November Week 4: Making Your Own Decisions

Maybe bring chess board and challenge someone to play chess, talk about how I used to play chess with my dad and brother and how much I love chess.

Chess game - in November 2016, Magnus Carlsen played Sergey Karjakin for the world championship.  They played 12 games to a tie, then they played blitz games to determine the champion.  Carlsen won two blitz games and retained the crown.  Each game lasted between 3 to 4 hours and there were no take-backs.  Once a bad move has been made, there is no going back.

Chess is a game with an almost infinite amount of variations.  There are more possible chess variations than starts in the galaxy or even atoms in the universe.  See more info at Shannon Number (10 ^ 120 possible games); and that is a low estimate.

Compared to chess, we have far fewer decisions to make in life.  But just as in chess, there is only one direction: forward.  There are no "take-backs" in life.

D&C 58:27-29
As we read a couple of weeks ago, we do not have to be told what to do all the time.  We need to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause".  If we are told what to do and how to do it, all the time, then we could be considered a slothful (lazy) servant.

What decisions do you have to make?
- Daily decisions
- Weekly decisions
- Monthly decisions
- Yearly decisions

Is it a big deal to get a daily decision wrong?  What about a yearly decision?  A life decision?

Talk about an airplane, degrees and course corrections.

Example of Jeffry Holland's story of going on a trip and coming to a fork in the road. They didn't know.  They prayed and felt they should take a right.  They went about 500 yards and found it was a dead end.  The road to the left actually was the correct road.  Later on, his son asked why they felt that the "right" road was the incorrect choice.  Sometimes we have to just make a decision … and maybe in those cases, the risk truly is low or not as high as we think.  In the Holland example, what if, instead of a 500 yard mistake, it lead them out in the middle of nowhere and they ran out of gas?

http://nypost.com/2016/04/13/woman-saved-after-9-day-desert-ordeal-by-spelling-out-help-in-sticks/

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/04/12/woman-lost-9-days-in-arizona-forest-wrote-help-in-sticks.html

The students have a blank canvas - they can head into any direction they want now … and really they will only impact their own life.  Compared to my life (~40 years old), I can't simply go change my career or lifestyle without impacting others.

What can you do now to help you make the best decision?

1) Be informed; gather information, understand consequences, determine if that is a path you want to go down.  Prayer is a good way to gather information.

2) Determine the risk.  Sometimes if the risk is low, then not much thought is required.  But if there is a lot of risk, then a lot of prep work needs to be done.

3) Constraints and A/B testing - a variant of Good, Better, Best.  Sometimes you want the best, but other times the best is not needed.  Sometimes there are constraints on our options.  Once you've determined if you need Good, Better or Best, how do you go about finding the best?
○ Buying a car
§ Do you want the best? (if no, then no need for A/B testing)
§ If yes, then how much are you willing to spend?
§ What is your constraint?

4) Sometimes, you truly have to "walk by faith" and "see what happens" regardless the risk.  In those cases, we simply do our best.

Lastly, some food for thought: Goals vs Systems
http://blog.dilbert.com/2013/11/18/goals-vs-systems/

Personal example: career path.  Picking one certain assignment vs moving in a general direction with keeping options open (CSCoE vs Manager which could lead to interface assignment)

temporal and spiritual self-reliance

the blessing of self-reliance is greater freedom.  it's freedom from debt and servitude.  self-reliance brings blessings of contentment and peace.  as we have greater freedom, we are able to care for ourselves, our family and others.

elder hales, in his april 2009 general conference talk, talked about becoming provident providers.  he addressed his talk to "all whose freedom to choose has been diminished by the effects of ill-advised choices of the past" as well as those who have made choices "that have led to excessive debt and addictions to food, drugs, pornography, and other patterns of thought and action that diminish one's sense of self-worth."

some of the principals he taught were:

- Exodus 20:17 - "thou shalt not covet."  wanting what others want is coveting.  coveting leads to poor choices.  many people go into debt to "keep up with the jones."  coveting leads to mindless choices where we follow the latest and greatest fad.  coveting leaves us poor financially and spiritually.

- i can't afford it - say this often when tempted to go into debt or to commit a sin.  if you are tempted to unnecessarily upgrade, then tell yourself i can't afford it.  if you are tempted to eat too much food or indulge in pornography, tell yourself i can't afford it.

- alternatively, you can say i don't need it.  do we really know the difference between and want and a need?  you want a donut, but you don't need it.  you want to buy a boat, but you don't need it.  you need to buy a boat because the one you use to catch fish to provide for your family is old.  i want a steak dinner, but i don't need it.  i want to play a game on my phone, but i don't need to.  i need to read my scriptures.  these are just some simple examples.

- one of my favorite scriptures is 2 nephi 9:51 which reads wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.  hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which i have spoken; and come unto the holy one of israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted.

some personal stories i learned early on ...

during the summer, especially on days in the mid-afternoon hours when it was hottest and when i was the most bored, i would go across the street to see what my neighbors were up to.  they had lots of entertainment over there.  they had a pool, a trampoline, video games and junk food.  every once in awhile, i would go over there and they'd let me in.  in the cool living room, we would play on the nintendo.  they were really good at video games.  i'd try to keep up, but would usually lose.  after a few hours, my eyes were bugged out and i'd head home.  i'd feel dazed and a bit groggy as i went home.  when i walked it my home, i felt a bit better.  i realized at a young age that playing video games, although fun, it really wasn't satisfying.  i would feel a bit more empty for playing them.

i would sometimes ask my parents for a video game system, but there was no way they'd ever buy one for me.  instead, once a year, we'd go to the grocery store and rent a game system.  i would stay up late friday night and play and play.  after playing and sleeping in the next day, i would have that same groggy feeling ... and i wasn't really satisfied.

on the other hand, there were activities i would engage in that would leave me feeling satisfied.  my dad made me mow the lawn ... every time i finished mowing the lawn, i would feel a sense of pride and accomplishment and i felt satisfied.  one summer, i helped my dad build a fence - upon completing the fence, i felt satisfied.  another project we worked on was the back yard deck.  we built a deck and then planted roses around it.

even when i played basketball and i played hard, i would feel a sense of accomplishment and i would feel satisfied.

of course, another activity in which i often engaged, was reading the scriptures and even memorizing scriptures.  each night, i would get into my bed, open my scriptures and read and memorize.  whenever i completed reading the book of mormon, i felt satisfied.

i think the conclusion here is we all need to pause and consider how we spend our time and effort.  we ought to observe the time when we are coveting and once we notice we are coveting, we need to choose wisely.  remember -  i don't need it or i can't afford it.  these words ought to come to our minds more often.  and once we develop these good habits, we begin to enter the world of self-reliance - both temporal and spiritual.

Lucifer's Plan

Over the years, I've listen to members debate about wheather there was one plan or two plans presented in the Pre-Existence.  Personally I've always believed that there were two plans presented.  But one year someone in Sunday School said that there was only one plan.  I'd never heard of this before, but after listening to him (and others through the years), it makes sense to me.  Both ideas are appealing, but it all really is a matter of wordsmithing.

Here are some quotes I've gathered on the subject.

Quotes about Lucifer's/Satan's Plan


J. REUBEN CLARK

I wish to state the faith, the belief, and the knowledge of the Latter-day Saints regarding Jesus of Nazareth.

We accept literally the words of John concerning the Christ: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Christ has declared in our own day: "I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn."

We also accept John's declaration that Jesus Christ was the Creator of the world, that "all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

We believe that in the Great Council in Heaven held before the world was, Satan proposed one plan for creation and ruling the world and its progeny, and that Christ proposed another; that Satan's plan was rejected, as taking away the agency of man, and Christ's was accepted as keeping man's agency.

We believe that in obedience to the plan, Christ created the world and all that in it is, first spiritually, then temporally, and that in this work of creation he acted as one of the Great Trinity of three distinct Personages, the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ( J. Reuben Clark, Jr. Behold the Lamb of God, p. 355).

BRUCE C. HAFEN

Sometimes in our gospel discussions we recall the presentation of Satan's plan in the preexistence: "I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." (Moses 4:1.) We usually say the problem with Satan's plan was that he "sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him." (Moses 4:3.)

We might also ask why agency matters so much.

Agency is important not only in representing the abstract principle of free will. Without agency, we cannot develop the skills that are essential to the growth we must experience to return to God's presence. It is simply impossible. A horse can be led to water, but he cannot be forced to drink. A child can be given a book, but she will never learn to read unless she voluntarily makes an effort to read. Satan's plan could not have worked. His claim of guaranteeing, regardless of our choices, that not one soul would be lost was like most of his claims: it was a lie (Bruce C. Hafen, THE BELIEVING HEART, p. 49).

HAROLD B. LEE

Who is the author of the program that thus dresses up evil and the wrong to become so desirable to our appetites? When there was war in heaven, Lucifer, a son of God in the spirit world before the earth was formed, proposed a plan under which mortals would be saved without glory and honor of God. The plan of our Savior, Jehovah, was to give to each the right to choose for himself the course he would travel in earth life, and all was to be done to the honor and glory of God our Heavenly Father. Jehovah's plan was accepted; Satan's plan was rejected (Harold B. Lee, Stand ye in Holy Places, p. 219 see also Harold B. Lee, “‘Successful’ Sinners,” Ensign, Jul 1971, 2).

JAMES E. FAUST

Free agency, given us through the plan of our Father, is the great alternative to Satan's plan of force. With this sublime gift, we can grow, improve, progress, and seek perfection. Without agency, none of us could grow and develop by learning from our mistakes and errors and the mistakes and errors of others (James E. Faust, Reach up for the Light, p.105).

DAVID O. McKAY

Man's free agency is an eternal principle of progress, and any form of government that curtails or inhibits its free exercise is wrong. Satan's plan in the beginning was one of coercion, and it was rejected because he sought to destroy the agency of man which God had given him (David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p. 312).

LeGRAND RICHARDS

It is evident that the spirits of all men existed in the presence of God before this world was created, and that they counseled together regarding the creation of the earth upon which they might dwell. Because the plan of Jesus Christ was accepted, giving man his free agency, and because Satan's plan was rejected, Lucifer rebelled and was cast out of heaven. A third of the spirits followed him and were cast out with him, as the scriptures attest (LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, p. 275).

JAMES E. TALMAGE

Satan's plan of compulsion, whereby all would be safely conducted through the career of mortality, bereft of freedom to act and agency to choose, so circumscribed that they would be compelled to do right—that one soul would not be lost—was rejected; and the humble offer of Jesus the Firstborn—to assume mortality and live among men as their Exemplar and Teacher, observing the sanctity of man's agency but teaching men to use aright that divine heritage—was accepted. The decision brought war, which resulted in the vanquishment of Satan and his angels, who were cast out and deprived of the boundless privileges incident to the mortal or second estate (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 8).

JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH

No person, by any decree of the Father, has ever been compelled to do good; no person has ever been forced to do evil. Each may act for himself. It was Satan's plan to destroy this agency and force men to do his will. There could be no satisfactory existence without this great gift (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 2, p. 20).

JAMES E. FAUST

Our agency, given us through the plan of our Father, is the great alternative to Satan’s plan of force. With this sublime gift, we can grow, improve, progress, and seek perfection. Without agency, none of us could grow and develop by learning from our mistakes and errors and those of others. (James E. Faust, “The Forces That Will Save Us,” Ensign, Jan 2007, 4–9 see also James E. Faust, “‘The Great Imitator’,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 33)

DALLIN H. OAKS

Satan had his own plan. He proposed to save all the spirit children of God, assuring that result by removing their power to choose and thus eliminating the possibility of sin. When Satan’s plan was rejected, he and the spirits who followed him opposed the Father’s plan and were cast out. (Dallin H. Oaks, “‘The Great Plan of Happiness’,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 72)

RICHARD G. SCOTT

Satan also has a plan. It is a cunning, evil, subtle plan of destruction. It is his objective to take captive the children of Father in Heaven and with every possible means frustrate the great plan of happiness. (Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 73)

N. ELDON TANNER

At the council in heaven, two plans were presented for man’s salvation. Christ’s plan was approved and he was chosen as the Savior of the world; and Satan’s plan was rejected and he rebelled. (N. Eldon Tanner, “‘Where Art Thou?’,” Ensign, Dec 1971, 32)

GORDON B. HINCKLEY

Isaiah speaks further concerning that great conflict (see Isa. 14:12–20). Modern revelation gives additional light (see D&C 76:25–29), as does the book of Moses (see Moses 4:1–4), which tells of Satan’s plan to destroy the agency of man. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “War and Peace,” Ensign, May 2003, 78)

Quotes about One Plan, but Satan's Attempt to Alter it

RUSSELL M. NELSON

Contention existed before the earth was formed. When God’s plan for creation and mortal life on the earth was first announced, sons and daughters of God shouted for joy. The plan was dependent on man’s agency, his subsequent fall from the presence of God, and the merciful provision of a Savior to redeem mankind. Scriptures reveal that Lucifer sought vigorously to amend the plan by destroying the agency of man. Satan’s cunning motive was unmasked in his statement:

“Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.” (Moses 4:1.)

Satan’s selfish efforts to alter the plan of God resulted in great contention in heaven. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained:

“Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 357.)

This war in heaven was not a war of bloodshed. It was a war of conflicting ideas—the beginning of contention.

Scriptures repeatedly warn that the father of contention opposes the plan of our Heavenly Father. Satan’s method relies on the infectious canker of contention. Satan’s motive: to gain personal acclaim even over God Himself. (Russell M. Nelson, “The Canker of Contention,” Ensign, May 1989, 68)

JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN

From the time of the premortal council, in which Jesus became the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind, through his millennial reign, he has and will persevere in perfection, doing all that his Father commanded. Because of his love for us, he offered to fulfill the plan of salvation with these words, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2). How different from Satan’s response to the plan: “I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; … give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). The conflict between the forces of good and the forces of evil persists in the world today—with Jesus persevering in striving to save souls, and Satan striving to destroy them. (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Never Give Up,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 8)