Repentance is the only real thing that Christ and the prophets taught. All the information supplemental to keeping the commandments was probably only given to give us more reason to keep the commandments.
Obedience is the key to avoiding repentance, but as we are all sinners and weak, there is much to be learned and experience the hard way. Obedience is also the key to repentance, because if we are not obedient to the commandments then we haven't repented fully.
Agency is the key to obedience. If we choose to obey of our own free will and determination, then we are on a path of eternal progression. Not one minute of our lives is empty of decision. We have to decide what to do with our time and talents. Our desires are to be given to the Lord for Him to make them come to fruition, as He is our Gardner.
Faith is the key to using agency correctly. Believing in His will over ours, frees us of the weight of the world and gives us the power to overcome. We must realize that it is His grace by which we keep breathing. He can let us go of this burden of breathing at any time. He lets us live on so that we might learn faith in Him and repent. By our relinquishing our wills to Him, He can give us what we righteously desire. But, if our desires are His desires then vice versa and that is the way to happiness, as He knows whats best for us.
Hope in a better world is often lost when we look at all the injustice, lack of charity, and lack of obedience to God. We find it hard to see the world as anything but hostile in such a state. But, the Savior did come to earth and did show us the way out of all of the turmoil and despair. Hope in Him and His resurrection gives us a motivation to do good, as it is possible to overcome all things as He has done. Hope that humanity can change and be better. Hope that virtue and integrity are not vain but eternal. Hope that there is purpose to love.
Charity is the key to our success. Without it, we are nothing. Charity is the purpose of all that we do in the church. It is the "pure love of Christ" and those that serve Christ are those that serve others. Its neither convenient, nor easy but is the only thing that counts. Blogs, tweets, pictures, possessions, foods, electronics, buildings, all are subject to annihilation by force but Charity withstands any force as the Savior proved in His agonizing atonement, where He withstood all the combined force of the world because He loved us.
