us to repent.  He could just sit up there and let us end up wherever we wanted, and he knows that even the lower kingdoms are still going to be nice places to live... but for us, he wants more.  He wants us to succeed more than we want to succeed.  He wants us to rise beyond all of our mistakes and weaknesses, and become perfect... not a crazy dream, but an attainable goal, because God made it possible for us.  Because of him, we can become better than we ever dreamed of becoming... because of him the sins in our pasts and even in our presents *don't* chain us to a less-than-perfect future.  No matter what the score has been up to this point, we can still get an A out of life... still succeed, still grasp the ideal.  And God wants us to... so no matter how dark it seems, or how unlikely it is that we will change for the better... we can, and will, if we let God into our lives.  Our income and social status don't confine us.  Our past doesn't define who we are.  We are children of God, and he loves us and is working every second to save us from ourselves, and bring us home.  Let's accept his help and believe in him, even when we can't believe in ourselves.  Let's retain a little bit of hope, and move forward. :)