The Natural Man

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." Mosiah 3:19

"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. And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom." 2 Nephi 2:27-29

We have the ability to choose our own path, the Devil cannot choose it for us. If we choose to put off the natural man and follow the great Mediator we will be able to receive eternal life. Listen to President Monson's talk this last confrence, he helps us understand The Three R's of Choice.

What does it mean to put off the natural man? It means that we use our agency to choose good rather than evil, that we don't give in to temptation but that we resist and choose to overcome it.
Is it easy? No, but it is possible. "I never said it would be easy; I only said it would be worth it." Christ has prepared a way for us and all we need to do is follow it.