Don't Mess With Agency!

-Choice and Accountability #3-

Agency, or the ability to choose, is one of God's greatest gifts to His children. Read about agency in Joshua 24:15; 2 Nephi 2; and Doctrine and Covenants 82:2-10. With a parent or leader, discuss the blessings and responsibilities of agency. Record in your journal your understanding of agency and the consequences of choices and actions.

       I have always loved the topic of agency, probably because I love to choose for myself! I'm very independent and hate it when others even hint at forcing me or guilt-tripping me into choosing something. Let me guess? You're probably the same way! There's a reason for that, and the scriptures explain why.

       The interesting this is, even though I fight so hard to choose for myself, there are times I still find myself trying to control others. Why do I do this? I don't think I am the only one. I think it stems from a lack of understanding about what agency really is. The more we study and understand it, the more we are able to apply it to ourselves AND to how we treat others. Below are the findings of a study I've been doing on agency, I hope you find in them something that ignites your curiosity and begins you on your own journey to learn about agency.

What is agency?
The ability to act and choose for ourselves. This is a gift from God.

• 2 Nephi 2:16 The Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself.

Really, it's only because of the atonement that we even have repentance and salvation as options.

• 2 Nephi 2:26 And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever.

Thank goodness for that atonement! We would all be forced to choose Satan if it weren't for that.

Why is agency so important?
         We read in Ezekial 18:27 that "when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."
Our very salvation is based upon choice. Have you ever wondered why "it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance"? Well, you can't CHOOSE to follow a path that you are ignorant, or unaware of.

         Before we came to this earth, Satan tried to take away our agency. (Moses 4:3 "Satan...sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him.") He was planning to force all men to choose righteously! Now what's so bad about that? Everyone would make it back to heaven because we would all choose good!

        But wait...nobody would choose anything. "Man could NOT act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16). Without opposites, there is nothing to choose from.

        The very essence of Godhood is the ability to think, decide, then act. The very foundation of love is based upon choice. My husband loves and stays with me because he has made a choice to do so, and isn't that much more romantic than if I were to chain him up and force him to stay? :)

God cast Satan out of Heaven

How do we react when we feel others would take away our agency?
       Well we know how God reacted. He cast Satan out of his presence because he was threatening the very essence of God's plan. The Plan of Salvation would not exist without agency.

       The whole war in heaven that we talk about was based upon agency. Those who chose Christ wanted to keep and protect their agency. They are also all those who have ever been and will be born on this earth. We learn in Revelation 12: 7 that "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels." We were likely among the angels of Michael.

       We fought to protect our agency. And since Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven to this earth, the war continues here. Even though we have a veil of forgetfulness, I think we continue to protect our agency because part of us remembers how hard we fought before we came here.

       The sad thing is, if somebody tries to force us to do good, we usually choose the only thing we feel we have a choice over--the opposite of what is being forced. That is why it is SO dangerous to "invite" somebody to do good to the point where they feel you are forcing them. There is no more sure way to drive somebody away.

What's the proper way to "invite" rather than force?
       Jesus Christ, of course, is the perfect example of how to do this. The natural man is always trying to force people to act a certain way, even with the best of intentions. But if you look closely at Christ's example, you'll notice he does not guilt-trip us. Neither do many of his prophets.

       My favorite example is when Christ is talking to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, explaining why they should not eat of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. He says,
         "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto the; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Moses 3:17).

1. So first of all, he makes the instruction, or his hope, clear. Do not eat of that fruit.
2. Then he reminds them that they have a choice whether or not to obey him.
3. Then he explains the reason WHY. Here he explains the consequences of that action. 
4. He leaves. He gives them space. He allows them to exercise their agency and doesn't "hover."

       I think sometimes we get annoyed when people (especially children) ask "why?" too often. We just want them to do it and stop asking! But we know that man cannot be saved in ignorance. Why? Because he must know the reasons behind things in order to make well thought out decisions. The fact that you or your child is always asking "why?" is evidence of your diving nature as a child of God. No other creature on earth asks this question.

The family is the best place for children to learn to choose for themselves.

How are commandments different from being "forced" to choose a certain way?
       I think sometimes we see commandments as rules that are so strict, they feel like a way to force us back to heaven. Perhaps that idea has come from imperfect parents or teachers trying to enforce rules in the home or at church. It is our natural instinct that tempts us to control others.

       However, in Doctrine and Covenants 82:8-9, Christ gives a very clear definition of what a commandment is. He says,
"I give unto you a new commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you; Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation."

       So a commandment from God can also be called directions how we may act before him, in order to receive salvation. Curious. He's only giving us a road map back to him. He hopes we will choose him, but He knows, better than anyone, that forced love is not love at all.

Re-focusing on Christ

If you use Facebook or any type of social media you've likely heard the name Kate Kelly appear in vehement discussions about whether or not the church is still true, and other extreme comments and claims. I thought about writing my views on the subject, but then I decided I was a little bit tired of all this. And I came to the conclusion that all these discussions will only ever go in circles if we have taken our focus off the most important belief in the Church--that this is Christ's church, that He came and lived a perfect life, taught pure doctrine, and suffered and died for us.

Do we really believe that?

If we do, do we believe in Christ or do we actually believe Christ? Do we believe that he existed, or do we believe that His message of hope, peace, freedom, and power apply to us today?

Or maybe the more appropriate question is--do we know His message well enough to believe it?

I've seen many read the Book of Mormon just long enough to gain a testimony of it, and then set it aside believing that is enough. Many of us know the stories in the scriptures, especially those who have grown up in the church, or any church. But it's not enough to know the stories.

Flannery O'Conner, author of A Good Man is Hard to Find, said, "A story is a way to say something that can't be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is....When anybody asks what a story is about, the only proper thing is to tell him to read the story."

Similarly, my college professor always used to say, "the words themselves are the meaning."

There is a power in Christ's words that cannot be paraphrased. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin gathers his sons around his deathbed to share his last testimony with them before passing away. He testifies to them of the importance of the brass plates--or the scriptures.

He tells them, "I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct" (Mosiah 1:5 emphasis added).

The only difference between the righteous Nephites and the wicked Lamanites was that the Nephites had the scriptures always before their eyes, and the Lamanites did not. If not for that, they would have been the same. We see many Lamanites who became converted because of the words of the scriptures, and many Nephites who fell away.

To me, the story that best illustrates the need to know Christ through his words is the story of Lehi and the tree of life.

1 Nephi 8.

We know that the tree is the love of God.
The fruit is exaltation--the greatest gift of God.
The iron rod is the word of God=words given through ancient prophets in the scriptures and modern prophets in General Conference. We need both.
The great and spacious building is the pride of the world.
The fountain of filthy water is the depths of hell.
The mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil.
The forbidden paths are sin.

We know that there were some who didn't hold to the rod at all (didn't read their scriptures at all). They chose sin. Many ended up in the great and spacious building (distracted by the pride of the world) or fell into the fountain of filthy water (found that the holy spirit had withdrawn completely from them, thus being in the depths of hell).

Many held casually to the rod of iron (read their scriptures occasionally or read without purpose). They tasted of the fruit of the tree (felt God's love--exaltation, or returning to God's presence, was within their grasp). But what happened to them?

When speaking of the great and spacious building Lehi says, "And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not. These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away" (1 Nephi 8:33-34).

Every single person that "heeded" those in the great and spacious building fell away. To heed is to pay careful attention. I don't think we should shut ourselves out from things that are going on in the world and keep ourselves ignorant from attacks others are making on the church. But I do think that we need to be careful to make sure that we are first heeding Jesus Christ--that we make mention of His name more frequently, and that we think of Him and ponder His words.

Think about it: it was the Word of God that led to the love of Christ. If you want to get close to Christ, that's how you do it. Other primary answers such as prayer, obedience, Sabbath day observance--are all taught in the scriptures and will come naturally to those who search them daily. Every other principle and ordinance that we dispute and discuss publicly on Facebook is clearly stated there.

I'm sharing this not because I think I'm great at it, but because I can feel my own testimony weaken when I don't read my scriptures daily. I can feel my own judgment blur when His words aren't fresh in my mind. It really is like food for our souls. Our bodies cannot go very long without complaining of hunger. Why would our spirits be any different?

So many of the questions or discussions we read on Facebook/twitter/instagram/snapchat would be more profound and meaningful if we treasured up the words of Christ continually.

I was in a choir a few semesters ago, and we recorded Janice Kapp Perry's "I Testify of Jesus Christ." I created this slide show to go with it. Listen for my voice in the opening trio :) If you know me, that is :)

I leave this song as my testimony--I mean every word of it.

Or if that doesn't work, follow this link to youtube: I Testify of Jesus Christ

I just completed Choice and Accountability #1!

But really, are you ever done with this one? ;)
Choice and Accountability #1

"A daughter of God can make wise decisions and solve problems. Read 1 Nephi 15:8; 2 Nephi 32:3; Alma 34:19–27; Ether 2–3; and Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9. Follow a pattern of regular scripture study and prayer to receive help in making personal decisions such as choosing good friends, being kind to others, getting up on time, or other decisions. Discuss with a parent or leader how regular scripture study and prayer helped you make correct decisions."

I've been working on this one since December. Right after my mission I was so good at reading my scriptures every day, but somewhere along the way I got busy, I got comfortable, I got distracted...who knows. Then it became a hit and miss practice and I missed the constant guidance of the Spirit.

Now I'm in school and I should be busier than ever to make time for scriptures, but I've noticed something amazing. Even when there's "no time" to read the scriptures, I do it anyway. I make time, I get up earlier, I bring my scriptures to school with me. I've learned that putting the scriptures first in my day is an act of faith. I have to trust that there will be enough time for everything else. And every time, without fail, there is not only enough time for everything else, but time to spare. 

So as far as making decisions goes, reading the scriptures and praying are VITAL!
I read one of my favorite scriptures today:
"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;" (2 Nephi 21:2)

If you have the spirit with you you have wisdom, understanding, counsel, might (power), knowledge, and fear of the Lord (humility). All of those things help in decision making! When I read the scriptures daily I naturally choose things that are better for me! 

Things I've chosen these past few weeks due to more scripture reading and prayer:
--healthier food
--less procrastinating
--good friends
--more creative and proactive choices at work
--waking up earlier
--going to the temple on a regular basis, etc.

When I read the scriptures daily and pray often my decisions are guided by the Lord  :)