“Chapter 5: Agency: The Gift of Choice,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Thomas S. Monson (2020)

“Chapter 5,” Teachings: Thomas S. Monson

Chapter 5

Agency: The Gift of Choice

“All of our choices have consequences, some of which have little or nothing to do with our eternal salvation and others of which have everything to do with it.”

From the Life of Thomas S. Monson

“I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for His gift of agency, or the right to choose,” President Monson said.¹ Among his many teachings about using agency wisely, he related the following account from his own life:

“My mind goes back to a day when I was approaching my eighteenth birthday. We were all very fearful. World War II was still being fought, and every young man knew that he had to make a choice. There was not much latitude to the choice: he could choose to go into the army, or he could choose to go into the navy. I enlisted in the navy.

“Forty-four of us young men stood there in the recruiting office. I shall never forget the chief petty officers coming up to us and presenting a choice. They said, ‘Now, you young men must make an important choice. On one hand, you can be wise and choose to join the regular navy. You can enlist for four years. You will receive the finest schooling. You will be given every opportunity because the navy looks upon you as its own. If you choose not to follow this direction, you can go into the naval reserves. The navy does not have much interest in the naval reserves at this stage of the game. You will receive no schooling. You will be sent out to sea duty. No one knows what your future might be.’

“Then they asked us to sign on the dotted line. I turned to my father and said, ‘What should I do, Dad?’

“In a voice choked with emotion, he replied, ‘I don’t know anything about the navy.’ That was the position of every father who was there that day.

“Forty-two of the forty-four enlisted in the regular navy for four years. The forty-third one could not pass the regular navy physical, so he had to enlist in the reserves.

“Then they came to me; and I confess to you that I sent a prayer heavenward, earnestly hoping that the Lord would answer it. And he did. The thought came to me just as clearly as though I had heard a voice, ‘Ask those chief petty officers which they chose.’

“I asked each of those veteran petty officers: ‘Did you choose the regular navy, or did you choose the reserves?’

“Each of them had chosen the reserves.

“I turned and said, ‘With all the wisdom and experience that you have, I want to be on your side.’

“I chose the reserves, which meant that I enlisted for the duration of the war, plus six months. The war ended, and within a year I was honorably discharged from the service. I was able to continue my schooling. I had the privilege of serving in many Church capacities. Who knows how the course of my life might have been changed had I not taken that moment to call upon my Heavenly Father for guidance and direction in what might appear to some to have been a minor decision!”²

Tom Monson served in the United States Naval Reserve in 1945 and 1946.

Teachings of Thomas S. Monson

When we came to the earth, we brought with us the gift of agency.

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 [alternative to the Father’s 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 [alternative] were followed.³

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.⁴

Heavenly Father gave us the great gift of agency before we came to the earth.

In the very beginning, after [Heavenly Father] had pointed out to Adam the trees in the Garden from which he might freely eat, He then directed Adam’s attention to one tree and advised him that he should not partake of the fruit thereof. He then added, “Nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” [Moses 3:17].⁵

The prophet Lehi tells us: “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they 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; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” [2 Nephi 2:27]. … Within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose.⁶

Our Savior invites us to follow His example.

I am certain we left our Father with an overwhelming desire to return to Him, that we might gain the exaltation He planned for us and which we ourselves so much wanted. Although we are left to find and follow that path which will lead us back to our Father in Heaven, He did not send us here without direction and guidance. Rather, He has given us the tools we need, and He will assist us as we seek His help and strive to do all in our power to endure to the end and gain eternal life.

To help guide us we have the words of God and of His Son found in our holy scriptures. We have the counsel and teachings of God’s prophets. Of paramount importance, we have been provided with a perfect example to follow—even the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—and we have been instructed to follow that example. Said the Savior Himself: … “The works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” [3 Nephi 27:21]. He posed the question, “What manner of men ought ye to be?” And then He answered, “Verily I say unto you, even as I am” [3 Nephi 27:27]. …

As we look to Jesus as our Exemplar and as we follow in His footsteps, we can return safely to our Heavenly Father to live with Him forever. … We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked. All of us can walk the path He walked when, with His words ringing in our ears, His Spirit filling our hearts, and His teachings guiding our lives, we choose to follow Him as we journey through mortality.⁷

Turn your hearts and direct your thoughts to Him who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” [John 14:6]. His word is an unfailing compass to safely chart a true course through the storms of life. He taught faith, love, charity, and hope. He spoke of devotion, courage, example, and fidelity. His life reflected his teachings.

To Peter, to Philip, to Matthew he said, “Come, follow me.” To you his inviting voice repeats that same call, “Come, follow me.” By so doing, [you] will not fall victim to the evil one’s cunning and to temptation’s snare.⁸

Each of us can choose now to stay on the path that leads to eternal life.

When driving to my home years ago, … I noticed three hitchhikers, each one of whom carried a homemade sign that announced his desired destination. One sign read “Los Angeles,” while a second carried the designation “Boise.” However, it was the third sign that not only caught my attention, but also caused me to reflect and ponder its message. The hitchhiker had lettered not Los Angeles, California, nor Boise, Idaho, on the cardboard sign he held aloft. Rather, his sign consisted of but one word and read simply “Anywhere.”

Here was one who was content to travel in any direction, according to the whim of the driver who stopped to give him a free ride. What an enormous price to pay for such a ride! No plan. No objective. No goal. The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere, and the road to nowhere leads to dreams sacrificed, opportunities squandered, and a life unfulfilled.

… You and I have the God-given gift to choose the direction we go. … Each must ask the questions: Where am I going? How do I intend to get there? And what is my divine destiny?⁹

It has been said that the gate of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.

Joshua of old declared, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” [Joshua 24:15].¹⁰

We cannot be neutral; there is no middle ground. The Lord knows this; Lucifer knows this. As long as we live upon this earth, Lucifer and his hosts will never abandon the hope of claiming our souls. …

We are surrounded—even at times bombarded—by the messages of the adversary. Listen to some of them; they are no doubt familiar to you: “Just this once won’t matter.” “Don’t worry; no one will know.” “You can stop smoking or drinking or taking drugs any time you want.” “Everybody’s doing it, so it can’t be that bad.” The lies are endless.

Although in our journey we will encounter forks and turnings in the road, we simply cannot afford the luxury of a detour from which we may never return. Lucifer, that clever pied piper, plays his lilting melody and attracts the unsuspecting away from the safety of their chosen pathway, away from the counsel of loving parents, away from the security of God’s teachings. …

We read of him in 2 Nephi: “Others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security” [2 Nephi 28:21]. “Others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell . . . until he grasps them with his awful chains” [2 Nephi 28:22]. “And thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell” [2 Nephi 28:21].

When faced with significant choices, how do we decide? Do we succumb to the promise of momentary pleasure? To our urges and passions? To the pressure of our peers?

Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”

The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take” [adapted from Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1898), 89].

Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for by choosing our path, we choose our destination. …

I plead with you to make a determination right here, right now, not to deviate from the path which will lead to our goal: eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Along that straight and true path there are other goals: missionary service, temple marriage, Church activity, scripture study, prayer, temple work. There are countless worthy goals to reach as we travel through life. Needed is our commitment to reach them.¹¹

Great courage will be required as we remain faithful and true amid the ever-increasing pressures and insidious influences with which we are surrounded and which distort the truth, tear down the good and the decent, and attempt to substitute the man-made philosophies of the world. If the commandments had been written by man, then to change them by inclination or legislation or by any other means would be the prerogative of man. The commandments, however, were God-given. Using our agency, we can set them aside. We cannot, however, change them, just as we cannot change the consequences which come from disobeying and breaking them.

“I plead with you … not to deviate from the path which will lead to our goal: eternal life with our Father in Heaven.”

May we realize that our greatest happiness in this life will come as we follow God’s commandments and obey His laws! I love the words found in Isaiah chapter 32, verse 17: “The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Such peace, such assurance can come only through righteousness.¹²

May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that choice—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice.¹³

As we repent of our sins, the Lord will forgive us.

All of our choices have consequences, some of which have little or nothing to do with our eternal salvation and others of which have everything to do with it.

Whether you wear a green T-shirt or a blue one makes no difference in the long run. However, whether you decide to push a key on your computer which will take you to pornography can make all the difference in your life. You will have just taken a step off the straight, safe path. If a friend pressures you to drink alcohol or to try drugs and you succumb to the pressure, you are taking a detour from which you may not return. … We are [all] susceptible. May we keep our eyes, our hearts, and our determination focused on that goal which is eternal and worth any price we will have to pay, regardless of the sacrifice we must make to reach it.

No temptation, no pressure, no enticing can overcome us unless we allow such. … The Apostle Paul has assured us, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” [1 Corinthians 10:13].

We have all made incorrect choices. If we have not already corrected such choices, I assure you that there is a way to do so. The process is called repentance. I plead with you to correct your mistakes. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Although the path is not easy, the promise is real: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” [Isaiah 1:18]. “And I, the Lord, remember them no more” [Doctrine and Covenants 58:42]. Don’t put your eternal life at risk. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness.¹⁴

One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.¹⁵

The reward of eternal life requires wise choices and courageous, continuous effort.

Our Heavenly Father has given to each of us the power to think and reason and decide. With such power, self-discipline becomes a necessity.

Each of us has the responsibility to choose. You may ask, “Are decisions really that important?” I say to you, decisions determine destiny. You can’t make eternal decisions without eternal consequences.

May I provide a simple formula by which you can measure the choices which confront you. It’s easy to remember: “You can’t be right by doing wrong; you can’t be wrong by doing right.” …

… Courage is required to think right, choose right, and do right, for such a course will rarely, if ever, be the easiest to follow.¹⁶

You are of a noble birthright. Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is your goal. Such a goal is not achieved in one glorious attempt but rather is the result of a lifetime of righteousness, an accumulation of wise choices, even a constancy of purpose. As with anything really worthwhile, the reward of eternal life requires effort.

The scriptures are clear:

“Ye shall observe to do … as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

“Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you” [Deuteronomy 5:32–33].¹⁷

May we know where we are going, be willing to make the continuous effort required to get there, avoid any detour, and be willing to pay the often very high price of faith and determination to win life’s race.

At the end of our mortal journey, may we be able to echo the words of Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” [2 Timothy 4:7]. By so doing we shall be given that “crown of righteousness” which perisheth not, and hear the plaudit from our Eternal Judge: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” [Matthew 25:21].

We will then have completed our journey. Not to a nebulous “Anywhere,” but to our heavenly home—even eternal life in the celestial kingdom of God.¹⁸

Suggestions for Study and Teaching

Questions

Why is it necessary for us to have agency in mortality? (See section 1.) What have you learned through exercising your agency?
President Monson emphasized that Heavenly Father has provided help for us to exercise our agency wisely (see section 2). What are some of the “tools” that Heavenly Father has given to assist us? How have these tools helped you make good choices? How has the Savior’s example helped you exercise your agency wisely?
President Monson taught that “we cannot be neutral; there is no middle ground” (section 3). Why does the adversary want us to be neutral? What are some ways he tempts us to misuse our agency? How can we recognize and resist his messages?
Review President Monson’s teachings about repentance in section 4. How has repentance brought you “peace and joy”? How have you seen that “one of God’s greatest gifts is the joy of trying again”?
President Monson often taught that “decisions determine destiny” (section 5). What counsel does he give that will help us make decisions that will lead us to eternal life? How can we improve our resolve to consistently make good choices?

Related Scriptures

Joshua 24:15; 2 Nephi 2:14–16, 26; 31:17–20; Helaman 14:30–31; Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–28; 101:78; Moses 4:1–4

Teaching Help

“People are more likely to make meaningful changes in their lives when those changes come from their own exercise of agency. When you extend invitations to act, be sure to respect the agency of those you teach” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way [2016], 35).