My Great, Great Uncle Chief Sam Blue

I have many weaknesses that I was sent here to this earth to overcome. I believe one of my biggest if not "the biggest" is to be continually forgiving as Christ was and is.
A story told by my great, great uncle Chief Sam Blue of the Catawba Indian Nation has been an incredible example of Christlike love and the love a forgiving heart can offer.

"One day my eleven-year-old son went squirrel hunting with six other Indians. He saw a squirrel run up a tree and climbed up to scare it out on a limb. After he had done this he called to the others to hold their fire until he could get down. One of the Indians in the hunting party had always been jealous of me and my position as chief. He and his son both shot deliberately at my boy. He was filled with buckshot from his knees to his head. The Indians carried my boy towards home and found a spot where they lay him while they ran for the doctor.

A friend came and found me and said, “Sam, run home at once; your boy has been shot.” I ran all the way home and found my boy near death. The doctor was there and said my boy would not live. He was right; the boy died in a few minutes.

The man and son who had done the shooting were in my front yard visiting with members of the crowd that had gathered. They did not appear to be upset at their deed. My heart filled with revenge and hatred. Something seemed to whisper to me, “If you don’t take down your gun and kill that man who murdered your son, Sam Blue, you are a coward.”

Now I have been a Mormon ever since I have been a young lad and I knew it would not be right to take revenge. I decided to pray to the Lord about it. I walked to my secret place out in the timber where I always have gone to pray alone when I have a special problem, and there I prayed to the Lord to take revenge out of my heart. I soon felt better and started back to the house. But again I heard something inside whisper, again I turned back and prayed until I felt better. On my way back to the house I again heard the voice say, “Sam Blue, you are a coward.” I turned again and went back to pray and this time I told the Lord he must help me or I would be a killer. I asked him to take revenge out of my heart and keep it out. I felt good when I got up from praying. I went back to the house a third time and when I reached the house I went out and shook hands with the Indian who had killed my boy. There was no hatred or desire for revenge in my heart." (See Marion G. Romney, The Power of God unto Salvation, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 3 Feb. 1960], pp. 6–7.)

I am reminded that we don't have the strength on our own to forgive, we only have that power through Christ. It is ok to ask for that strength as many times as we need.

“Since forgiveness is an absolute requirement in attaining eternal life, man
naturally ponders: How can I best secure that forgiveness? One of many basic
factors stands out as indispensable immediately: One must forgive to be
forgiven.” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball,
(2006), 89-101