President Boyd K. Packer:
“The Lord has told us, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20; see also D&C 6:32.)
“There is safety in learning doctrine in gatherings which are sponsored by proper authority” (“Reverence Invites Revelation,”Ensign, Nov. 1991, 21).
“The answer ‘seventy times seven’ (a hyperbolic quantity, meaning indefinitely) is for those who sin against us but repent. And for those who sin against us and refuse to repent, the first three times we are still obligated to forgive, but the fourth time the testimonies against the sinner are to be brought before the Lord. If sincere repentance and restitution ensue, forgiveness is required; but if there is no repentance, the sinner is given over to the judgments of God. All of this additional instruction is given in Doctrine and Covenants 98:39–48, the law of forgiveness” (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, Verse by Verse: The Four Gospels [2006], 371–72).
Note that the phrase “thou shalt not forgive” in Doctrine and Covenants 98:44 means that unrepentant perpetrators should be held fully accountable for their actions. It does not mean that we should withhold forgiveness from or continue to feel animosity toward them (see Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Seminary Teacher Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2013], 349).
“[The] father was a cabinetmaker and fashioned a beautiful casket for the body of his precious child. The day of the funeral was gloomy, thus reflecting the sadness they felt in their loss. As the family walked to the chapel, with Father carrying the tiny casket, a small number of friends had gathered. However, the chapel door was locked. The busy bishop had forgotten the funeral. Attempts to reach him were futile. Not knowing what to do, the father placed the casket under his arm and, with his family beside him, carried it home, walking in a drenching rain.”
“If the family were of a lesser character, they could have blamed the bishop and harbored ill feelings. When the bishop discovered the tragedy, he visited the family and apologized. With the hurt still evident in his expression, but with tears in his eyes, the father accepted the apology, and the two embraced in a spirit of understanding” (“Hidden Wedges,” Ensign,May 2002, 19).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught how Matthew 18:22 relates to situations involving Church discipline:
“There is no limit to the number of times that brethren should forgive each other their personal trespasses upon conditions of true repentance. This, however, is not intended to mean that the Church itself shall continue times without end to forgive and fellowship its erring members. There are instances in which sinners must be cast out of the kingdom no matter how sorry they may be for their unrighteous acts” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:423).
“Forgiveness heals terrible, tragic wounds, for it allows the love of God to purge your heart and mind of the poison of hate. It cleanses your consciousness of the desire for revenge. It makes place for the purifying, healing, restoring love of the Lord” (“Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse,” Ensign, May 1992, 33).
“Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive” (“The Merciful Obtain Mercy,”Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 77).
“We need to recognize and acknowledge angry feelings. It will take humility to do this, but if we will get on our knees and ask Heavenly Father for a feeling of forgiveness, He will help us. The Lord requires us ‘to forgive all men’ [D&C 64:10] for our own good because ‘hatred retards spiritual growth’ [Orson F. Whitney, Gospel Themes (1914), 144]. Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the Lord put comfort into our hearts. …
“… When tragedy strikes, we should not respond by seeking personal revenge but rather let justice take its course and then let go. It is not easy to let go and empty our hearts of festering resentment. The Savior has offered to all of us a precious peace through His Atonement, but this can come only as we are willing to cast out negative feelings of anger, spite, or revenge. For all of us who forgive ‘those who trespass against us’ [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 6:13], even those who have committed serious crimes, the Atonement brings a measure of peace and comfort” (James E. Faust, “The Healing Power of Forgiveness,”Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 69).