Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation. Without it, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior. With it, we 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” (2 Nephi 2:27). (Quote from “Agency,” LDS.org.)
It is important as parents to understand the gift of agency that the Lord gives us. Not only does the Lord gives us this gift for ourselves, but it is intended to be extended to our children.
How to do this though can be tricky. Obviously if a child is running into the street, we don’t allow them to continue simply because they are “free to choose.” No, instead, we pull them back out of safety. This is appropriate and right, because to do anything else would displease the Lord (and even social service agencies in the community). Our job, after all, is to keep our children safe, amongst other things.
So where does “agency” factor in? The Lord does have an opinion about the job of parents – starting first and foremost with spiritual matters. We read in the Doctrine & Covenants:
“And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents” (D&C 68:25).
I remember agency as a topic of discussion that came up while teaching a missionary discussion in Brazil. My missionary companion and I were teaching a wonderful family; the parents planned on getting baptized. But they were going to wait to have their kids baptized when they were adults … so that they could choose for themselves.
I wanted to ask, “Wait. If baptism is good enough for you, then why not for your children? If it is wrong for them, then why would it be right for you now?” But the scenario demanded a more accurate approach to their question – the situation demanded that – instead of sharing my personal opinion – I needed to simply share the perspective of the Lord, as found in the above scripture verse.
Yes, children and parents do have agency given to make choices. But when it comes to spiritual matters, the Lord has spoken. As stated in scriptures, parents are to teach children the doctrines of repentance, faith in Christ, and baptism when eight years of age – all so that the children may receive the most priceless gift of all, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then the children will be able to wield the gift of agency with clarity and purpose – because then the Lord will be able to talk to them individually through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.
[To learn more about Agency, click on agency and follow the links to additional information.]
