Everyone Has the Right of Choice

I have been greatly impressed, my brethren and sisters, by the important testimony given by President Grant yesterday morning, the fine expression that he gave to us of the things that impressed him and that have influenced him greatly during his life. I realize that the work he has done and the testimony he has borne to us are a source of guidance to all of us, and a realization that he is indeed a servant of the Lord, a prophet of God. He enjoys the power and keys of authority that were given to him some twenty-two years ago, and he has testified to us in clearness and inspiration with regard to the divinity of the work in which we are engaged. I have been greatly impressed by this statement, and not only in regard to the testimony he has borne, but in regard to his life. ¶

President Grant at eighty-four years of age has accomplished a great deal in his life. At twenty- four years of age he was appointed President of the Tooele Stake of Zion -- in his youth practically he received that responsibility and carried it forward successfully. Shortly after that he was sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve, and he has carried on diligently and faithfully in that position from that time to this. ¶

Keys of Authority of the Priesthood

Some twenty-three years ago, I believe it was, he received the keys of authority of the Priesthood to preside over the whole Church and to carry on this responsibility. He has fulfilled it. He has been loyal and faithful in every respect, and achieved a great work. Every duty and responsibility given him has been ably magnified. He has been constant in season and out of season and lived up to every requirement. Full of alertness and initiative in the responsibilities that have come to him he has fully measured up in every respect. I rejoice in the testimony he has borne to us. I am sure all the Latter-day Saints who were present or who listened over the radio have been greatly impressed thereby, and have realized that he is verily a servant of the Lord and stands at the head of the Church upon the earth, and is a power and influence to all who are loyal and true to him and love the work he has accomplished. ¶

I believe that the motto that President Grant has used extensively has had an influence on his life. It reads: ¶

That which we persist in doing becomes easy to do; not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do has increased. ¶

I believe it expresses very effectively the diligence and the persistence that President Grant has maintained. He has accomplished the work he has been called to do fully and effectively, and there is no one who has any reason to feel otherwise than that he has fulfilled in every respect in his life his great responsibility. I am sure it is a joy to every member of the Church. ¶

Factors Affecting Human Behavior

I have been impressed with the idea and feeling that there are ¶

certain factors that affect the behavior of men and women here upon the earth. These same factors affect every one of the Latter-day Saints. In the first place we are influenced by our appetites or carnal desires, and thereby we may be led to do good, or we may be led to do evil; we have the choice; we are free agents. Every human soul who lives upon the earth is a free agent to himself to do the will of the Lord or to do wrong, and he will be governed and will be judged for his actions here in mortality and will have to give an accounting of his actions in the world to come. ¶

Everyone Has the Right of Choice

We are told by the Apostle John that every human soul will be called up to give an account of his life here in the flesh. The books or records that have been made will be opened and we will be held responsible for our actions. I appreciate the fact that it is a very important thing for every individual to learn the difference between right and wrong, and choose the right, to battle for truth, and righteousness. We shall be blessed if we stand firmly for the same. On the other hand we will be punished for that which we do which may be evil. That is our responsibility and our privilege; every one of us is called to this responsibility; every individual, I say. We are eternal beings spiritually. We have received through the blessing of the Lord the opportunity to come here upon the earth in mortality, to live and to accomplish our mission; and after we leave here we will go into the spirit world. The day will come when we will be resurrected and become immortal beings and will have to account for our deeds. We will receive the blessings that we merit according to our deeds here in the flesh and our preparations for immortality. ¶

I realize that this is a very important question, a very important matter in our lives, and we can be led and guided through light and truth to do that which the Lord desires of us, or we can be led by the influence of evil, the influences that we heard about this morning, the influences of the Adversary who seeks to mislead mankind. ¶

The Savior said to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount: "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Many people prefer to take the easier way, the way that brings them trouble and destruction. It is the Adversary who endeavors to lead men away to destruction; that is the broad way, the easy way, and the way which mankind have the power, the right to accept if they so choose, and which the Lord endeavors to influence them against. He wants us to live in harmony with righteousness and truth. That is a very important factor in our lives, the way we live, the desires, the feelings and the habits we have, because we have the power to do as we choose, and we will have to be responsible for everything we do. We should strive to be guided in righteousness, that we might be able to discern between that which the Lord desires and that which is influenced by the other power, which is contrary to truth and righteousness. ¶

Human Emotions and Reason

There is another factor by which we are affected, and that is the influence of our emotion. We have the power to control ourselves largely in this respect also, and yet we can gain a great deal of satisfaction through proper emotions if we cultivate them and live for them, if we do the right thing. There are emotions that are of a very elevating nature and there are others that are of a character that lead us to destruction and to downfall, and therein also we have a responsibility. There is another influence, and that is in the nature of reason or judgment which guides us in our lives, and we are supposed to use common sense and judgment in all the things we do; we have that power. Of course men are sometimes influenced by the other influence, the emotions and desires, and reason does not govern them altogether, but that is a very important thing for them to cultivate. ¶

We as Latter-day Saints have the opportunity of doing these things and we have the privilege and responsibility of cultivating the attitude and the qualifications, the factor of reason in our lives, that we may thereby be judged righteously in everything that concerns us. The Lord has given us an understanding of these things and how to control them, and to be influenced thereby, and we have the power also, if we live for it -every man has the power, has the understanding, and should be taught principles that will lead us to understand righteousness and the purposes of the Lord. ¶

Power of the Holy Spirit

We have particularly that responsibility and that blessing that the Lord has given to every one who has received the Gospel that we are enabled to grow in the spirit and power and testimony of the truth and learn to know the difference between sound reasoning or judgment, and that which is not for our welfare; and we have the ability also to judge and discern between the influence and emotions which will lead us astray. ¶

And so the Lord desires that we should cultivate the influence and power of His Holy Spirit, and if we do this we shall grow in the spirit and power of the Gospel, love of truth, and understanding of His purposes, and if we continually maintain that attitude we shall develop in power to serve the Lord as He desires us. ¶

You will remember that when the Savior was upon the earth He repeatedly called the attention of His Apostles to the importance of keeping His commandments. He said to them time and again, "If ye love me keep my commandments." Frequently He called it to their attention, showing how important and desirable was the principle He had given them, and every other human soul to serve Him, keep His commandments and do His will. "Thereby," He said, "Ye show that ye love me if ye keep my commandments." ¶

Such an example as the divine influence of the Savior on mankind has been a great power for those who have sought to do His will and have drawn near to Him. To us as Latter-day Saints we have the opportunity and privilege of living up to this principle of serving the Lord ¶

and doing His will and if we strive to do that continually we shall grow in influence and power through drawing near to Him and seeking to serve the Lord, and to do so in the name of His Beloved Son. Thereby we may all grow in the spirit and power of this work. That is a responsibility that rests upon all of us, who are members of the Church everywhere, and upon our children, the young people, that thereby everyone of them may grow in the love of the truth, the love of the Lord and the desire to do His will and keep His commandments. ¶

Testimony of the Truth

I testify of these things to you and pray the Lord to bless you and bless us all in our desires to do right and live His will. I testify and declare that this is the work of the Lord. It is intended for the welfare of mankind, for their eternal salvation and exaltation. I testify also that the Prophet Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of the Lord. He has set the example to us in this dispensation of the blessings which follow the observance of the commandments of the Lord which he received from God. That same spirit and that same influence is manifested by the brethren who preside over the work now, and all of those who have presided over the Church in former days. I testify to these things and pray the Lord to bless us all, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶