Our dear family and friends. It's a beautiful sabbath evening. We hope and pray that this message finds each of you well and full of the Love of Christ in your families and daily life.
The Miracle by Shawna Edwards (with Lyrics)
Moral Agency - what is it?
The following is a quote from an article published in the New Era in October 2014. We invite you to read this.
Agents unto Ourselves
Because the scriptures teach that we are “free to choose,” “free to act,” and free to do things “of [our] own free will” (2 Nephi 2:27; 10:23; D&C 58:27; see also Helaman 14:30), we often use the term “free agency.”
But did you know that the phrase “free agency” does not appear in the scriptures? Instead, the scriptures teach “that every man may act in doctrine and principle … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins” (D&C 101:78; emphasis added).
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught: “The word agency appears [in scriptures] either by itself or with the modifier moral. … When we use the term moral agency, we are appropriately emphasizing the accountability that is an essential part of the divine gift of agency. We are moral beings and agents unto ourselves, free to choose but also responsible for our choices.”3
President Packer adds, “Agency is defined in the scriptures as ‘moral agency,’ which means that we can choose between good and evil.”4 This God-given gift means we are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27).
“While you are free to choose your course of action, you are not free to choose the consequences. Whether for good or bad, consequences follow as a natural result of the choices you make.”2
Moral Agency | D. Todd Christofferson | 2006 Approx 29 minutes
Follow the Prophet
Do we have an obligation to follow every word that comes from a Prophet of God? Are we to blindly follow everything that he or they might say? If so, do we then have real agency?
Elder Bednar: Mormon Moral Agency - You Are Not Free To Do What You Want approx 4 minutes
We are promised that the Prophet of God will never be allowed to lead us astray. What does that mean? How do we find the answers to all of our questions? Could the Lord have the prophet make a statement that we might question? Sure, why? Because he wants us to learn how to hear HIM. He wants us to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He wants us to have the ability to go to the Lord with everything. The Prophet will never lead us astray from the path to Jesus Christ. Everything else or should I say. Even the path to Jesus Christ as given to us by the Prophets, the prophet himself, and the Lord Jesus Christ expect us to ask the Lord in faith, to e told by the Holy Spirit that is the path to follow. Even here the Lord does not want us to blindly follow all the prophet's words.
Why I believe it is to help us learn how to hear the voice of the Lord. Then when we become more comfortable hearing him on spiritual matters, we will then be more comfortable to hear His directions for us in this Temporal World.
Savior Redeemer of My Soul - Dallyn Bayles, Jenny Oaks Baker & Lyceum Philharmonic
Now for some personal questions about following the prophet. As human beings living in the Telestial Kingdom, we tend to follow only certain things. These questions are for me especially, but perhaps will give you a little perspective on your thinking.
Do you follow the Prophet?
Do I always make every effort possible to minister to my assigned brothers and sisters? Especially during this pandemic?
Do I (for those who have been endowed). Do I wear the temple garment both day and night as instructed in the Temple?
Do I attend my Sacrament and Priesthood/Relief Society meeting whenever possible?
Do I pray regularly?
Do I hold a regular family home evening
Do I make efforts to establish food storage in my home?
Do I read/study my scriptures regularly?
The list could go on and on. Be careful in judging others especially during this time of so much divisiveness. We all have our Moral Agency to choose for ourselves. The war in Heaven continues today.
We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet
Have we developed that closeness to Jesus Christ to rely on Him for direction no matter the question? We (especially me Steve) have such a long way to go. But, I am trying in my own way.
#HearHim: President Nelson Invites Us to Hear the Voice of the Lord approx 2 minutes
We testify to you that we do have a living prophet on the earth. Russel M. Nelson has been called and ordained to be the Prophet. He will always guide us to Jesus Christ. He lives!! He loves each of us no matter if we are the worst of the worst, of all his children. He and our Heavenly Parents love each of us.
They are like us super happy when we obey as when our children listen and obey us. We have a living prophet. Listen to all his words, especially when he teaches us that we must develop that relationship with the Savior in order to survive the coming trials.
The day might come when we no longer have communication with Church Headquarters. If the prophet cant tell us what to do because we haven't developed the ability to think for ourselves and seek the Lord's direction what will we do?
We love each of you. Many we (I) know just slightly or I have had contact with you from somewhere because your phone number and name are in my cell phone directly.
I try to listen to the spirit as I individually send out the message of invitation to read my blog. Not all of you get the invite each week. Why? You will have to ask the Lord.
May our Heavenly Fathers choicest blessings be with you and your families is our prayer for all of us. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.