Quentin L. Cook on life's choices and our accountability to God

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"We live in perilous times when many believe we are not accountable to God and that we do not have personal responsibility or stewardship for ourselves or others. Many in the world are focused on self-gratification, put themselves first, and love pleasure more than they love righteousness. They do not believe they are their brother's keeper. In the Church, however, we believe that these stewardships are a sacred trust....

"This feeling of accountability, which is encompassed by the first great commandment to love God, has been described by some as 'obedience to the unenforceable' (John Fletcher Moulton). We try to do what is right because we love and want to please our Father in Heaven, not because someone is forcing us to obey....

"In all of our stewardship efforts, we follow Jesus Christ. We try to emulate what He has asked us to do, both by His teachings and His example."

- Quentin L. Cook, "Stewardship—A Sacred Trust," Ensign, November 2009, p. 91
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Do the choices and actions of my life matter? Does God care about what I do? Will I be held accountable? Elder Cook explores the implications of these thoughts in this discussion of our eternal stewardships. While many today believe all that matters is personal pleasure and self-gratification, he offers a strong testimony that our actions do make a difference, and that one of the great eternal keys to happiness lies in loving God and following the Savior.