On Sunday 18 January we attended the Plantation Ward and David joined us for sacrament meeting.

Opening hymn was #268, "Come, All Whose Souls Are Lighted" by Reginald Heber.  This was in the first LDS hymnbook in 1835, but I don't remember ever singing it before.  His best known hymn is "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty".  He was an English clergyman, traveller, man of letters and hymn-writer who, after working as a country parson for 16 years, served as the Anglican Bishop of Calcutta until his sudden death at the age of 42. Wikipedia

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Sacrament hymn was #178, "O Lord of Hosts" text by LDS hymn writer Andrew Dalrymple (1817-1890) and music by George Careless.  The latter was was a prominent Latter-day Saint composer and conductor.  In the early 1860s Careless joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in 1864 he immigrated to Utah Territory. It was after his ship had docked in New York City that he wrote a musical arrangement for Parley P.Pratt's hymn "The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee".

Shortly after coming to Salt Lake City, Careless became the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as well as of the Salt Lake Theatre orchestra. He also conducted performances by the Salt Lake Opera Company. Among his students was the future conductor of the Tabernacle choir, J. Spencer Cornwall.

Besides "The Morning Breaks" (hymn #1), Careless also composed the music to the following hymns in the 1985 Latter-day Saint hymnal: #40 "Arise, O Glorious Zion", #122 "Though Deepening Trials", #145 "Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire", #150 "O Thou Kind and Gracious Father", #178 "O Lord of Hosts", #186 "Again We Meet Around the Board", #191 "Behold the Great Redeemer Died" and #192 "He Died! The Great Redeemer Died".  Wikipedia
It seems to me that it has been a long time since we sang this hymn.

George Careless (1839-1932)

The first speaker was Adam Penrod who recently turned 18. He spoke on immortality and eternal life. D&C 76:51-52. Strive to keep the commandments of God.  He is soon to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and be ordained an elder, then to go on a mission.  

The second speaker was Sister Rachel Anderson.  She and her family have been here for three weeks and moved from Colorado.  Their records were just read in today.  She spoke on the grand council in heaven and quoted from President Henry B. Eyring.  She told of the rebellion by those who did not like the plan of salvation.  She quoted Elder Bennett of the Seventy that it is never too late to choose eternal life. She quoted from President Monson about how "decisions determine destiny ".  She spoke of not making it to her final destination because she did not make the right choices (riding her bike with one hand with cookies in her other hand for a neighbor). Where are our choices leading us?  Eternal joy or eternal sorrow.  We left our Heavenly Father wanting to return to Him. Part one of the plan is our responsibility and part two is that of the Savior Jesus Christ. Moses 1:39. He makes it possible for us to repent and be resurrected.  We must choose to be His disciples.  2 Nephi 2:27-28. We have the incredible gift of agency. "We chose once to follow the Savior.  Let's not go back on that decision now."

Intermediate hymn was #301, "I Am a Child of God" text by Naomi W. Randall and music by Mildred T. Pettit (1895-1977).  Sister Randall was an LDS songwriter and author and a leader in the Primary of the Church. In 1957, Randall wrote the lyrics to "I Am a Child of God", an LDS Church hymn that was originally written as a song for children.

Randall served as a member of the general board of the Primary Association for 27 years. As a member of the board, she was asked to write a song for children that would teach them the LDS Church beliefs on the nature of a child's relationship with God. The result was "I Am a Child of God", which has been published in over 90 languages.  Randall also wrote the lyrics to "When Faith Endures", which is hymn #128 in the LDS Church hymnal.

Sister Randall mailed the lyrics to her friend Mildred T. Pettit in California, who wrote the accompanying music.  Wikipedia

Naomi W. Randall (1908-2001)

The concluding speaker was Brother Spencer Anderson.  Met his wife at BYU and wed in three months.  John 17:3.  How important is it to know God and His Son Jesus Christ?  He quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith about the importance of knowing God.  We are literally children of our Father in Heaven. Think "I Am a Child of God" three times before reacting in a negative situation. 

“Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”Ralph Waldo Emerson.  

Story about delivering laundry on a bike in 2006 by President Uchtdorf.  Spoke of moving from Colorado to here and the financial burdens.  Pay tithing now or later?  Now.  Higher offer on their house in Colorado covered the amount of the tithing.  Were able to be here and volunteer to help at the temple open house.  Bore his testimony in the sealing room and a family was touched.  April 1979 story from President Monson about raising birds. Teaching him about his responsibilities as teachers quorum president. All the teachers became active. Alma 5:12. Have you received His image in your countenances? BYU students in Jerusalem.  Could not proselyte but what about the glow in their faces?  Bore his testimony. 

Closing hymn was #81, "Press Forward, Saints" text by Marvin K. Gardner (1952- ) based on 2 Nephi 31:20 and music by Vanya Y. Watkins (1938- ).  Brother Gardner served as a missionary for the Church in Colombia. He then studied at BYU. After that he served as an editor of the Ensign.  He also was an editor of the New Era and the Friend and Liahona. He served as assistant or managing editor at one or more of these publications from 1978 to 2005.  He was a member of the Hymnbook Executive Committee which compiled the 1985 LDS English Language Hymnbook.  Wikipedia.  Sister Watkins is a prolific writer of LDS hymns. She composed the music for "Press Forward Saints" and "Families Can Be Together Forever". She also wrote the music to a number of songs in the Primary's Children's Songbook, including the 13 "Articles of Faith" songs.  She holds a bachelors and masters degree from BYU. She has served on the general board of the Primary, the church's General Music Committee, and has been a stake Primary president and a stake Relief Society president. She taught music in public schools in Ogden and Salt Lake City and later at BYU.  She contributed 27 works to the Children's Songbook.  Wikipedia.

Gospel Doctrine was taught by Brother Hales and was lesson #3, "Unto You Is Born … a Saviour” using Luke 2; Matthew 2.

Brother Hales teaches in the Relief Society room.  With their backs
to us are Eric and Jennifer Penrod and Mary Anne Richards.

The purpose of the lesson is to encourage class members to rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ and follow the example he set in his youth, “[increasing] in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

1. Jesus Christ is born.

2. Angels and many others rejoice at Jesus’ birth.

3. Wise men come to worship the child Jesus. Herod seeks to kill him.

4. Guided by the Father, Jesus prepares in his youth for his ministry.

The opening hymn in priesthood meeting was #85, "How Firm a Foundation" attributed to Robert Keen, ca. 1787.  This was in the first LDS hymnbook in 1835.

The lesson was #2 from "Teachings of the Presidents of the Church Ezra Taft Benson" entitled "Pray Always".

“I would humbly urge all … to keep in close touch with our Father in heaven through prayer.”

1. Jesus Christ has taught that we should pray always.

2. Families that pray together are blessed with stronger ties of love and the peace of heaven.

3. We can improve our communication with our Heavenly Father.

a. We should pray frequently.

b. We should find an appropriate place where we can meditate and pray.

c. We should prepare ourselves for prayer.

d. Our prayers should be meaningful and pertinent.

e. After making a request through prayer, we have a responsibility to assist in its being granted.

4. God is mindful of us and ready to respond to our prayers when we place our trust in Him and do that which is right.

A poem near the end of the lesson that I posted on Facebook:

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know that He has given His Word,

Which tells me prayer is always heard,

And will be answered, soon or late.

And so I pray and calmly wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the way I thought;

But leave my prayers with Him alone,

Whose will is wiser than my own,

Assured that He will grant my quest,

Or send some answer far more blest.

Eliza M. Hickok

I finished reading "Parish Priests and their People in the Middle Ages in England" by Edward Lewes Cutts (1824-1901) which I had begun on 3 January 2014.

Later in the afternoon we went over to Russ and Gail's.  We enjoyed a delicious supper of Eileen's crawfish étouffée and David's pork in a crockpot dish.

It was interesting to watch the Seattle Seahawks defeat the Green Bay Packers in overtime, 28-22, after being behind, 16-0.

After arriving back at David's we began to pack and I finished "Twenty Years After" by Alexander Dumas, pere (father) which I had begun on 21 November 2013.  It is the sequel to "The Three Musketeers," which I have read.  I have also read "The Count of Monte Cristo," "The Corsican Brothers," and "The Black Tulip." 

Alexander Dumas, pere (1802-1870) 

I finished reading a very lengthy article on Wikipedia about Henry II of England.

Henry II of England (1133-1189)

On Monday 19 January we enjoyed checking out the results of Eileen's sleep last night.  She is wearing a wristband that David got her that monitors her activities!  It was very interesting.

We finished packing for our cruise.  We left a little after 10 and easily found Safe Cruise Parking near Port Miami.

We rode their shuttle to the ship and turned our luggage (only three items instead of six this time) over to the porter.  We checked in, went through security, got our stateroom keys, and boarded the ship about 12:30.

Carnival Victory

In-processing

Eileen boards

We enjoyed lunch in the Mediterranean Restaurant on Lido deck 9.

We went to our stateroom at 1:40.  It was open and did not look like it was done yet, so we entered and sat on the verandah.  By 2:30 one piece of luggage had arrived.

Eileen on the verandah

Views from the verandah.

Panoramic view

We found our way to the Caribbean Lounge which is their three-deck showroom forward and attended the ship and shore orientation.

Caribbean Lounge

Then we searched for and found our muster area 'G' on deck four and waited in the Ionian Room for the outer doors to the deck to be open for passengers.

The safety muster was an absolute farce!  Every other cruise line checked to ensure that you were there.  Not Carnival!  We stood in lines three deep for about 30 minutes.  Whatever was said over the intercom was not the least bit understandable what with all the outside ship noise.  We watched a member of the crew put on and take off a life vest.  And it was over!  Preposterous!

When we got back to our room, our two suitcases were there.  As we unpacked, we saw that there were no night tables (we had asked for a king-sized bed so no room), no refrigerator with cold drinks, and no large pillows such as Eileen likes which Holland America had.  Closets were not near as nice as Holland America's.  Limited shelves in the closets, though there were drawers in the room.  The hangars were limited.  The verandah had a very nice view as we left the port but you have no privacy from your neighbors. The TV was an old CRT type and one doesn't use one's key to turn the lights on and off.  Definitely an older ship!

On a positive note, however, the sofa was much nicer than on Holland America, which was probably a pull-out sofa bed, and there was a nice chair also.  The lights behind the bed and sofa were quite nice. The shower was nice though there was no conditioner as on Holland America.

Here are some pictures of what we saw from our verandah as we departed.

Four elevators opened right on the entrance to the dining room so the area was very crowded.  We learned not to leave our room until the time the dining room opened.  Holland America has mats on the elevator floor with the day of the week.  No other cruise line we've been on has that.

Our table seated eight. The food was very good.  Ted and Kathy were from Flagstaff, Arizona. Ted is a retired truck driver.  Dan and Barb are from Minnesota but live now in Naples, Florida.  Dan was in construction.  Andre and his wife are French.  They spent a week in Florida, are now on the cruise, and then go back to Quebec.

Back in stateroom later I finished reading the December issue of the Ensign to Eileen.  We enjoyed the First Presidency message from President Uchtdorf entitled "Fill the World with Christ's Love".  We have heard it referenced in at least two sacrament meeting talks. There were many uplifting articles including "Angels We Have Heard," "The Church in Sweden," and "Lessons from the Sacred Grove" by Elder Marlin K. Jensen.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

An Angel Playing a Flageolet, by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones/© Sudley House, National Museums Liverpool/Bridgeman Image

Peter Forsgren, Swedish convert and missionary in 1850
Photograph courtesy of Susan Easton Black

The Sacred Grove

Elder Marlin K. Jensen

On Tuesday 20 January we went to breakfast in the Mediterranean Restaurant.  Much different than Holland America.  Some long lines for omelettes and the breakfast grill.  Eileen's eggs benedict were not fresh. The link sausages were not as good and the variety was nowhere as nice. There were no nice waffles and crepes :(  We met Dan and Barb and sat with them.

We have observed that there are many children and young folks, which we expected, but also far more blacks than we have seen before.  And a lot more skin, not just at the pool.

We bumped into Ted and Kathy as we disembarked about 10 am and admired the stern of our ship and could see precisely where our stateroom was.  We admired the Disney Dream with Mickey as the sorcerer's apprentice and the brooms on the stern of the ship.  Also another Carnival cruise ship the Sensation.

Disembarking from our ship

Ben by our ship

Passengers heading for Nassau

Disney Dream and Carnival Victory

Mickey as Sorcerer's Apprentice and brooms

Ben and Eileen with the Times-Courier

We walked about Nassau downtown. We had some lunch at Chill 'N' Grill. I had the Bahamian Conch Burger and Eileen had Conch Fritters.

Nassau policeman

Senor Frog's

Eileen and frog

Ben and frog

Twisted tree trunk

Christ Church Cathedral

Chill 'N' Grill menu

Conch Fritters

Bahamian Conch Burger and fries

Festival Place

Tugboats

Bahama Defense Force P-60

We were back on board for a rest on our verandah by 12:30 followed by both of us napping inside.  As seen from our verandah:

Then we began getting ready for dinner which was to be "cruise elegant" as opposed to "formal night" on Holland America.  The latter was on the days we were at sea, so Carnival does not adhere to that as the day at sea this cruise is Friday.

We enjoyed our dinner as Eileen had lobster tail and jumbo shrimp and I had prime rib.  Dan observed the "cruise elegant" attire by wearing long pants!  Barb looked very nice.  The French couple were not dressed up.  Ted had a jacket on with a nice turquoise bolo tie.  Unlike Holland America the stewards did not offer to assist you with your lobster tail.

The waiters (many of them) performed by singing to us.  They sang "That's Amore".

Then we left the dining room about 7:50 and headed for the Caribbean Lounge for the evening show starting at 8:15 with Carnival singers and dancers.  The female dancers were incredibly (to me) indecent!  The show was definitely for adults only.  It wasn't quite as loud as Holland America though Eileen still plugged her ears.  No one was near us, so I just read on my iPhone in nighttime mode. We were back to our stateroom by 9:30.

There does not appear to be any entertainment like Adagio on Holland America.

I finished reading "Sense & Sensibility" by Jane Austen which I had begun on 21 April.  It is listed as #12 on the list of the top 100 books of the 19th century although I think that rating is much higher than it should be.  I had also read "Northanger Abbey" by Austen which is #28.  Women must have put this list together.  "Tale of Two Cities" is #10 and it certainly should rank higher than any of Austen's or the Bronte's books.

Jane Austen (1775-1817)

On Wednesday 21 January we went to breakfast in the Pacific Dining Room.  Not much better than the Mediterranean Restaurant, so we can write off breakfast each day and hope lunch is better.

We enjoyed the adults only small pool and hot tub on deck 9 aft (Siren's Pool) while most everyone was on Half Moon Cay, just as we did on Holland America two weeks ago.

After changing out of our bathing suits, we returned to the Mediterranean Restaurant and enjoyed lunch.

Eileen by the pool

We walked about the ship finding various different venues. We both napped in our stateroom.

We enjoyed our dinner but missed Ted and Kathy.  We had seen them near the pool earlier.  Afterwards we met Dan and Barb on the outside walkway on deck 10.

Dan and Barb

Dan and Barb

Dan and Barb

Stewards entertaining us

At 9 pm we met Dan and Barb in the Irish Sea Piano Bar for "Guess that Song" with Johnny Gibson on the piano.  We got 11 of 20 correct.  He is from Toronto and is quite incredible!  He played and sang until 1 am, although we left about 11.

Johnny Gibson at the piano bar

Piano bar

On Thursday 22 January we had a bite to eat in the Mediterranean Restaurant and went forward to see how close we were to Grand Turk.

We were on shore at 11:30 and met Judy.  We walked to the parking area through the Grand Turk Cruise Center and met Marjorie and Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is in her 80's and is my mom's first cousin, the daughter of my great-uncle Geoffrey Frith.  Her daughter Marjorie is my second cousin.  They had to leave right after that.

Carnival Victory and Carnival Liberty

Eileen at Grand Turk

Carnival Victory and Carnival Liberty

Judy Lawrie and Eileen

Elizabeth Frith, Judy, Marjorie Frith, and Ben

We then drove to Judy's new home in her rental car.  She has a special status called a "belonger" because her mom was born on Grand Turk.  My sister and I could be one, too.  Judy will be here for a month from November to December and then from January to May each year.  We then visited Marjorie's home.

Judy's home

Marjorie's home

Marjorie's backyard

Marjorie's beachfront

Judy and Eileen at Marjorie's beachfront

Marjorie's beachfront

Eileen in Marjorie's backyard

We went to the Methodist Church.  Judy took our picture with the Times-Courier and she said her hometown newspaper in Canada does the same thing, that is, print the picture in the paper.  The pastor drove up, a handsome black fellow, and we met him.  Judy attends services there each Sunday.  Included are pictures of some of my ancestors' graves.

My maternal great-grandfather

My maternal great uncle

My maternal great-grandmother

An uncle and his wife of my favorite aunt's husband

My maternal grandfather and one of my uncles

My mother's twin brother where her ashes are also interred

Ben and Eileen with the Times-Courier

We drove to the Sand Bar restaurant and enjoyed lunch.  It was cash only, so it put a dent in my cash. Judy left the tip and I left a pass-along card.

Eileen and Judy in front of the restaurant

A view of the ocean from the restaurant

Eileen and Judy in the restaurant

Eileen and Ben in front of the restaurant

Eileen and Ben at the restaurant

Eileen and Ben at the restaurant

We drove along Front Street and found Darrell Alley.

Darrell Alley

Ben and Judy at Darrell Alley

We returned to the Cruise Center and said goodbye.

In the Margaritaville store we got three books about the Turks & Caicos for the grandsons and were back on board by 2:45.  We both took a nap.

Eileen i front of the Trading Post

Attractive bush

We tried to call Tanner for his birthday but had no luck from our stateroom on our iPhone.  We went to Guest Services and the fellow there placed the call on his cell phone.  We sang to Tanner, leaving it as a message on Colleen's iPhone.

We enjoyed our dinner and everyone was there.  Barb asked how we joined the Church and we filled her in.  (A few days later Eileen told me that Barb had said her brother was LDS.) We told Kathy and Ted about our visits to Jerome, AZ, and the Cape Verde Railroad.  They have enjoyed both of them.  We all exchanged names and addresses.

Kathy and Ted

Kathy and Ted

Dan and Barb

Dan and Barb

Due to the skimpy dessert selection we went up to deck 9 right after supper and had some pizza at the Pizza Pirate.  It is probably the only place on board, other than dinner, where the food is made fresh when you order it.  Then we both got a frozen yogurt swirl in a cone and wended our way back to our stateroom.

On Friday 23 January we got up late and went to the Pacific Dining Room for Seaday Brunch.  We bumped into Ted and Kathy on the way.  It was the best food outside of dinner in the dining room, although the eggs benedict were still not as good as Holland America.

We went to Triton's Pool on deck 9 midships and made a $19.99 donation to St. Jude, and in return Eileen got a cute little teddy bear which she intends for Weston. 

The cute little teddy bear in our stateroom

We went to the Mediterranean Restaurant but it was horribly crowded.  The Chocolate Extravaganza looked wonderful but, sadly, nothing was sugar-free.  So we both got a vanilla-chocolate swirl in a dish.  Then Ted and Kathy joined us for a while.

We enjoyed our dinner and everyone was there.  We all said our goodbyes as we left the dining room.  We went to the Caribbean Lounge for the evening show starting at 8:15 with Carnival singers and dancers.  There were no twice nightly shows on Wednesday or Thursday!  And even on Tuesday and tonight there were no performers, e.g., singers, comedians, magicians, etc., that we're used to on other cruise lines.

It was very loud again, though not quite as loud as Holland America though Eileen still plugged her ears. And not as indecent this time either although the two male strippers were bad news.  Ted and Kathy sat with us and we could see where Dan and Barb were sitting upstairs.

We returned to our stateroom and packed. Inexplicably the outer zipper on my suitcase popped open and there was no zipper to zip it back up! So I decided not to put my suitcase outside the door for the crew to pick up.  I just put Eileen's suitcase and my garment bag outside.  Eileen called Guest Services and they had safety pins we could use to help hold the outer flap closed.  I went and got them and Eileen put them on the suitcase.

On Saturday 24 January we were up early, got our bills under the door and they were low, downloaded my 185 e-mails, finished packing my suitcase, and left our stateroom behind to go get breakfast, rolling my suitcase with us.

We waited for a while on deck 5 by the casino until it was our turn to disembark.  Baggage claim was a carousel which was very nice and we didn't need to wait long.  We zipped through customs and called the parking lot number.  The shuttle arrived quickly and soon we were at our car.  Earlier on the cruise I could not find my camera and had hopes that it was left behind in the car.  I was right! I had left it in the car.

Eileen and teddy bear awaiting the shuttle

Our car with the Union Jack on the front bumper awaits us

We drove back to David's, stopping at Whole Foods for a couple of things, reaching David's about 11:30.

We went to d'Lites Emporium for a treat.  Eileen had her favorite, yellow cake batter, and chocolate brownie.  I had black cherry tart and German chocolate.  Delish!

Later David got home from work and we packed up some dishes he had made to go to Russ and Gail's for supper, principally ox-tail stew and beans 'n' rice.

As everyone else chatted I began and finished "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman A Hercule Poirot Short Story" by Agatha Christie.

We returned to David's and eventually hit the hay.  I began reading to Eileen from the January Ensign.  I started with a talk by Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

and saw the footnote about agency.  I have often wondered why the Church leaders dropped the term "free agency".  For most of Church history the prophets and apostles used that term as well as just the word "agency".  The footnote really annoyed me by casually saying that some people use the term "free agency" but it is not scriptural.  "Some people" were prophets and apostles!  Look at 2 Nephi 2.  The chapter heading states "Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression".  Verse 27 states "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."  So the words "free" and "freedom" are here definitely associated with our agency!  

There may be some obscure reason why the term "free agency" was modified but to treat it as being incorrect and only stated by "some people" who don't know any better is almost blasphemous!

President John Taylor stated "But Lucifer wanted … to go contrary to the will of his Father, and presumptuously sought to deprive man of his free agency, thus making him a serf, and placing him in a position in which it was impossible for him to obtain that exaltation which God designed should be man’s, through obedience to the law which He had suggested."

"The Father … made a decree … that both the inhabitants of heaven and the inhabitants of earth should have their free agency. It was against this that Lucifer rebelled; and he could not have rebelled against a plan or commandment that had not been given; for rebellion signifies a violation of law, command, or authority; and he was cast out of heaven because of this rebellion. This rebellion could not have existed without a free agency; for without a free agency they would all have been compelled to do the will of the Father. But having the free agency, they used it; and Lucifer and a third part of the angels were cast out because they rebelled and used this agency in opposition to their heavenly Father."

President John Taylor (1808-1887)

President Joseph F. Smith stated "Had we not known before we came [to earth] the necessity of our coming, the importance of obtaining tabernacles, the glory to be achieved in posterity, the grand object to be attained by being tried and tested--weighed in the balance, in the exercise of the divine attributes, god-like powers and free agency with which we are endowed; whereby, after descending below all things, Christ-like, we might ascend above all things, and become like our Father, Mother and Elder Brother, Almighty and Eternal!--we never would have come."

"Restating many basic beliefs of Latter-day Saints, the declaration affirmed: 'We believe in the free agency of man, and therefore in his individual responsibility.'"

"For, we were foreordained … to become conformed to his likeness through the wise and proper use of our free agency."

President Joseph F. Smith (1838-1918)

Elder John A. Widtsoe stated in "Evidences and Reconciliations," "In full conformity with the eternal law of free agency, the plan [of salvation] would not be attempted without the consent of those concerned."

Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872-1952)

President George Albert Smith stated "One of the greatest testimonies to me of the divinity of this work is that a multitude of people … having the opportunity in Stake Conference … to express themselves by voting either to sustain or refuse to sustain those who preside over them (every one exercising free agency) continue to uphold their leaders. Surely the Spirit of the Lord prompts the faithful, humble people to sustain his chosen servants."

President George Albert Smith (1871-1951)

President David O. McKay stated "Satan was determined to destroy the free agency of man. Free agency is a gift of God. It is part of his divinity."

"And man in exercising the divine gift of free agency should feel in duty bound, should sense the obligation to assist the Creator in the accomplishment of this divine purpose."

President David O. McKay (1873-1970)

President Joseph Fielding Smith confirmed the eternal principle of agency as he answered this question: 

“God gave his children their free agency even in the [premortal] spirit world, by which the individual spirits had the privilege, just as men have here, of choosing the good and rejecting the evil, or partaking of the evil to suffer the consequences of their sins. Because of this, some even there were more faithful than others in keeping the commandments of the Lord.

“The spirits of men had their free agency. … The spirits of men were not equal. They may have had an equal start, and we know they were all innocent in the beginning; but the right of free agency which was given to them enabled some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal existence, to become more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against it” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56]).

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972)

President Harold B. Lee stated "Next to life itself, free agency is God’s greatest gift to mankind, providing thereby the greatest opportunity for the children of God to advance in this second estate of mortality."  

President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973)

President Spencer W. Kimball stated "The basic gospel law is free agency and eternal development."  

“I realize I cannot convince you against your will. … I would not, even if I could, force your thinking, for free agency is the basic law of God and each one must assume the responsibility for his own response; but certainly each of us must do his part in influencing for good those who might need some assistance” (“Absolute Truth,” Ensign, Sept. 1978).

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

President N. Eldon Tanner wrote: "This we should do by example and precept and then be prepared to help and support him in his efforts, but we should let him make his own decisions and govern himself according to the free agency that is his gift” (“Leading As the Savior Led,” New Era, June 1977).

President N. Eldon Tanner (1898-1982)

Elder L. Tom Perry stated in October 1987 general conference "As Church members, we live under the banner of many different flags. How important it is that we understand our place and our position in the lands in which we live! We should be familiar with the history, heritage, and laws of the lands that govern us. In those countries that allow us the right to participate in the affairs of government, we should use our free agency and be actively engaged in supporting and defending the principles of truth, right, and freedom”.

Elder L. Tom Perry (1922- )

Elder Dallin H. Oaks stated "Does it mean that persons with susceptibilities or strong tendencies have no choice, no free agency in these matters? Our doctrine teaches us otherwise. Regardless of a person’s susceptibility or tendency, his will is unfettered. His free agency is unqualified. It is his freedom that is impaired. … We are all responsible for the exercise of our free agency." in (“Free Agency and Freedom,” in Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr., ed., The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, the Doctrinal Structure [1989]).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (1932- )

President Gordon B. Hinckley said in April 1995 general conference "That has been the case since the time of the great war in heaven described by John the Revelator. The issue then was free agency as it is today. Then, as now, choices had to be made. 

"That ancient struggle continues, the unrelenting battle that comes of free agency. Some, unfortunately, choose the wrong."

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008)

I finished reading "Peter Simple" by Frederick Marryat which I had begun on 18 April.  It is an 1834 novel written about a young British midshipman and describes the naval career of the young gentleman during the period of British Mastery of the seas in the early 19th century.  Captain Frederick Marryat (10 July 1792 – 9 August 1848) was a British Royal Navy officer, novelist, and an acquaintance of Charles Dickens, noted today as an early pioneer of the sea story. He is now known for the semi-autobiographical novel Mr. Midshipman Easy, which I have read, and for a widely used system of maritime flag signalling, known as Marryatt's Code. Wikipedia

Captain Frederick Marryat (1792-1848)