The price of "free" will

God accomplished miracles through Joseph Smith. Perhaps God could have accomplished some of these miracles more easily through another person, but in the big picture, it had to be Joseph Smith in all his weaknesses and all his strengths. In some ways, Joseph was similar to Christopher Columbus. Others had landed on shores of the New World, but none of them risked everything to promote the settlement of the lands there. Many others had seen visions, but only one man had the drive to risk everything to start a new religion, One of the prices he paid was a violent, early death. He was still a young man with a family.

I remember at different times, trying to explain how there can be evil in the universe if God is perfect and all powerful. The main reason I come up with is that we had to be given the gift of free will. Wow. The most expensive gift ever given. Every choice has cost massive amounts of misery and sacrifice. Each choice is precious, purchased with perfect blood and the sacrifices of martyrs.