Book of Mormon, D & C, Pearl of Great Price

One important tenant of the faith of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) is that of agency. We believe that God granted each of us the right to make choices for ourselves. Just as a wise earthly parent allows his children to make certain decisions alone and to face the consequences of those choices, Heavenly Father also allows us to choose.

This is not always easy, especially for parents. Lehi, the first prophet we read of in the Book of Mormon, had, at the beginning of the book, four sons. The two oldest did not have testimonies of the gospel. When they had to leave Jerusalem because God had instructed Lehi to do so, they complained. They tormented their faithful younger brothers, even to the point of attempted murder. Can you imagine the sorrow Lehi and his wife Sariah faced as they watched their sons consistently make poor spiritual choices?

The parents never gave up on their children. They taught, counseled, set a good example, and prayed. In the end, however, Laman and Lemuel, the two oldest sons, had to decide for themselves what to believe and how to live. They didn’t give up on their children, and God didn’t give up on the parents.

In 1 Nephi 7, we learn that Laman and Lemuel, along with other members of the party, are complaining about the journey in the wilderness to the new homeland chosen for them by God. Nephi chastises them and tries to remind them of God’s teachings. In verses 16-18, we see that the older brothers don’t take correction well, especially from a younger sibling:

16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

Soon after this traumatic family crisis, Lehi was given a vision from God. While the content might not have been exactly what he’d hoped for, it taught him an important gospel principle concerning his rebellious sons and helped him to understand he was not responsible for their decisions, having done all he could do for them. In this well-known vision, Lehi sees a man in a white robe who summons Lehi to follow him. He is taken to a field:

1 Nephi 8:10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

When Lehi looks for his family, he finds his wife, Sariah, and his two valiant sons, Nephi and Sam. He calls them to join him, which they promptly do, and take their share of the fruit. However, Laman and Lemuel refuse to join the rest of the family. They have no desire to enjoy the fruit, which represents the love of God.

When Lehi tells his family of this vision, he shares the sad lesson he has learned. “And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved. But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.” (1 Nephi 8: 3-4)

He came to understand, through this vision, that accepting God’s love into your life, and doing whatever is needed to enjoy the blessings that come from this, is a choice. It’s a choice each of us must make for ourselves. We can invite others to partake, and we can encourage, plead, and pray, but each person has agency and must choose for himself whether or not to accept the gospel, Heavenly Father, and the Savior as the center of our world. Those who accept receive blessings beyond measure for eternity. Those who don’t struggle through life without that guidance and must cope with the consequences of what comes in the eternities.

We have agency, but it’s our responsibility to use it wisely and with an eye toward eternity.

The story of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) began with a scripture about prayer. A fourteen-year-old boy named Joseph Smith had been struggling with the decision of which church to join. He visited many churches, but could not decide how to make a decision when each church claimed to be true, but contradicted each other. While reading the Bible, he came across a scripture that changed history. James 1:5-6 says: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

This has become a guiding principle in our church. We ask people not to take us at our words, but to ask God, as the only person who knows which church is really true. When you have an answer from God, you know you’re being told the truth, and this can keep you safe from slick arguments or moments of weakness.

The Book of Mormon contains a promise that has converted church members for generations.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. –Moroni 10:4

The key, then, to receive an answer to your plea, is to make it a true plea. Read not with the intent to disprove it, but to find out if it’s true. Then settle in your mind that you trust God to tell you the truth and that you love Him enough to act on whatever truth He gives you. Decide for yourself if it’s true or not, and then ask for a confirmation on your decision. If your heart feels warm and at peace, you will know you’ve chosen well.

I’ve heard people warn investigators not to pray about the Book of Mormon because they won’t know if the answer came from God or Satan. The God I worship—and likely the God you worship as well—can do anything, and that includes making sure you can recognize His voice. The better you know God, the easier it is to recognize His voice. Satan never brings a feeling of true peace—he is, after all, the author of confusion.

2 Nephi 32:8-9 warns:

8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.

9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

Nowhere in the Bible have I found warnings not to pray. So don’t be afraid to talk to God about anything at all, and most importantly about which church to join. Is any decision more critical to your salvation and eternal happiness than this? If it’s the most important decision, it’s certainly the one God most wants you to consult Him on.