My Choices Have Consequences

By Karen Ashton

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20–21).

Every day you have choices to make, and each choice has a consequence, or result. If you choose to not sleep, as a consequence you will be tired. If you choose to not eat, as a consequence you will be hungry. When you choose to read the scriptures, you will learn Heavenly Father’s words (see John 5:39). When you choose to draw near to Heavenly Father in prayer, he will hear you and will draw near to you and listen (see D&C 88:62–63).

Making a choice is like picking up a stick. When you pick up one end of a stick, the other end always comes with it. When you make a choice, a consequence always comes with it.

Some consequences come quickly after you make a choice. Sometimes you may not recognize a consequence until long after you make the choice. But eventually there is always a consequence.

The consequence of a right choice is a blessing from Heavenly Father. You have made important choices in the past and received blessings. When you lived in heaven, you made a choice to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. The consequence of making that right choice was the blessing of coming to earth and obtaining a body. Now that you are on earth, Heavenly Father wants you to continue to make right choices so that you can receive more blessings and be happy.

Satan does not want you to be happy, and he knows that wrong choices will bring consequences of unhappiness.

But Heavenly Father loves you and wants to help you make good choices. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to show you how to make right choices. The Savior came to live on the earth to set an example for you to follow. When you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and obey Heavenly Father’s commandments, there are happy consequences.

Sharing Time Ideas

Explain that Heavenly Father’s commandments are written in the scriptures and that often a commandment and its consequences are found side by side or within a few verses of each other. Divide the children into four groups. Give each group a piece of paper folded down the center. On the top, left hand side of the paper, print Commandments. On the top, right-hand side, print Consequences. Allow each group time to find the commandments and their consequences from one of these scripture references: D&C 89, D&C 59, D&C 88:118–126, D&C 42:18–31.
Tell the story of Noah (see Gen. 6:5–7:24). Let the children prepare a TV news program called “Choice and Consequences” based on the story. Assign announcers, a weatherperson, reporters, and people to be interviewed before and after the rain begins to fall. Younger children might enjoy drawing a picture of Noah, the ark, the animals, and the storm. Have all the groups join together to present the broadcast. Talk about the choices the people of Noah’s time made and the consequences of those choices.
Give each of the younger children a sheet of paper with a circle drawn on it to represent a face, and have them draw the eyes, nose, ears, and hair. Give each child a colored, crescent-shaped piece of paper to put on the face to represent a smile or a frown, showing how they would feel in the following situations: (1) Your mother asks you to clean up your toys, and you do; (2) you draw a picture of your grandmother, and she puts it on her refrigerator; (3) you eat some of your brother’s candy without asking him. Make up more situations as time permits.

Instructions

Mount this page on heavier paper, then carefully cut out the disks. Cut out the windows in the top disk. Insert a paper fastener through the center of the disks. Turn the top disk to see a commandment from Heavenly Father and a scripture that tells you the blessing promised to those who keep that commandment.

Illustrated by Robert T. Barrett

Photograph by Maren E. Mecham