We have been commanded many times in the scriptures to forgive. One example of this is in 1 Kings 8:50. It says, "and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive..."
I have learned about the importance of forgiveness in my own life. I went through quite a process to be able to truly forgive my ex-husband for many things that should not have happened when we were married and for a while after we were divorced. It was not an easy process, but things that help us grow spiritually and emotionally are never easy.
One important thing that learned in this process was that forgiveness is not for the person who hurt us. There are many times that the person we are forgiving either does not care if they are forgiven or does not know we have forgiven them. Forgiveness is for the person who forgives. When we forgive, it opens our hearts up to be loved and love others as well. When I forgave my ex-husband, I was able to show my husband and children the way they deserved to be loved.

As I have studied forgiveness, I have learned a lot from the scriptures. There is not a shortage of verses where we have been commanded to forgive others. I have really enjoyed the verses that show that not only have we been commanded to forgive, but the Lord has promised us that He will forgive us when we do so. One example of this is Doctrine and Covenants 82:1 which says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you." I love this verse. It shows that the Lord not only wants us to do this, He is willing to do the same thing for us.
We all sin and need forgivness from the Lord. The only way we can be save is through his forgiveness and mercy. We cannot receive this without extending the same to our fellow human beings.