Stand and Shine Magazine May 2014 | Page 47

teen. If He asks me to wear modest cloth- It won’t be! That’s part of life! But I will ing or paying tithing or whatever principle promise you that if you choose to follow of the gospel it is, I will do that because I the gospel of Jesus Christ and use the love God. God has a purpose in the things tools God has given you to make good de- He asks us to do. He has great blessings cisions, you will be blessed. You will have in store for us! And we need to follow the confidence and greater understanding of path of good choices to get there. God’s plan for you, as well as a greater measure of His spirit. May the good Now, I’m not saying it will always be easy. choice be with you! by marci preece How to Make Good Decisions From President Thomas S. Monson The Right Choice. President David O. McKay said, “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.” Within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose. The Responsibility of Choice. With the right of choice comes the responsibility to choose. our Heavenly Father provided the means whereby we could receive from Him God-given guidance. I speak of prayer, of the whispering from that still, small voice within each of us, and the holy scriptures. Each of us has come to this earth with all the tools necessary to make correct choices. The prophet Mormon tell us, “The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:16). To make decisions wisely, courage is needed - the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. I plead with to make a determination right now not to deviate from the path which will lead to our goal: eternal life with our Father in Heaven. The Results of Choice. All of our choices have consequences, some of which have little or nothing to do with our eternal salvation and others of which have everything to do with it. “ “ I have been thinking recently about choices and their consequences. As I’ve contemplated the various aspects of choice, I’ve put them into three categories. Whether you wear a green T-shirt of a blue one makes no difference in the long run. However, whether you decides to push a key on your computer which will take you to pornography can make all the difference in your life. If a friend pressures you to drink alcohol or or to try drugs and you succumb to the pressures you are taking a detour from which you may not return. May we keep our eyes, our hearts, and our determination focused on that goal which is eternal and worth any price we will have to pay. You are of a noble birthright. Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is your goal. From lds.org/youth