For The Strength of You Thursday: Gratitude

“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.” -Doctrine and Covenants 59:21

We are eternally indebted to our Father in Heaven for all things. Nothing offend Him more than someone who does not acknowledge His hand in everything.

“We can lift ourselves and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues” (Thomas S. Monson, “An Attitude of Gratitude,” Ensign, Feb.
2000, 2)

For The Strength of You Thursday: Agency and Accountability

“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” -2 Nephi 2:27

Your Heavenly Father has given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for yourself. You have been given the Holy Ghost to help you know good from evil. While you are here on earth, you are being proven to see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His commandments.

While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. When you make a choice, you will receive the consequences of that choice. The consequences may not be immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad. Wrong choices delay your progression and lead to heartache and misery. Right choices lead to happiness and eternal life. That is why it is so important for you to choose what is right throughout your life. -For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet, pg 4

Many people confuse the concept of "Choice" with the concept of "Freedom from accountability." The former is a true principle, the latter is a false principle. By allowing people the freedom to choose for themselves, we are allowing them to grow from the experience. For if we are wise, if we choose to do wrong, we can learn from our experience and not do the thing again.