At a point of crisis, two wills diverge. The first is a non-believer whose despondency turns him toward conversion — not the conversion of Paul who saw a light and heard a voice — rather the quiet conversion of finding kinship with God, recognizing that the seed of truth planted in his heart "beginneth to enlarge my soul" and "swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow" (Alma 32:28, 33).

The second is a once-believer who stopped recognizing, appreciating and nurturing the fire of the Spirit, and in his despondency indulges in a form of worldliness — modifying his integrity in pleasures of the flesh. This choice to break the commandments is sadly predictable because our mortal experience is precisely to teach us to make better choices in the face of temporal challenges.

To silence his conscience, this once-believer tells himself that what he did was not really so bad. Thus is pride conceived, for to justify oneself in wrongful doing is to disparage all those who do right, so God and righteousness become his enemies. Pride fills the corners of his heart where once the Spirit dwelt in humility.

The loud, dictatorial voices of the flesh scream for choices that lead to further indulgence, with the unfulfillable promise that in so doing, everything will be made right.

The ability to recognize the Spirit, and willingness to follow it, are lost in the flash fires of the flesh. So also is that precious commodity, freedom.

While the second is seething in pride, the first learns to yield pride, submitting it along with other weaknesses that seem to appear one by one. It is not long before a new believer says, with King Lamoni's father, "I will give away all my sins to know thee" (Alma 22:18).

In the process, two things seem to co-develop. First, faith becomes strong enough to lead to correct decisions in difficult circumstances. Second, the new believer begins to develop an inner ear to recognize the still small voice. The sweet, still and very small whisperings become familiar.

Faith attunes this recognition and upon constant obedience to it, increases and opens the door to further such personal revelation.

"And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me" (Doctrine and Covenants 43:9).

Now that the believer continues to surrender to God, he ironically experiences more freedom of choice; and he continues to choose righteousness. His light shines before others, and he joys in the company of his fellow believers.

Just the opposite is happening to the second. This individual, the once-believer who has not kept the commandments, now finds oppression in the company of others and seeks to be alone more and more; darkness, not light, becomes his environment of choice. "For as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh" (Alma 41:5).

Like Sherem and Korihor of the Book of Mormon, he begins to preach the same lies he has come to believe. Typical of these lies are: I am now worthless; therefore, what I do won't make any difference. And, the dissonant notion; nobody can treat me that way; I will simply leave. If God exists, He is very distant and does not care for me in my current state, nor do I need Him. I will not pray.

Occurring is some kind of coronary sclerosis, as he hardens his heart against God and mankind. Trust of others is diminished. Resources become fewer.

Freedoms this individual once enjoyed become narrow indeed.

Daring increases and more radical excesses are indulged to fight growing, incessant misery; pleasures replace happiness. Enjoyment of the best things in life that are free becomes passé, for he finds, like the Nephites, "Wickedness never was happiness."

As years pass, age and experience thin his barbed carapace of pride, for "the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh" (2 Nephi 2: 21). This individual begins to see himself for what he is, and experiences the "sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin" (Mormon 2:13).

At this point, instead of supporting him, the "devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice" (3 Nephi 9:2) because they know what is coming. This individual also dreads what is coming and would "fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence" (Alma 12:14).

By contrast, in passage of years, the converted soul grows in love and faith and appreciation of God and man. Compared with the empty years of his earlier life, now having grown close to the Savior through the offices of the Holy Spirit, his gratitude is full as he looks forward to that "blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.

"For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness" (Mosiah 2:41).

Reality seldom provides such concise models as these of the upward and downward spirals; some good always permeates every human soul and none has achieved perfection.

And these examples are not an excuse to judge anyone, but rather encouragement to ever reach out to our brothers and sisters.

But these examples do indicate how plain decisions become when seen in the context of consequence.