Look Forward with Faith
Look Forward with Faith
President Quinn’s Weekly Message
California Santa Rosa Mission
February 16th, 2026
Sister Quinn and I were able to attend three separate baptismal services this last Saturday. We always enjoy being with you at the baptisms of your friends. Please continue to invite us. If we can attend, we love joining you.
During my time as a mission leader, I have on occasion met with missionaries in interviews when they have expressed regret for pre-mission activities of disobedience. I begin this discussion of past behavior asking if the missionary believes they have completed the repentance process. In most instances, the missionary tells me that they did work with their bishop to complete the repentance process. Despite these efforts to repent, the missionary continues dealing with feelings of guilt for their past behavior. I invite the missionary to accept the grace and forgiveness offered to them by the Savior. I teach them that their feelings of guilt are not coming from the Holy Ghost, but from the adversary who works to undermine the Savior’s Atonement in our lives. I invite the missionary to exercise faith in the power and promises of the Savior’s Atonement. I assure the missionary the Lord has extended forgiveness to them, they now need to extend forgiveness to themselves.
Elder Holland provided wise instruction on the importance of moving beyond past experiences and looking to the future with faith:
“…I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.” (Elder Holland, The Best is Yet to Be, January 2010)
We all make mistakes in life. When we have repented and learned from of our mistakes, Elder Holland encourages us to move forward with faith – trusting that the Lord has good things ahead in our future. Please do not allow past mistakes to define your future happiness and worthiness. Remember this promise of the Lord:
“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” (D&C 58:42)
What a beautiful and powerful promise!
The Apostle Paul also taught the importance of looking to the future with faith:
“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14)
I love this instruction that our focus for the future should be on Jesus Christ. The future can be daunting as you consider the uncertainty and work ahead to accomplish your goals. It becomes even more daunting if you move forward carrying the burden of sins repented of. As you make Jesus Christ the focus of your life, I promise you will be filled with His light, hope, faith, and the Spirit. With these tools you can accomplish and overcome anything.
I know that as you focus your lives on Jesus Christ, you will be blessed to achieve the righteous ends He and your Father in Heaven have prepared for you. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we should be the most positive, worthy, and hopeful people on earth.
Sister Quinn and I are grateful to serve with you in CASRM. This week we finish this transfer’s interviews with missionaries in Napa, San Rafael, and Santa Rosa. We look forward to being with you.
Love,
President Quinn
(630) 881-4030
