Agency

"Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance."

—Richard G. Scott, "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance"

"We have implanted in our souls a desire to be free. The Lord understood this when He granted us our mortal probation. With that freedom, however, comes accountability. We are instructed not to idle away our time nor bury our talents and not use them. We are expected to make our lives better through our own initiatives and efforts."

—L. Tom Perry, "Youth of the Noble Birthright"

"Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them. They provide opportunities for growth as children acquire the spiritual maturity to exercise their agency properly. And yes, this means children will sometimes make mistakes and learn from them."

—Elder Larry Y. Wilson, "Only upon the Principles of Righteousness"

"For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale. In that story the main character must overcome adversity.You will experience your own adversity.It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life’s story will develop. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your ‘once upon a time’ is now.”     - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Your Happily Ever After”

“The first gift that Adam and Eve received was agency: ‘Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee’ (Moses 3:17).

You have that same agency. Use it wisely to deny acting on any impure impulse or unholy temptation that may come into your mind. Just do not go there, and if you are already there, come back out of it. ‘Deny yourselves of all ungodliness’ (Moroni 10:32).”

-       President Boyd K. Packer, “How to Survive in Enemy Territory”

“We are surrounded by the messages of the adversary: ‘Just this once won’t matter.’ ‘Don’t worry; no one will know.’ Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed—the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny.”

-       President Thomas S. Monson, “Decide Right Now”

“We have also been given the gift of agency. In a thousand ways we are privileged to choose for ourselves. Here we learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. We discern between good and evil. We differentiate as to the bitter and the sweet. We discover that there are consequences attached to our actions.”

-       President Thomas S. Monson, “General Conference Is For You”

“Precious young women, make every decision you contemplate pass this test: ‘What does it do to me? What does it do for me?’ And let your code of conduct emphasize not ‘What will others think?’ but rather ‘What will I think of myself?’ Be influenced by that still, small voice. Remember that one with authority placed his hands on your head at the time of your confirmation and said, ‘Receive the Holy Ghost.’ Open your hearts, even your very souls, to the sound of that special voice which testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, ‘Thine ears shall hear a word … saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.’”

-       President Thomas S. Monson, “Believe, Obey and Endure”

“I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for His gift of agency, or the right to choose. President David O. McKay, ninth President of the Church, said, ‘Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.’”

-       President Thomas S. Monson, “The Three Rs Of Choice”

“The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.” To me, this teaching is beautifully straightforward. As we strive to understand, internalize, and live correct gospel principles, we will become more spiritually self-reliant. The principle of spiritual self-reliance grows out of a fundamental doctrine of the Church: God has granted us agency. I believe that moral agency is one of the greatest gifts of God unto His children, next to life itself. When I study and ponder moral agency and its eternal consequences, I realize that we are truly spirit children of God and therefore should act accordingly. This understanding also reminds me that as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are part of a great worldwide family of Saints.”

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Developing Christ-like Attributes”

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I'm so grateful for agency! The whole point for us to even come to this earth was to gain a body, and to have earthly experiences where we have to choose and make mistakes. If we didn't have agency, then we wouldn't be able to know happiness and sorrow from the consequences of our choices. If we had no agency, then we wouldn't be able to grow and be strengthened; we wouldn't be who we are today. Agency can cause many problems, heartache and sorrow, yet it can also bring much happiness. If we choose the Lord's way, we are showing him how much we love him and want to come unto him; if there was no agency, then we wouldn't have a way to do this. Although agency can be difficult, I really am so grateful for the gift of it, and the freedoms we have with it.

We should be so grateful for the freedoms we have!