Benjamin David Nelson is no exception to that rule. And neither is anyone for that matter. However, there are certain things about us that might not change--especially when it comes to a personality trait or a personal belief.
For example, I am BDN. And I follow my heart. I've done so for as long as I can remember. Because I've always felt that it's necessary for us to do so as human-beings. God trusts us to do so, as long as we do not do it in wickedness. Something like that.
But I don't follow my heart perfectly. In fact, I am pretty bad at it. When I feel that something is right, sometimes I am sloppy with the way I go about doing that thing. Sometimes I am quick to act or speak before I plan out what needs to be done or said. Sometimes I do plan how to go about following my heart, and--well--it doesn't go as planned, and I mess up by not sticking with the plan. Sometimes I am scared. Sometimes I am overbearing rather than persistent. Sometimes I give up on following my heart, and I regret it later.
But I am grateful for the gift of repentance. I am grateful for the opportunity to become a new BDN each week by partaking of the sacrament and starting anew. I am grateful for all the second chances I have and will have to follow my heart, despite a lot of the mistakes that I make in the process of attempting to do so.
Of course, I am using this as an example. It doesn't matter what it is; we will always have the opportunity to start fresh by repenting and partaking of the sacrament. And by doing so constantly, we might notice that we--as a whole--are changing into much better, spiritually-sound individuals.
The Nephites of The Book of Mormon are the perfect example of this. In Helaman 15:7, it states:
"And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them."
