agency

some sundays are really good... this one was. class went well and for once - everyone listened.

our lesson was about agency - a reminder that we have already made the most important choice we'll ever have to make. and that's why we are here.

we finished up with my favourite church quote:

a few years ago, we knew our elder brother and our father in heaven well. we rejoiced at the upcoming opportunity for earth life that could make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy like they had. we could hardly wait to demonstrate to our father and our brother, the lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one.

...and now we’re here—our memories are veiled—and we’re showing god and ourselves what we can do. and nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our father and how familiar his face is to us. and then, as president brigham young said, we’re going to wonder why we were so stupid in the flesh.

god loves us. he’s watching us, he wants us to succeed, and we’ll know someday that he has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. if we only knew it, there are heavenly hosts pulling for us—friends in heaven that we can’t remember now, who yearn for our victory. this is our day to show what we can do—what life and sacrifice we can daily, hourly, instantly bring to god. if we give our all, we will get his all from the greatest of all.

president ezra taft benson of the council of the twelve.
brigham young university devotional address, december 10, 1974