3 Nephi 6

(November 22, 2014)

                So much of our mortal experience can be understood better if we keep firmly in mind the idea that what we experience here is the continuation of the War in Heaven on Earth.  This war was fought over the agency of man, and over control, dominion, and glory.  Many agents who give themselves over to Satan almost immediately begin pursuing these same objectives.  They will seek control, or power, over those who they find around themselves.  They will often seek for that power to use it for ‘righteous’ reasons – just as Satan sought to bring all of Father’s children back home to Him.

                I am convinced that we in the Church do not even properly understand the importance and value of human agency, nor our tendency to circumvent it.  I do not speak of Priesthood stewardship when I say this, but rather in our interactions with each other.  We fought a war, and we fought it on the side of protecting our own agency and the agency of our brothers and sisters.  Do we engage in that same dogged effort to protect our agency, or do we casually sell this agency to habits, addictions, or character flaws?  Do we zealously try to protect the agency of others, or do we seek to circumvent that agency out of expedience – seeking, of course, a ‘good’ result in doing so?

                I think we all would be better served to rededicate ourselves to the Divine principle of agency and recognize our history and future as soldiers fighting for it.