Teaching, Learning, and Repentance

I had the opportunity today to teach at church. My calling is to teach Primary, and so normally I teach the 11-year old boys of the ward with my fellow ward-member, Mike Tatum. Today, however, I had the opportunity to teach the fellow members of my Priests quorum. Our leader called me earlier in the week and asked me to teach, and told me that the lesson was #12. Repentance. I didn't think much of it at all (which probably explains why I didn't prepare for it until last night). I figured that I'd be able to manage teaching it, so I didn't put much into it, which was a mistake. I think that both it and my Primary lesson could've gone better if I had spent a little more time preparing. And that's one of the lessons I learned today: that I need to spend more time preparing to teach. I need to take my calling more seriously.
In any case, my favorite lesson to teach was the Priesthood one. And I'd like to attest to two things: First, the Priests and Teachers (they ended up being in the same class) in my ward are amazing guys. And I'm not bragging about my quorum, I'm saying that each and every one of them are great. They listened intently, really took the time to read the scriptures I assigned them, and, in short, really helped me to get through the lesson. Second, the Aaronic Priesthood Lesson Manual is AWESOME. All I did was follow the suggested lesson development, and it went great (though I still think I should've prepared more).
To give you some more background on why I thought this lesson was so awesome, let me just say that I've been having a hard time forgiving myself for the things I've done. But teaching this lesson, bearing my testimony about the power of the repentance process, and giving something back really helped me to feel like I had made restitution. I taught something which I had experience in and helped to testify that to repent of your sins is the best way to go. A huge burden is lifted, and you can continue to go about your life, knowing that you are doing your best.This is from the Manual, and was a great insight for me:
"Emphasize that repentance is more than overcoming particular sins. It involves turning away from all sin. It involves reaching the point where we no longer have any desire for sin. Through repentance we stop sinning completely. (Italics added)"

Today is Fast Sunday. and I don't feel comfortable going up to the pulpit and bearing my testimony in front of my whole ward, so I thought I'd just blog it:
I know that the Savior lives and loves us and that our Heavenly Father lives and loves us and that the Holy Ghost is a real being who, if we will let him, will assist us through our lives and help us to make the right decisions. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know from my experiences in Nauvoo that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the account he has given of his vision of the Father and the Son is true. I know that the repentance process, though it can hurt deeply, is so important and will help you feel better than you have before. I know that Thomas S. Monson, the prophet of the church, is a Prophet and a good man. I know that, because the Book of Mormon is true, and Joseph Smith was a prophet, and we have living prophets on the Earth today, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. If you have not yet looked into the church, please do.