Freedom to Choose

In the United States this time of year is when we think about our freedom which always makes me think of our freedom to choose- our agency. Agency was given to us by our Heavenly Father, even before we were born (when we lived with Him the premortal existence) and it is such a precious gift that He allowed one third of all His spirit children to choose to follow Satan.

After God created Adam and Eve He gave them agency to choose good or evil.

"And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and... all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

"Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:15-16).

And thus we have our agency, to choose good or evil, God or Satan, liberty or captivity.

"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).

I am thankful to God for my precious gift of agency, so precious that His Son, my Savior Jesus Christ, chose to come to Earth and die for me that I might be able to return and live with him again.