Study Guide for "Choose You This Day"

In his General Conference talk, "Choose You This Day," Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles uses the analogy of Mary Poppins to discuss the importance of personal choice in our spiritual growth. Elder Renlund emphasizes that God's ultimate goal is for His children to choose to do what is right and become like Him. He contrasts the roles of Jesus Christ and Lucifer in influencing our choices and underscores the importance of agency, repentance, and enduring to the end on the covenant path.

Before Reading

Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:

Why does Elder Renlund use the analogy of Mary Poppins in his talk?
What is God's ultimate goal for His children according to Elder Renlund?
How does Elder Renlund describe the roles of Jesus Christ and Lucifer in our lives?
What is the significance of agency in God's plan?
How can we get back on the covenant path if we stray from it?

Topics

Understand God's Goal for His Children

Elder Renlund explains that God's goal in parenting is not merely for His children to do what is right, but to choose to do what is right and become like Him. This involves making personal choices that lead to spiritual growth and eternal life.

Our Heavenly Father’s goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right and ultimately become like Him.

What is the difference between doing what is right and choosing to do what is right?
Why is personal choice important in God's plan?
How can you better align your choices with God's will?
What steps can you take to ensure you are choosing to do what is right in your daily life?

Recognize the Roles of Jesus Christ and Lucifer

Elder Renlund contrasts Jesus Christ and Lucifer, describing Christ as our advocate who brings hope and healing, while Lucifer is the accuser who seeks to bring us down and make us miserable.

Christ’s advocacy is, at least in part, to remind us that He has paid for our sins and that no one is excluded from the reach of God’s mercy.

Lucifer is an accuser or prosecutor. He seeks to drag us down. He wants us to experience endless woe.

How does Jesus Christ advocate for us?
What are the tactics Lucifer uses to discourage and deceive us?
In what ways can you seek Christ's help and advocacy in your life?
How can you recognize and resist the discouragement and deception of Lucifer?

Exercise Agency Wisely

Elder Renlund emphasizes the importance of agency in God's plan, stating that we are free to choose our path. Our choices determine our happiness and the blessings we receive.

Indeed, God desires, expects, and directs that each of His children choose for himself or herself. He will not force us.

Through the gift of agency, God permits His children "to act for themselves and not to be acted upon."

Why is agency a crucial part of God's plan?
How does exercising agency affect our spiritual growth?
How can you make better choices that align with God's will?
What can you do to ensure you are using your agency wisely?

Understand the Importance of Repentance

Elder Renlund discusses the process of repentance, explaining that it allows us to get back on the covenant path if we stray. Repentance is a lifelong process that leads to forgiveness and enduring to the end.

When we discover that we are off the path, we can stay off, or because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can choose to reverse our steps and get back on.

Exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, receiving help from Him, and being forgiven are not onetime events but lifelong processes.

What is the role of repentance in getting back on the covenant path?
Why is repentance considered a lifelong process?
What steps can you take to sincerely repent and get back on the covenant path?
How can you make repentance a regular part of your life?

Choose to Serve the Living God

Elder Renlund encourages us to choose to serve God and His children. He emphasizes that our choices determine who we are and who we will become, and that choosing to follow God's plan leads to eternal happiness.

So, choose faith in Christ; choose repentance; choose to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost; choose to conscientiously prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; choose to make covenants in the temple; and choose to serve the living God and His children.

Our choices determine who we are and who we will become.

Why is it important to choose to serve God and His children?
How do our choices influence our eternal destiny?
What can you do to better serve God and His children in your daily life?
How can you ensure that your choices are leading you towards eternal happiness?