http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-three-rs-of-choice?lang=eng
"We know that we had our agency before this world was and that Lucifer attempted to take it from us. He had no confidence in the principle of agency or in us and argued for imposed salvation. He insisted that with his plan none would be lost, but he seemed not to recognize—or perhaps not to care—that in addition, none would be any wiser, any stronger, any more compassionate, or any more grateful if his plan were followed."
** Agency is an eternal principle that we came to earth with. We had our agency before we came here.
Robert D. Hales - April 2006, To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency
www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-
"We have been given agency, we have been given the blessings of the priesthood, and we have been given the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghostfor a reason. That reason is our growth and happiness in this world and eternal life in the world to come. Today I ask, have we received that Spirit? Are we following on the strait and narrow path that leads to God and eternal life? Are we holding onto the iron rod, or are we going another way? I testify that how we choose to feel and think and act every day is the way we get on the path, and stay on it, until we reach our eternal destination."
** How we choose to behave every day will be the guide to if we are on the righteous path. We have the agency and the Light of Christ to guide us through our lives.
Boyd K. Packer - April 1988, Atonement, Agency, Accountablility
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1988/04/atonement-agency-accountability?lang=eng
"An atonement was made. Ever and always it offers amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent. Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and agency is ours to use it.
How supernally precious freedom is; how consummately valuable is the agency of man."
** Our gift of agency is a sweet and valuable freedom that is our choice to use.
** Our gift of agency is a sweet and valuable freedom that is our choice to use.
Robert D Hales – October 2011, Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2011/10/waiting-upon-the-lord-thy-will-be-done?lang=eng&clang=eng
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2011/10/waiting-upon-the-lord-thy-will-be-done?lang=eng&clang=eng
"The purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences."
“We realize that the purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences. How do we do this? The scriptures give us an answer in one simple phrase: we “wait upon the Lord.”12 Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son. He already knows, and we have the opportunity to learn, that no matter how difficult our circumstances, “all these things shall [be for our] experience, and … [our] good.”13
**Our trials are given to us for us to know that we will use our agency wisely, that we will turn to our Father and wait upon the Lord for the peace that knowing His way brings.
Henry B. Eyring - Jan. 3, 1999, Always
CES Fireside, Brigham Young University 1998–99 Speeches, pg 1-8
"I must add to my pleading a warning. You have the right and the obligation to choose for
yourselves. You can search the scriptures or not. You can choose to work hard enough, to
ponder, and to obey His commandments, so that the Holy Ghost can be your companion.
Then you will come to know the Savior better and better and your heart will swell with love for Him, or you can choose to delay. You can choose to drift, deciding past efforts will be enough.
My warning is a simple matter of cause and effect. Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the
world. If we do not choose to move toward Him, we will find that we have moved away."
** We can choose for ourselves how we will serve the Lord. There is no drifting, we are either moving towards Christ or away from Him
Dallin H. Oaks- October 11, 1987, Free Agency and Freedom
Fireside address given at Brigham Young University
"1. Before the world was created, we existed in the presence of God.2. Free agency is a gift of God.
3. We had free agency in the pre-mortal existence.
4. There Satan presented a plan that would have taken away our free agency.
5. When God rejected Satan’s plan, Satan and those who followed him rebelled
and were cast out of heaven.
6. Pursuant to God’s plan, Adam and Eve made the choice that caused the Fall, making
mankind subject to mortality and sin in the world.
7. We are here to be tested, and this cannot occur without opposition in all things.
8. To provide that opposition, Satan is permitted to try to persuade us to use our free
agency to choose evil.
9. If we choose evil and do not repent, we can ultimately become captives of Satan."
© INTELLECTUAL RESERVE, INC. 1
Free Agency and Freedom
DALLIN H. OAKS
Dallin H. Oaks was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given at Brigham Young University on 11 October
1987.
** Elder Oaks manages to break down the essence of this talk into nine informative steps. Each one has a significant meaning.
Richard G. Scott - September 15, 1998, Learning to Succeed in Life
Devotional Address, Brigham Young University
"There are two patterns for making decisions in life: The first I will call Decisions Based upon
Circumstance; the second, Decisions Based upon Eternal Truth.
Worthy character centered in truth, fortified by continuing correct decisions, and anchored
in integrity is what I know you have decided to acquire in your life or you wouldn’t be here.
Here you enjoy a personal freedom that likely you have never had before. That freedom can be a friend or enemy, depending upon how it is used. You will come to find that the restraints provided
by the teachings of the Lord actually form a platform leading to greater freedom. Should
they be hurriedly dismantled in the excitement of increased personal choice, serious problems
can result. Carefully consider your options and make correct choices to establish the proper
priorities in this critical phase of your life."
Richard G. Scott was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at BYU on 15 September 1998.
** We need to use our agency to make correct choices based on Eternal truth, rather than circumstance. As we establish proper priorities we will avoid problems and draw closer to the Lord.
Thomas S. Monson - April 2012, The Race of Life
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-race-of-life?lang=eng&query=agency
"Clearly, one primary purpose of our existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bones. 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."
** As we exercise our agency we learn for ourselves what will bring us closer to the Lord, and what will draw us away.
Richard G. Scott - April 1992, Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse
"Know that the wicked choice of others cannot completely destroy your agency unless you permit it. Their acts may cause pain, anguish, even physical harm, but they cannot destroy your eternal possibilities in this brief but crucial life on earth. You must understand that you are free to determine to overcome the harmful results of abuse. Your attitude can control the change for good in your life. It allows you to have the help the Lord intends you to receive. No one can take away your ultimate opportunities when you understand and live eternal law. The laws of your Heavenly Father and the atonement of the Lord have made it possible that you will not be robbed of the opportunities which come to the children of God."
**My eternal possibilities can not be changes by the actions of others. While I may be harmed, I still retain my agency as to how I will react.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf - October 2005, Christlike Attributes - The Wind Beneath our Wings
"The principle of spiritual self-reliance grows out of a fundamental doctrine of the Church that 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."
**The gift of agency is one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. By granting us this gift our Father has given us a glimpse of His eternity and helped us see the consequences of our actions.
Thomas S. Monson - May 2012, General Conference is for you: Words of a Prophet
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2012/05/general-conference-is-for-you/words-of-the-prophet?lang=eng&query=agency
"Clearly, one primary purpose of our existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bones. 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."
** We are privileged to choose for ourselves what we will do. It is a gift that we are given. We will learn and discover the consequences of our actions.
David A. Bednar - April 2005, The Tender Mercies of the Lord
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng&query=agency
As we learn in the scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift ofagency were to love one another and to choose God. Thus we become God’s chosen and invite His tender mercies as we use our agency to choose God.
**Learning to love one another is one of the purposes of why we are given our agency. The Lord will bless us with tender mercies as we choose to serve him.
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2012/05/general-conference-is-for-you/words-of-the-prophet?lang=eng&query=agency
"Clearly, one primary purpose of our existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bones. 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."
** We are privileged to choose for ourselves what we will do. It is a gift that we are given. We will learn and discover the consequences of our actions.
David A. Bednar - April 2005, The Tender Mercies of the Lord
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng&query=agency
As we learn in the scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift ofagency were to love one another and to choose God. Thus we become God’s chosen and invite His tender mercies as we use our agency to choose God.
**Learning to love one another is one of the purposes of why we are given our agency. The Lord will bless us with tender mercies as we choose to serve him.
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