Freedom to Choose

Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “Sooner or later, everyone has to sit down to a banquet of consequences.” Such is our lot in life – each of us is given the gift of choice. The Book of Mormon teaches that the freedom to choose is one of the greatest gifts we have been given. We are free to choose what to do, what we eat or drink, what we will wear, what we want to believe, and so forth. But there is one certainty in this arena: we are NOT free to choose the consequences of our choices. They will be the results of our thoughts and actions, and the rewards we receive in both this life and the next will be the natural outcome. Some refer to this as the “fruits of our labors.” 

 Helaman 14:30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.

  31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.

LESSON LEARNED: Whether for good or bad, we will always reap what we sow.

FEEDBACK: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHOICES?