​Learning to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh is one of the primary reasons why this earthly experience is part of Heavenly Father's plan. It's also why the plan is built upon the solid, sure foundation of the Atonement of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that our sins, including the errors we make when we yield to the flesh, can be overcome through constant repentance and we can live spiritually focused" (para 24).

​Some will say, 'You don't understand my situation.' I may not, but I testify that there is One who does understand. There is One who knows your burdens because of His sacrifice made in the garden and on the cross. As you seek Him and keep His commandments, I promise you that He will bless you and lift the burdens too heavy to bear alone…He will fill you with the powerful Spirit of the Holy Ghost and shine His heavenly approval upon you" (para 43).

Ordinances and covenants are the building blocks we use to construct our lives upon the foundation of Christ and His Atonement. We are connected securely to and with the Savior as we worthily receive ordinances and enter into covenants, faithfully remember and honor those sacred commitments, and do our best to live in accordance with the obligations we have accepted. And that bond is the source of spiritual strength and stability in all of the seasons of our lives" (para 27).

​…greater holiness is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ cleansing and perfecting us" (para 3).

​[Jesus Christ's] Atonement is infinite--without an end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope--it was to be done once for all" (para 17).

​If you are constantly surrounded by a 'mist of darkness,' turn to Heavenly Father. Nothing that you have experienced can change the eternal truth that you are His child and that He loves you. Remember that Christ is your Savior and Redeemer, and God is your Father. They understand. Picture Them close by you, listening and offering support. '[They] will console you in your afflictions.' Do all you can, and trust in the Lord's atoning grace" (para 16).

​…faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior's Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves."

​The battle over man's God-given agency continues today. Satan and his minions have their lures all around us, hoping that we will falter and take his flies so he can reel us in with counterfeit means" (para 10).

1. Agency, or the power to choose, was ours as spirit children of our Creator before the world was. It is a gift from God, nearly as precious as life itself. Often, however, agency is misunderstood. While we are free to choose, once we have made those choices, we are tied to the consequences of those choices" (para 15-16).

​God rarely infringes on the agency of any of His children by intervening against some for the relief of others. But He does ease the burdens of our afflictions and strengthens us to bear them, as He did for Alma's people in the land of Helam" (para 28).

​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. If He simply wanted us to be obedient, He would use immediate rewards and punishments to influence our behaviors" (para 6).

​Our earnest prayers are answered when they conform to the will of the Lord. Since we cannot perfectly understand His will, we must walk with faith. He is all-knowing, and His decisions are perfect. The fact that our finite capacity does not let us understand all of His dealings with man does not limit Him from blessing us. His will is our best choice in life, whether or not we fully understand it. When we act using our moral agency wisely, the Lord will act according to His will" (para 31).

​May you realize that in you is the control of your life and what you are going to be, what you are going to do. Remember that your choices may control to some extent others whose lives will be a part of your life. Remember also that if you succeed, it isn't because of luck. Success comes from faith and work and prayer and from constant righteous effort. It is a question of agency--of what you choose to do with gifts of God--everything upon the earth, wherein there is life" (para 53).

​A cunning part of [Satan's] strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control. We hear, "I lost my temper." Losing one's temper is an interesting choice of words… To "lose something" implies "not meaning to," "accidental," "involuntary," "not responsible,"…"He made me mad." This is another phrase we hear, also implying lack of control or agency. This is a myth that must be debunked. No one makes us mad. Others don't make us angry. There is no force involved. Becoming angry is a conscious choice, a decision; therefore, we can make the choice not to become angry. We choose!" (paras 5-6).

​Each one of us has a body that has been entrusted to us by a loving Heavenly Father. We have been commanded to care for it. Can we deliberately abuse or injure our bodies without being held accountable? We cannot! …May we keep our bodies--our temples--fit and clean, free from harmful substances which destroy our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being" (para 12-13).

​If anyone who is addicted has a desire to overcome, then there is a way to spiritual freedom--a way to escape from bondage--a way that is proven. It begins with prayer--sincere, fervent, and constant communication with the Creator of our spirits and bodies, our Heavenly Father. It is the same principle in breaking a bad habit or repenting from sin of any kind. The formula for having our heart, our body, our mind, and our spirit transformed is found in the scriptures" (para 19).

​We are free to take drugs or not. But once we choose to use a habit-forming drug, we are bound to the consequences of that choice. Addiction surrenders later freedom to choose. Through chemical means, one can literally become disconnected from his or her own will!" (para 17).

​Narcotic addiction serves the design of the prince of darkness, for it disrupts the channel to the holy spirit of truth. At present the adversary has an unfair advantage. Addiction has the capacity to disconnect the human will and nullify moral agency. It can rob one of the power to decide. Agency is too fundamental a doctrine to be left in such jeopardy" (para 9).

THE WORLD'S SUGGESTIONS:

Whether the temptation is drugs, food, or scrolling through Twitter instead of working, everyone has domains of life in which they wish they could exercise a little more willpower. How can an individual build this critical skill? Recent research points to the use of rewards, routines, and mindfulness practices as possible ways to establish better habits and regulate behavior over the long-term" (Self Control 2)

The Six Secrets of Self-Control:
1.  Meditate:  "Meditation actually trains your brain to become a self-control machine...Even simple techniques like mindfulness, which involves taking as little as five minutes a day to focus on nothing more than your breathing and your senses, improves your self-awareness and your brain’s ability to resist destructive impulses."
2.  Eat:  "Your brain burns heavily into your stores of glucose when attempting to exert self-control...Eating something that provides a slow burn for your body, such as whole grain rice or meat, will give you a longer window of self-control. So, if you’re having trouble keeping yourself out of the company candy bin when you’re hungry, make sure you eat something else if you want to have a fighting chance."
3.  Exercise: "Getting your body moving for as little as 10 minutes releases GABA, a neurotransmitter that makes your brain feel soothed and keeps you in control of your impulses."
4. Sleep: "When you are tired, your brain cells’ ability to absorb glucose is highly diminished (refer to #2 as to why glucose is important)...What’s worse, without enough sleep you are more likely to crave sugary snacks to compensate for low glucose levels. So, if you’re trying to exert self-control over your eating, getting a good night’s sleep—every night—is one of the best moves you can make."
5.  Ride the Wave: "...The rule of thumb here is to wait at least 10 minutes before succumbing to temptation. You’ll often find that the great wave of desire is now little more than a ripple that you have the power to step right over."
6.  Forgive Yourself: "...When you slip up, it is critical that you forgive yourself and move on. Don’t ignore how the mistake makes you feel; just don’t wallow in it. Instead, shift your attention to what you’re going to do to improve yourself in the future." (Bradberry)

GOD'S SUGGESTIONS:

"...one of Heavenly Father’s greatest gifts to us is our freedom to act for ourselves (see 2 Nephi 2:27). Without that freedom, we could never develop self-control; instead, we would be controlled by forces outside ourselves. Although we cannot change other people nor always control circumstances, we can control the way we react to people and circumstances. We decide our own emotional responses, and we can change and control them."

1.  Delay an expression of anger until you find a constructive way to deal with the situation.

2. Get involved with a physical activity to help release tensions and drain off the poisons they produce.

3. Recall a motivating poem, scripture, or thought. Two good ones are, “Master yourself and you can master anything” (old proverb), and “No Man is free who cannot command himself” (Pythagoras, in The Home Book of Quotations, sel. Burton Stevenson [New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1956], p. 722).

4. If another person is involved, express your feelings to him without condemning, labeling, name-calling, or accusing.

5. Pray for help in controlling your feelings or for strength to do the difficult task.

"O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7:24-25).

In other words: Choose a path of righteousness and ask God for help.

"For is ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).

In other words: The companionship of the Holy Ghost can make it possible for you to exercise self-control.

To me the scriptural reference to Tabitha...defines some of the fundamental responsibilities of Relief Society; namely the relief of suffering...Women of Relief Society, you truly are angels of mercy" ("Be Thou an Example", Ensign, ​November 2001, 101)

"And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord" (Acts 9:42)

Who was Lydia?

"Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? 

What I need, Peter, are disciples--and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. 

Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world."