Young Alma was so deep in his sin that it was most difficult for him to humble himself toward repentance, but when his experiences broke down his resistance, softened his rebellion and overcame his stubbornness, he began to see himself in his true light and appraise his situation as it really was.
His hard heart was softened. His repentance was being born. Listen to his words of confession. Though these words of Alma are used in this book in connection with other phases of the gospel, they are repeated here as an indication of conviction of guilt: [ Alma 36:12–16.]
Conviction brought ‘sorrow to repentance’ through torment-racking memory. His sin pains were exquisite and bitter. Alma had convinced himself.
For additional scriptural references to godly sorrow see 2 Corinthians 7:9–10, Mosiah 4:1–3, 3 Nephi 9:20, Mormon 2:12–14, and Moroni 9:25.
(Church Educational System, The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 157–58)