Who you choose to be.

You are who you choose to be.

- Hogarth Hughes

  In the movie "The Iron Giant" a small boy named Hogarth Hughes teaches a giant robot an important life lesson. The giant robot was built to be a weapon, but what Hogarth taught him was that it didn't matter what he was made to be, all that mattered was what he chose to be. The robot chose not to be a gun but a hero, and his choice saved lives instead of taking them. This something that's always stuck with me. How do my choices effect those around me? Who am I choosing to be?

We stand at the crossroads, 

each minute, 

each hour, 

each day, 

making choices.

We choose 

the thoughts 

we allow ourselves to think, 

the passions 

we allow ourselves to feel, 

and the actions 

we allow ourselves to perform.

- Benjamin Franklin

  The world today is under the impression that other people can decide who you are. They seem to think that peer pressure and social norms are what governs our choices, but they couldn't be more wrong. God gave us the gift of agency While some of our choices are effected by others, they are never made by others. The only power the world has over us is that which we give to them. 

  Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:27)

  Who do you choose to be? Despite our circumstances we can always choose to be hero, even though it's hard sometimes. The Iron Giant's choice to save others cost him his life, but he saves thousands of other people who built a statue in his name. Using our agency to follow God's commandments shows Him that we love him, and are willing to listen to Him. It might not be the easy way, but God's way will give us happiness in this world and eternal life in the next.