Intelligent Use of Agency Requires Truth

Dear family:

Isn’t it wonderful that we could listen to conference last week and already have access to all the talks via video, sound and written word on the Church website?

I really enjoyed Elder Christofferson’s talk when he addressed the subject of Moral Discipline.

President Henry B. Eyring expressed the vision we strive to attain:

“The pure gospel of Jesus Christ must go down into the hearts of [our children] by the power of the Holy Ghost. It will not be enough for them to have had a spiritual witness of the truth and to want good things later. It will not be enough for them to hope for some future cleansing and strengthening. Our aim must be for them to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they are with us. ...

“Then they will have gained a strength from what they are, not only from what they know. They will become disciples of Christ.”⁶

I have heard a few parents state that they don’t want to impose the gospel on their children but want them to make up their own minds about what they will believe and follow. They think that in this way they are allowing children to exercise their agency. What they forget is that the intelligent use of agency requires knowledge of the truth, of things as they really are (see D&C 93:24). Without that, young people can hardly be expected to understand and evaluate the alternatives that come before them. Parents should consider how the adversary approaches their children. He and his followers are not promoting objectivity but are vigorous, multimedia advocates of sin and selfishness.

Seeking to be neutral about the gospel is, in reality, to reject the existence of God and His authority. We must, rather, acknowledge Him and His omniscience if we want our children to see life’s choices clearly and be able to think for themselves. They should not have to learn by sad experience that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10).

We are truly blessed to be guided by living prophets and apostles. In these this challenging time of the world, what a comfort it is to know that we have access to the truth.

Love,

Dad/Mark