One of the main beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (often mistakenly referred to as the “Mormon Church”) is the freedom to choose. What we mean by that is everyone gets the freedom to decide whatever they want to do, no one can make their decisions for them. In the Book of Mormon (one of the ancient records we believe in, it is similar to the Bible, except it is about God’s people on the American continent) Lehi, a prophet, told his children about this freedom before He died. He told them “…men are free…to choose liberty and eternal life through [Christ]… or to choose captivity and death according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27). God gives us our freedom to do what we want. He will not force us to believe in him, nor will He force us to do anything we do not want to do. It says that with this freedom that God gives us, we should choose wisely, and follow Him.
The Book of Mormon explains that we have the freedom to make our own decisions.
When we choose to follow God, we will be blessed more than we can imagine: eternal life through our Savior Jesus Christ. It then says that we can choose another route and not follow God, but Satan. This will not lead to happiness; it will lead to misery. It is up to us to choose. God will not force us to follow him at all.
As a freshman going to Brigham Young University, I have came to learn this concept more and more. Now that I am on my own, without my parents here to help me make decisions, I have to make decisions for myself. No one is forcing me one way or the other, I am deciding. Because of this freedom, I need to keep the proper perspective; I need to remember that I want to be happy in the end. So that means that I have to keep the commandments. I am making these decisions for myself, my parents are not making me choose; I am deciding. I know that if I make good and right decisions that God will bless me in the end.
This time reading the Book of Mormon in my religion class, I really liked the next verse after the one I quoted to you. It says “…I would that [you] should look to the great Mediator [or Christ] and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life…” (2 Nephi 2:28). We need to look to Christ for our eternal life. After all we can do, we still are not perfect. We all need Christ, even if we choose to do what is right. We still are dependent on our Savior. But the key is, we need to choose to look unto our Redeemer for our salvation. We will not be forced to, it will be our choice.
I would like to bear witness that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that we have the freedom to choose whatever we want. I know that we have the Savior Jesus Christ. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s church upon this earth today.
This article was written by Laura R., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
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