By “moral discipline,” I mean self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life in favor of developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christlike service (see Mark 10:42–45). The root of the word discipline is shared by the word disciple, suggesting to the mind the fact that conformity to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ is the ideal discipline that, coupled with His grace, forms a virtuous and morally excellent person.- Elder D, Todd Christofferson. “Moral Discipline”, General Conferecne, October 2009, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/moral-discipline?lang=eng&query=agency
“Although you may at times have asked, why me? it is through the hardships of life that we grow toward godhood as our character is shaped in the crucible of affliction, as the events of life take place while God respects the agency of man. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell commented, we cannot do all the sums or make it all add up because “we do not have all the numbers.”-Elder David S. Baxter, “Faith, fortitude, Fulfilment,: A Message to Single Parents”, General Conference, April 2012, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/faith-fortitude-fulfillment-a-message-to-single-parents?lang=eng&query=divorce | Our agency—our ability to choose and act for ourselves—was an essential element of this plan. Without agency we would be unable to make right choices and progress. Yet with agency we could make wrong choices, commit sin, and lose the opportunity to be with Heavenly Father again. For this reason a Savior would be provided to suffer for our sins and redeem us if we would repent. By His infinite Atonement, He brought about “the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice.” -Elder Robert D. Hales, “Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life”, General Conference, October 2010, |
Agency is the power to think, choose, and act for ourselves. It comes with endless opportunities, accompanied by responsibility and consequences. It is a blessing and a burden. Using this gift of agency wisely is critical today because never in the world’s history have God’s children been so blessed or so blatantly confronted with so many choices. – Sharon G. Larson, “Agency; a Blessing and a Curse”, General Conference, October 1999, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/10/agency-a-blessing-and-a-burden?lang=eng&query=agency
Thus we see that free agency goes hand in hand with responsibility, and that consequences, good or bad, are the result of our personal decisions resulting from the exercise of free agency. And this is another principle, obedience.- Elder Victor L. Brown, “Agency and Accountability”, General Conference, April 1985, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1985/04/agency-and-accountability?lang=eng&query=agency
My Personal Position Statement:
Agency is such a blessing, yet it can be such a curse too. When others use their agency to make poor decisions, often times we are impacted negatively and that can cause sorrow and suffering. I learned just how powerful agency is when I went through the storm of pornography with my ex-husband. I learned the hard way that no matter how hard I tired, it didn't matter how good I was, how badly I wanted him to stop... Nothing I did would change the situation. It was HIM and HIS choices that would determine if he would ever be freed from the addiction. I learned that I couldn't be his savior, he already has a Savior who is Jesus Christ. It was one of the hardest things I think I will ever go through in my life, watching him suffer knowing I was strong enough to fight this battle, yet he chose not to fight but to only sink deeper. Agency can be a beautiful thing when we choose to follow the Savior, but when we choose to follow Satan we not only hurt ourselves but our loved ones as well.
Agency is such a blessing, yet it can be such a curse too. When others use their agency to make poor decisions, often times we are impacted negatively and that can cause sorrow and suffering. I learned just how powerful agency is when I went through the storm of pornography with my ex-husband. I learned the hard way that no matter how hard I tired, it didn't matter how good I was, how badly I wanted him to stop... Nothing I did would change the situation. It was HIM and HIS choices that would determine if he would ever be freed from the addiction. I learned that I couldn't be his savior, he already has a Savior who is Jesus Christ. It was one of the hardest things I think I will ever go through in my life, watching him suffer knowing I was strong enough to fight this battle, yet he chose not to fight but to only sink deeper. Agency can be a beautiful thing when we choose to follow the Savior, but when we choose to follow Satan we not only hurt ourselves but our loved ones as well.