Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased) in his book “Finding Peace, Happiness and Joy” wrote:
“Life never was intended to be continually easy. It is punctuated with periods of proving and growth. It is interwoven with difficulties challenges and burdens, all for your eternal benefit. You are unavoidably immersed in a sea of persistent worldly pleasures that could destroy your happiness if you let them. Yet these very forces, if squarely faced, provide opportunity for tremendous personal growth and development. When you conquer adversity, it produces strength of character, forges self confidence, engenders self respect and assures success in righteous endeavor. When you master growth challenges, you are rewarded with satisfying happiness. Through that means you will confirm that life can be lived on a continuing foundation of happiness.
One who exercises moral agency by faith grows from challenges, is purified by sorrow, and lives at peace. In contrast, one who frantically seeks to satisfy appetite and worldly desire is driven in a downward spiral to tragic depths. Lucifer’s temptations are the motivating influence in such a tragic use of moral agency.
Some at one time or another let the pressures of life or the false teachings of men cloud their vision. But when seen with clarity, the difference between the plan of God and the that of Satan are unmistakable. Satan would convert divinely independent spirits into creatures bound by habit, restricted by appetite, and shackled by transgression. He has never deviated from his intent to enslave and destroy. He would persuade you to improperly use the gift of agency. Through subtle, tempting influence, he encourages you to succumb to appetite or to gratify desire for personal power or influence. He progressively binds those that follow carnal desire. Unless they repent, they are effectively converted into robots who no longer exercise control over their eternal destiny.
He cleverly confuses some until they depict God as an exacting, harsh judge or as a distant deity, devoted to meticulous scorekeeping. God is none of that. He is a loving, patient, understanding Father, deeply interested in your personal welfare, anxious for your happiness, and totally committed to your eternal progression.
¶”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)
Your happiness on earth, as well as your eternal salvation, requires many correct decisions, no one of which is difficult to make. Together those decisions forge a character resistant to eroding influences that surround you. Noble character is like treasured porcelain made of select raw materials, formed with faith, carefully crafted by consistent righteous acts, and fired in the furnace of consistent uplifting experience. It is an object of great beauty and priceless worth. Yet it can be damaged in a moment through transgression, requiring painful, prolonged effort to be rebuilt. When protected by self-control, righteous character will endure for eternity.
Why has your moral agency been given to you? Only to live a pleasurable life and to do the things you want to do? There are more fundamental reasons to make choices that will lead you to fully implement your purpose for being here on earth—and also to establish priorities in your life that will assure the development and happiness the Lord wants you to receive.
“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, . . . for the devil seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” 2 Nephi 2:27
Not long ago I spoke with an intelligent young man with great potential. He was undecided about a mission. He had chosen not to attend a university at that point. In his free time he did only what he liked to do. He didn’t work because he didn’t have to and because it would take time from pleasure. He passed seminary classes without much thought of personally applying the knowledge gained. I commented, “You are making choices today that appear to give you what you want: an easy life with abundant enjoyment and not much sacrifice. You can do that for a while, but what you don’t realize is that every such decision you make limits your future. You are eliminating possibilities and options. There will come a time, and it won’t be too distant, where you are going to spend the rest of your life doing things you don’t want to do, in places you don’t want to be, because you have not prepared yourself. You are not taking advantage of your opportunities.”
I mentioned how everything I treasure today began to mature in the mission field. Missionary service is not something we do for ourselves. Yes, great growth and preparation are gained from a mission. However, true missionaries focus outside of themselves on other people. To do so effectively they draw close to the Lord and really learn His teachings. They find individuals interested in the message but not sure of its worth. Missionaries try with every capacity—prayer, fasting, testifying—to help others embrace the truth. A mission teaches one to be led by the Spirit, to understand our purpose for being on the earth and how do accomplish that purpose. As our conversation ended, I gave him a blessing. Then, as he left, I prayed earnestly that the Lord would help him choose the right priorities, Otherwise he will fail in life’s purpose.” ~ Richard G. Scott, from ‘Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy, 2007, p.12-14
