Agency

With the passing of the 4th of July I have been thinking about freedom. We are so blessed to live in a free country. As I pondered this a bit I thought of an even greater freedom that we all enjoy and that is our agency, the freedom to choose. I am so grateful for that great gift. We all have been given the ability and the freedom to make choices, whether they are right or wrong.

The prophet Wilford Woodruff said: “God has given unto all of His children … individual agency. … [We] possessed it in the heaven of heavens before the world was, and the Lord maintained and defended it there against the aggression of Lucifer. … By virtue of this agency you and I and all mankind are made responsible beings, responsible for the course we pursue, the lives we live, the deeds we do.”

What a wonderful gift we have been given to have the freedom to choose and to be ultimately responsible for ourselves. But how much greater is the gift of the Atonement that allows us to be forgiven of wrong choices, to make changes, and to become better. I am so grateful for these two wonderful gifts of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and of our agency.

Joshua 24:15
Choose you this day whom ye will serve....but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.