3 Nephi 18:25

And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.

Jesus invites us all to come and feel and see. This invitation has meanings on many levels. We come unto Christ through the saving ordinances of the gospel. We feel his spirit and influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. We see him work in our lives through powerful evidences. We repeat, remember, and grow until the day comes when we come into his presence, feel his wounds with our hands, and see his countenance with our eyes. First spiritual and then physical. He will turn no one away or deny anyone who approaches with humility and real intent. We do not have to be perfect, for he will make us perfect. We do not have to be worthy, for he will make us worthy. But we must come to him worthily, meaning with the right desire and attitude, with a willingness to submit. He cannot ignore anyone who comes to him in this way.

Helaman 6:35-36

And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts. And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words.

Our agency determines our outcome. Bad choices will overcome all the good teachings of a lifetime, and good choices motivated by righteous desires can overcome a lifetime of bad habits and wicked traditions. We get what we truly want. "Easiness" and "willingness" are the keys. How easy we are to be influenced one way out the other, and our willingness to be enticed in one direction or another, are the determining factors. It is always our choice. We choose the path, but we inherit the consequences. As the saying goes, when you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.

Alma 42:27

Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

We will be judged by our desires, which motivate our deeds. We will end up where we genuinely want to be. Not everyone wants to be in the celestial kingdom. Not everyone wants to live that kind of life and have that kind of responsibility. Our own agency is always the deciding factor.

Alma 3:27

For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth year of the reign of the judges.

To "list" is to desire. Our intentions and desires play a huge role in determining the outcome of our lives. We all sin, but not all of us want to. Mercy and redemption are offered to those who want to be obedient but fail because of mortal weakness. Justice is served to those who enjoy sin and purposefully disregard the commandments of God. It is not how many sins or the magnitude of the sins we commit but the genuine desire of our heart that is weighed in the balance. Christ can overcome every sin for us, but only if we want him to.