"It is God’s will that we be free men and women enabled to rise to our full potential both temporally and spiritually, that we be free from the humiliating limitations of poverty and the bondage of sin, that we enjoy self-respect and independence, that we be prepared in all things to join Him in His celestial kingdom.
"I am under no illusion that this can be achieved by our own efforts alone without His very substantial and constant help. 'We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do' (2 Nephi 25:23). And we do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help—divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. But I know that beyond desiring His help, we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with."
- D. Todd Christofferson, "Free Forever, to Act for Themselves," General Conference, October 2014; see also Ensign, November 2014, pp. 16-19
Click here to read or listen to the full talk
This landmark address by Elder Christofferson examined agency and our initiative to make choices. In this excerpt, he reminded us of God's love for all His children, and His desire for us to "rise to our full potential" as we make good choices and preserve our "self-respect and independence" in life. But those abilities require more than our personal efforts; God's constant and ongoing assistance makes our growth and progress possible.
Our part, then, is to "take responsibility" and begin to act for ourselves in the proper way, to that God can help us. It all starts with our efforts and choices! Then His blessings and power are manifest on our behalf.
(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)
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