Elder Randall K. Bennett: 'Choose eternal life'
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A person's eternal destiny will not be the result of chance, but of choice, said Elder Randall K. Bennett. "It is never too late to begin to choose eternal life."
Offering his first general conference address since being sustained to the second Quorum of the Seventy last April, Elder Bennett recalled visiting the beach with his family years ago.
He noticed signs and flags warning of a strong current flowing away from the shore into deep, turbulent water. However, ignoring the warnings and feeling confident in his own judgment, he entered the water to enjoy a swim. After the current swept him away from his family, he was rescued by a life guard.
"That day, I made a poor choice that produced potentially serious consequences for me and for my family," he said. "As we now consider together the gift of choice, I pray that the Holy Ghost will help each of us, individually, evaluate the choices we are making."
Elder Bennett told the worldwide congregation that each of them is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents. "You have a divine nature and destiny. During your pre-mortal life you learned to love truth. You made correct eternal choices. You knew that here in mortality, there would be afflictions and adversity, sorrow and suffering, tests and trials to help you grow and progress. You also knew that you could continue making correct choices, repent of incorrect choices and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ inherit eternal life."
Elder Bennett said, "in reality, we have only two eternal choices, each with eternal consequences: "choose to follow the Savior of the world and thus choose eternal life with our Heavenly Father or choose to follow the world and thus choose to separate ourselves from God eternally."
Like the current that could have changed the course of his family's lives, today's current of worldliness, deceptive philosophies, false teachings and rampant immorality seek to drag Latter-day Saints away from their families and from their Heavenly Father, he said.
"Our living prophets, seers and revelators both see and seek to warn us of the often subtle but dangerous worldly currents that threaten us. They lovingly invite, encourage, teach remind and warn us. They know that our safety depends on choosing to follow, (1) the insights we gain during daily scriptures study, pondering and prayer, (2) the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and (3) their prophetic counsel. They know that there is safety and ultimately joy, only in and through our Savior Jesus Christ and living His gospel."
