Thomas S. Monson on the importance of making right choices

President Thomas S. Monson (b. 1927) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley until becoming Church president in 2008.

"May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals.

"Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.

"May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.

"As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that choice—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice."

- Thomas S. Monson, "Choices," General Conference, April 2016, Sunday morning session
Click here to read the full talk

President Monson's remarks in the most recent general conference were brief, but very meaningful. He reminded us that we have choices in life, including the critical one "to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith" that can protect and sustain us though life, and lead us onward to our best goals.

Sometimes we make wrong choices, even "foolish choices" as we are confronted by situations in our lives. President Monson reminds us that the Savior's gift of repentance through His atonement provides the means to correct the consequences of the choice and return ourselves to the correct path.

I was especially touched by these closing words:

I wonder how often it's true that right choices are harder and wrong choices are easier. I think perhaps that's true in the beginning; but as an individual continues in making good choices, I think those choices become easier and easier to the point where "we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). The choice to "come unto Christ" ultimately is the one upon which all others depend; so "if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice." How true that is.