With our General Elections shortly upon us, we as a nation and as individuals are facing important choices that will impact our future, writes Tamatoa Jonassen of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In fact, whether we realise it or not, we face decisions everyday that impact our future and the future of our family. We may not see the impact from a day to day perspective, but we can notice it more when we step back and reflect on our choices and the consequences that follow.

Whatever the types of choices we may be facing, we are invited to let God prevail in our lives.

Does this mean we sit back and don’t do anything? No. We are all given the power of choice – free agency to choose. This is a crucial part of God’s plan for us in this mortal life. In the Creation, Adam and Eve were given the power to choose, and had to suffer the consequences of bad decisions, such as being driven out of the Garden of Eden for disobeying God’s commandments. As we learn from scripture, it is our challenge to make our decisions while exercising faith in God.

We must trust God has a greater plan for us, and seek his will in all things. As we do so, we let God prevail in our lives.

In a talk two years ago President Nelson shared that he learned one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is to “let God prevail”. The Lord is gathering Israel, and that very name “refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life”. To be willing, we must use our agency and “choose to let God prevail in our lives, or not. We can choose to let God be the most powerful influence in our lives, or not”.

“The Lord is gathering those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives. The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives.”

President Nelson asks us questions: “Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?”

“Consider how such willingness could bless you. If you are unmarried and seeking an eternal companion, your desire to be ‘of Israel’ will help you decide whom to date and how. If you are married to a companion who has broken his or her covenants, your willingness to let God prevail in your life will allow your covenants with God to remain intact. The Saviour will heal your broken heart. The heavens will open as you seek to know how to move forward. You do not need to wander or wonder. If you have sincere questions about the gospel or the Church, as you choose to let God prevail, you will be led to find and understand the absolute, eternal truths that will guide your life and help you stay firmly on the covenant path.

“When you are faced with temptation – even if the temptation comes when you are exhausted or feeling alone or misunderstood – imagine the courage you can muster as you choose to let God prevail in your life and as you plead with Him to strengthen you.

“When your greatest desire is to let God prevail, to be part of Israel, so many decisions become easier. So many issues become nonissues! You know how best to groom yourself. You know what to watch and read, where to spend your time, and with whom to associate. You know what you want to accomplish. You know the kind of person you really want to become.

“It takes both faith and courage to let God prevail. It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work to repent and to put off the natural man through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It takes consistent, daily effort to develop personal habits to study the gospel, to learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and to seek and respond to personal revelation.

“During these perilous times of which the Apostle Paul prophesied, Satan is no longer even trying to hide his attacks on God’s plan. Emboldened evil abounds. Therefore, the only way to survive spiritually is to be determined to let God prevail in our lives, to learn to hear His voice, and to use our energy to help gather Israel.”

It is my hope that we turn our hearts and mind toward God and let Him prevail in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.