My Thoughts
Agency
is such a wonderful gift. I am so grateful that our Father in Heaven loves us
so fully that He desired for us to come down to this earth, receive a body, and
make our own choices with the hope of coming back to Him. I am thankful for my
Savoir who performed the Atonement and died for me that I might be forgiven for
all my wrong choices. I appreciate my parents who continually loved me as they
allowed me to make my own choices, some of which were not always the wisest. I
know because of those choices I made and the love I felt from my Heavenly
Father and earthly parents I had a strong desire to return to where I should be
and feel worthy of receiving their love. I know that as I continue to make the
choice to repent and come unto Christ I will have a wonderful life full of
happiness and joy.
Quotes
“Agency—our power to choose—is fundamental to the gospel plan that brings us to earth. God does not intervene to forestall the consequences of some persons’ choices in order to protect the well-being of other persons—even when they kill, injure, or oppress one another—for this would destroy His plan for our eternal progress (compare Alma 42:8). He will bless us to endure the consequences of others’ choices, but He will not prevent those choices (compare Mosiah 24:14–15).”
, “Love and Law,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 27–28
"We were given our agency. We must use it wisely and remain close to the Spirit; otherwise, we foolishly find ourselves yielding to the enticements of the adversary. We know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ our mistakes can be washed clean, and our mortal body will be restored to its perfect frame.
" 'For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God' (Moroni 7:16).
"There is a perfect manner of communication through the Spirit, 'for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God' (1 Corinthians 2:10)."
“Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. 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 a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.”
"We tend to think of agency as a personal matter. If we ask someone to define 'moral agency,' the answer will probably be something like this: 'Moral agency means I am free to make choices for myself.' Often overlooked is the fact that choices have consequences; we forget also that agency offers the same privilege of choice to others. At times we will be affected adversely by the way other people choose to exercise their agency. Our Heavenly Father feels so strongly about protecting our agency that he allows his children to exercise it, either for good or for evil."
"To avoid being deceived, we must also follow the promptings of that Spirit [the Holy Ghost]. The Lord taught this principle in the 46th section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
" 'That which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men. . . .
" 'Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given' (vv. 7-8)."
"Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."
"The way to exaltation is not a freeway featuring unlimited vision, unrestricted speeds, and untested skills. Rather, it is known by many forks and turnings, sharp curves, and controlled speeds. Our driving ability is being put to the test. Are we ready? We’re driving. We haven’t passed this way before. Fortunately, the Master Highway Builder, even our Heavenly Father, has provided a road map showing the route to follow. He has placed markers along the way to guide us to our destination."
"You are to do the choosing here and now during this exciting and wonderful time on earth. Moral agency, the freedom to choose, is certainly one of God's greatest gifts next to life itself. We have the honorable right to choose; therefore, we need to choose the right. This is not always easy."
The sincere commitments you make to yourself and to the Lord will be vital. We learn from the book of Psalms to 'commit thy way unto the Lord; . . . and he shall bring it to pass' (Psalm 37:5)."
