Quote Journal: Agency

1) “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.” (Thomas S. Monson, Crisis at the Crossroads, 2002 November New Era, http://www.lds.org)

2) “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 the life itself. We have the honorable right to choose; therefore, we need to choose the right. This is not always easy.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Your Right to Choose the Right, 2005 August New Era, http://www.lds.org)

3) "To avoid being deceived, we much also follow the promptings of that Spirit [the Holy Ghost]. The Lord taught this principle in the 46^th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: ‘That which is 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 the earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given’ (vv. 7-8).’” (Dallin H. Oaks, Be Not Deceived, 2004 November Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

4) “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.” (David A. Bednar, And Nothing Shall Offend Them, 2006 November Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

5) “Life’s journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. 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. The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has never been so, and so shall it ever be.” (Thomas S. Monson, The Call for Courage, 2004 Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

6) “As we learn in [the] scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift of agency 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… The Father’s work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. Our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind, and strength- and we thereby become chosen and, through the Holy Ghost, receive and recognize the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives.” (David A. Bednar, The Tender Mercies of the Lord, 2005 May Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

7) “You live in a time of great challenges and opportunities. As spirit sons of heavenly parents, you are free to make the right choices. This requires hard work, self-discipline, and an optimistic outlook, which will bring joy and freedom into your life now and in the future.”(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, See the End from the Beginning, 2006 May Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

8) “Your Heavenly Father loves each of you and has sent you to earth with a purpose. He has revealed a plan of happiness that, if followed, will ultimately bring you home to His presence, having triumphed over the trials and challenges of this world. Committing yourself now to live by the pattern the lord has set will give you great strength in the proper use of your moral agency. 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).” (John B. Dickson, Commitment to the Lord, 2007 May Ensign, http://www.lds.org)

9) “If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil-all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency… there would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, and eternal life, and godhood.” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 1982, http://www.lds.org)

10) “When we came into this world, we brought with us from our heavenly home this God-given gift and privilege which we call our agency. It gives us the right and power to make decisions and to choose. Agency is an eternal law. President Brigham Young, speaking of our agency, taught: ‘This is a law which has always existed from all eternity, and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to come. Every intelligent being must have the power of choice.’(Deseret News, Oct. 10, 1866).” (Wolfgang H. Paul, The Gift of Agency, 2006 May Ensign, http://www.lds.org)