Why do the choices I make matter?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

Heavenly Father has given us moral agency, the ability to choose and act for ourselves. While we are free to make our own choices, we cannot choose the consequences of those choices. Good choices lead to lasting happiness and eternal life. If we ask Him, Heavenly Father will help us make wise choices.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Joshua 24:15 (We can choose to serve the Lord)
John 14:15 (Our good choices show our love for Heavenly Father and our desire to do His will)
2 Nephi 2:16, 27; Helaman 14:30–31 (We are free to choose and act for ourselves)
Moroni 7:14–15 (It is given to us to judge between good and evil)
Gary B. Sabin, “Stand Up Inside and Be All In,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 52–55
Thomas S. Monson, “Choices,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 86
Dallin H. Oaks, “Small and Simple Things,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 89–92
“Agency,” True to the Faith (2004), 12–13
“Agency and Accountability” and “Music and Dancing,” For the Strength of Youth (2011), 2–3, 22–23
“Stay within the Lines” (video)

5:10
“No Regrets” (video)

5:38
“Leave the Party” (video)

6:26
“Dangerous Tides” (video)

3:27
“Going to Grandma’s” (video)

4:2

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

Ponder the significant decisions you have made in your life. How have these decisions affected you and others? What have you learned from them?

As you pray for each young man, ponder the decisions he is making. How will these decisions affect him now and in the future?

What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?
Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?
Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.

What do you think it means to be “all in”? What do you think it means to “stand up inside”? Invite the young men to read the examples and stories Elder Gary B. Sabin used to define these phrases in his talk “Stand Up Inside and Be All In.” What are some spiritual things that people might do half-heartedly? How can we choose to be spiritually “all in”? It might be fun for the young men to create Mormonads using the phrases “stand up inside” or “all in” and the examples Elder Sabin gave. They could also incorporate their own examples.
Invite each young man to silently read “Agency and Accountability” in For the Strength of Youth and share what impresses him. Quorum members could then choose another standard in the book and share some choices they’ve made in relation to that standard and the blessings that came from their choices. For example, they could read “Music and Dancing” in For the Strength of Youth and discuss the blessings they’ve received from following the counsel to avoid unwholesome music and dancing.
Give each young man a section of President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Small and Simple Things” to read on their own. Then invite them to share their insights in small groups or with the entire quorum. What do they learn about the consequences of our beliefs and actions? Discuss how the counsel they have studied could help them make better choices.
Invite each young man to find an example of someone making a choice in the scriptures (for example, they could contrast the choices made by Nephi and by Laman and Lemuel in 1 Nephi 3:1–8 and elsewhere in 1 Nephi). What were the consequences of these choices? How did the choices affect others?
Show one of the videos suggested in this outline. Invite the quorum members to look for the consequences of the choices the people in the video made. Ask them to share what they find. Invite them to share experiences in which they made a choice that had far-reaching consequences. Invite each young man to read one of the scriptures in this outline and share how it can help him make the right choices in the future.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?
Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.
Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young men apply what they learned in this lesson.