Agency

I know that agency is a true part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the premortal world, Satan's plan was for us to be forced to submit to the will of Heavenly Father. The plan of the Father included giving us agency, to choose the kind of life we want to live for ourselves. I have used my agency in this life to try many things of which the Lord would not approve. After I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I changed my life to be more suitable for the life of a Saint. These last few years I have learned so much more and I want all of my choices to be congruent with the Lord's choices for me. The gift of agency is a beautiful thing, because of it we can all learn and grow, and be blessed for it.

Here are some quotes from General Conference talks about agency:

As we obey our Heavenly Father’s commandments, our faith increases, we grow in wisdom and spiritual strength, and it becomes easier for us to make right choices. (Wolfgang H. Paul - April 2006 General Conference “The Gift of Agency” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/the-gift-of-agency?lang=eng)

Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. … Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us so that we can lift and strengthen others. (Robert D. Hales- April 2006 General Conference “To Act for Ourselves- The Gift and Blessings of Agency” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-of-agency?lang=eng)

My beloved brothers and sisters, don’t walk! Run! Run to receive the blessings of agency by following the Holy Ghost and exercising the freedoms God has given us to do His will.  (Robert D. Hales - April 2015 General Conference “Preserving Agency- Protecting Religious Freedom” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/preserving-agency-protecting-religious-freedom?lang=eng)

Similarly, our exercise of agency to keep the commandments enables us to fully understand who we are and receive all of the blessings our Heavenly Father has—including the opportunity to have a body, to progress, to experience joy, to have a family, and to inherit eternal life. (Robert D. Hales - April 2015 General Conference “Preserving Agency- Protecting Religious Freedom” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/preserving-agency-protecting-religious-freedom?lang=eng)

President Benson: God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” (Ezra Taft Benson - April 1989 General Conference “Beware of Pride” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng)

So we have a choice. On the one hand, there is the opinion of the world with its ever-changing theories and questionable motives. On the other hand, there is God's Word to His children—His eternal wisdom, His certain promises, and His loving instructions for returning to His presence in glory, love, and majesty. The choice is yours! (Dieter F. Uchtdorf - October 2014 General Conference “Living the Gospel Joyful” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/living-the-gospel-joyful?lang=eng)

Each choice you and I make is a test of our agency—whether we choose to be obedient or disobedient to the commandments of God is actually a choice between “liberty and eternal life” and “captivity and death.” (L. Tom Perry - April 2013 General Conference “Obedience to the Law is Liberty” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/obedience-to-law-is-liberty?lang=eng)

Pres Monson: When we came to the earth, we brought with us that great gift from God—even our agency. In thousands of 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 learn that decisions determine destiny. (Thomas S. Monson - October 2014 General Conference “Ponder the Path of thy Feet” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/ponder-the-path-of-thy-feet?lang=eng)

The Lord has given us all the source of hope as we struggle to help those we love accept their eternal inheritance. He has made promises to us as we keep trying to gather people to Him, even when they resist His invitation to do so. Their resistance saddens Him,but He does not quit, nor should we. He sets the perfect example for us with His persistent love.

Heavenly Father and the Savior are our perfect examples of what we can and must do. They never force righteousness because righteousness must be chosen. They make righteousness discernible to us, and They let us see that its fruits are delicious.

There are things you can do early, when those you love are young. Remember that daily family prayer, family scripture study, and sharing our testimony in sacrament meeting are easier and more effective when children are young. Young children are often more sensitive to the Spirit than we realize.

When they are older, they will remember the hymns they sang with you. Even more than recalling music,they will remember the words of scripture and testimony. The Holy Ghost can bring all things to their remembrance, but the words of scriptures and hymns will last the longest. Those memories will exert a pull that may bring them back when they wander for a time,possibly for years, from the pathway home to eternal life.

We will need the long view when those we love feel the pull of the world and the cloud of doubt seems to overwhelm their faith. We have faith, hope, and charity to guide us and to strengthen them. (Henry B. Eyring - April 2014 General Conference “A Priceless Heritage of Hope” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/a-priceless-heritage-of-hope?lang=eng)

The way for loving parents and grandparents and all of God’s servants will not be easy in a decaying world. We cannot force God's Children to choose the way to happiness. God cannot do that because of the agency He has given us. (Henry B. Eyring - October 2013 General Conference “To My Grandchildren” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/to-my-grandchildren?lang=eng)