Personal Responsibility (5)

In President D. Todd Christofferson's talk titled "Free Forever to Act for Themselves", he presents the point that we have responsibility for our own lives and we choose to act and follow God and his commandments and laws or we choose not to and determine our own captivity. I thought it was interesting that instead of just talking straight up about agency, he emphasized agency by helping the audience realize and understand the role that God plays in each of our lives. One of my favorite lines that he uses is," Misunderstanding God's justice and mercy is one thing; denying God's existence or supremacy is another, but either will result in our achieving less-sometimes far less-than our full, divine potential." He explains the choice that we have to make and the consequence for that choice. We really are free to choose.
Throughout his talk, President Christoffersen uses a form of repitition to make a point. He does this in the middle of his talk when he says," But as a consequence of being perfectly just, there are some things God cannot do. He cannot be arbitrary in saving some and banishing others. He “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.”He cannot allow mercy to rob justice." He emphasizes what God cannot do in order to be a just God. This helps the audience understand the personal responsibility we have in achieving eternal life with God. 
In addition to repitition, Christofferson makes several references to different stories or analagies in order to make his point, as well as proving his credibility. He starts his talk with a line from Shakespeare. Later in his talk he uses a scienctific law of gravity to prove his point about believing without seeing. Lastly, he uses the example of a man who doesn't want to work at all for himself, even when help is laying at his doorstep. These examples helps the audience to see that Pre. Christofferson is well rounded and is knowledgeable in many different aspects. It also increases our trust in him and helps us to make connections as he is speaking to us.