Decision Making
The world is in turmoil. Who do I trust in making the correct decision?
Government?
Doctors?
Parents?
Best Friends?
Newspaper and TV?
School Teachers?
Ecclesiastical Leader?
Myself?
Indecision is nothing more than a decision to not decide!
Think of a time you have been out to eat at a restaurant with some friends. You receive your menu and casually ignore it as you are excited about speaking with each other and enjoying each others company. You continue to speak and in a few minutes the server comes by to ask you what you would like to drink, and a few of you order your beverages. The menu is still sitting by you, and usually it hasn’t been opened as you continue to enjoy time with your friends. The server returns and asks, “would you like a little more time to review the menu”, and most of you say “yes”, as you have barely even looked at the menu.
Each of you then pick up your menu and begin glancing over it and invariably someone will say to another, “what is good here”, or what are you going to order”? Now many of you are asking the same question to others.
Why is it that most people just take so much time to order an item? You don’t want to rush and enjoy the evening, or you don’t want to order something you don’t like so you hopefully have a friend help, so you don’t make a bad choice? Or many of us just don’t want to make a decision on our own. We delay until all of a sudden the majority of the group orders the same thing with only one or two getting something different.
What is it about decision making about some of the most simple things of life? Why don’t people like making decisions. Your first option in decision making, is to decide on what to decide to order. Indecision is a decision to not decide. Why do we care so much about what someone else suggests in helping us make a decision? Why not just read the menu and decide on your own? Are we seeking for someone’s approval, if so why? Why do we seek so much input for such a simple decision?
We do this same thing with major decisions in life to an even greater extent. Who should I marry, What college should I attend, What religion should I join? Who should I hang out with as a good friend? A huge part of making decisions is how people we love and trust may feel. But after asking others and reading and studying on our own, I believe the ones that should help us decide the most are:
1- Myself: Your own intuition and what we feel makes most sense.
2- God: What would the Lord say? Does He support my decision? Don’t leave it up to the Lord, but reason it out and ponder, and then the Lord will confirm or not your decision.
The one we should depend on the least to answer our questions, is someone else whether we trust them or not. People are imperfect and mean the best, but the more important decision making is between yourself and the Lord. That’s why the Prophets and Apostles talk so much about receiving personal revelation. Nothing is better than personal revelation when it comes to making decisions.
Moroni 10:4-18
1 “Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the 4 … I would exhort you that ye would God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ; and if ye shall ask with a , with , having in Christ, he will the of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may the of all things.
6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.
7 And ye may that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the of God unto men, to profit them.
9 behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may the word of wisdom;
10 And to another, that he may the word of by the same Spirit;
11 And to another, exceedingly great ; and to another, the gifts of by the same Spirit;
12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty ;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
16 And again, to another, the interpretation of and of divers kinds of tongues.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.
18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that good cometh of Christ.” Moroni 10:4-18
The Prophets and Apostles have warned us to follow the Spirit found in the Standard Works and the teachings of the Apostles and Prophets. Remember that Satan is near the end of his power, and knowing this even the very elect will be deceived. I am no different than each of you. We must push harder and stronger than we ever have to secure our own witness of truth. We should utilize all the tools the Lord has given us, but never relinquish our own witnesses by trusting others too much. In this day and age don’t simply believe the learned and those of intellect. Many are always trying to “sell” me on their pet theories, or “just trust me”, they say. The Lord has no agenda, many others do. I share the following words of our leaders with hope that what they say will support what I am suggesting. The Brethren are even saying, “don’t just depend on us.” Our leaders want us to trust completely in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think about some of these very difficult decisions we are being asked to make today?
Decisions about our health, employment, virtue, freedom, conscious, religion, values, and ethics. God would be the best one to help us today. May we choose wisely in this difficult world, with His overwhelming assistance.
“Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts, that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. I might paraphrase President Brigham Young in saying, “I wish I had the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people” to the truth and power of the Book of Mormon ” President Russell M. Nelson The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?
Does God really want to Speak to you?
“Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.” Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives by President Russell M. Nelson
“Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another’s sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming God” Brigham Young – Journal of Discourses, 1:312)
“It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teaching of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine. You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the Lord, then it should be accepted.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 3: 203.)
“Give your leaders a little leeway to make mistakes, as you hope your leaders will give you a little leeway to profit by your errors.” (President Russell M. Nelson, press conference, Tuesday, January 16, 2018)
“Who has influence over any one of you, to cause you to miss salvation in the celestial kingdom of God? I will answer these questions for myself. If brother Brigham and I shall take a wrong track, and be shut out of the kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame but brother Brigham and I. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell, that can be blamed.
“This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint. Salvation is an individual operation. I am the only person that can possibly save myself. When salvation is sent to me, I can reject or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and submission to its great Author throughout my life, and to those whom He shall appoint to instruct me; in rejecting it, I follow the dictates of my own will in preference to the will of my Creator. There are those among this people who are influenced, controlled, and biased in their thoughts, actions, and feelings by some other individual or family, on whom they place their dependence for spiritual and temporal instruction, and for salvation in the end. These persons do not depend upon themselves for salvation, but upon another of their poor, weak, fellow mortals. “I do not depend upon any inherent goodness of my own,” say they, “to introduce me into the kingdom of glory, but I depend upon you, brother Joseph, upon you, brother Brigham, upon you, brother Heber, or upon you, brother James; I believe your judgment is superior to mine, and consequently I let you judge for me; your spirit is better than mine, therefore you can do good for me; I will submit myself wholly to you, and place in you all my confidence for life and salvation; where you go I will go, and where you tarry there I will stay; expecting that you will introduce me through the gates into the heavenly Jerusalem.
“I wish to notice this. We read in the Bible, that there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. In the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, these glories are called telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, which is the highest. These are worlds, different departments, or mansions, in our Father’s house. Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another’s sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to in every trifle, like a child. They cannot control themselves in the least, but James, Peter, or somebody else must control them. They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold scepters of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. Will this apply to any of you? Your own hearts can answer.
“Do you know what is right and just, as well as I do? In some things you do, and in some things you may not know as well; but I will explain what I mean, in the following words—I will do all the good I can, and all I know how to do, and I will shun every evil that I know to be an evil. You can all do that much. I will apply my heart to wisdom, and ask the Lord to impart it to me; and if I know but little, I will improve upon it, that tomorrow I may have more, and thus grow from day to day, in the knowledge of the truth, as Jesus Christ grew in stature and knowledge from a babe to manhood; and if I am not now capable of judging for myself, perhaps I shall be in another year. We are organized to progress in the scale of intelligence, and the least Saint by adhering strictly to the order of God, may attain to a full and complete salvation through the grace of God, by his own faithfulness.” (Brigham Young – Journal of Discourses, 1:312)
“Sometimes from behind the pulpit, in our classrooms, in our Council meetings and in our church publications we hear, read or witness things that do not square with the truth. . . . Now do not let this serve as an excuse for your own wrongdoing. The Lord is letting the wheat and the tares mature before he fully purges the Church. He is also testing you to see if you will be misled. The devil is trying to deceive the very elect.” Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Immediate Responsibility” (BYU Devotional, Provo, October 25, 1996)
“I attended sessions of meetings for the institute teachers, held in the assembly room on the fourth floor of the Church Office Building. I cannot say that I was very greatly edified. Too much philosophy of a worldly nature does not seem to mix well with the fundamentals of the gospel. In my opinion many of our teachers employed in the church school system have absorbed too much of the paganism of the world, and have accepted too readily the views of uninspired educators without regard for the revealed word of the Lord. What to do about it I do not know. It is a problem for the Presidency to consider. It is a very apparent fact that we have traveled far and wide in the past 20 years [since his father’s death]. What the future will bring I do not know. But if we drift as far afield from fundamental things in the next 20 years, what will be left of the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph Smith? It is easy for one who observes to see how the apostasy came about in the Primitive Church of Jesus Christ. Are we not traveling the same road? The more I see of educated men—I mean those who are trained in the doctrines and philosophies now taught in the world, the less regard I have for them. Modern theories which are so popular today just do not harmonize with the gospel as revealed to the prophets, and it would be amusing if it were not a tragedy to see how some of our educated brethren attempt to harmonize the theories of men with the revealed word of the Lord. Thank the Lord, there is still some faith left and some members who still cherish the word of the Lord and accept the prophets. Surely the world is ripening rapidly for the destruction, and Satan has power and dominion over his own. If any are saved surely the Lord must soon come and have power over his Saints and reign in their midst, and execute ‘judgment upon Idumea, or the world.” The Life of Joseph Fielding Smith 212. Deseret Book Co., 1972
