The Purpose of Life

We each are here on earth for the purpose of growing and progressing.However, through it all we will make mistakes. We will need to repent because,of our wrong choices. Sin can come about out of igronance, our weakness or pure disobedience. We all are imperfect people so,we will fall short occasionally. Heavenly Father knew we would sin.

To commit sin is to willfully disobey God's commandments and fail to act righteously despite knowledge of the truth. However, our elder brother Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to repent and start anew (Alma 42:4).

Jesus was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. He is the only perfect person whom ever walked the earth. All of us must rely on the love and mercy of Jesus to become cleansed from our sin (D&C 50:28-29). When we sin, we all become enemies to the Lord. If we continue in sin, we experience spiritual death, being separated from Heavenly Father’s presence.

Elder Richard G. Scott tells us, “The painful consequences of sin were purposely put in our plan of happiness by a compassionate Father in Heaven so that you need not follow that tragic path in life."

Repentance is the way provided for us to become free from our sins and receive forgiveness for them. Sin slows our spiritual progression and can even stop it. Repentance makes it possible for us to grow and develop spiritually again. Repentance requires us to surrender to God and His will in our lives. At some point in our lives we realize Christ is the only hope, and we humble our hearts and seek to do His will with our lives. When we repent of our sins the Lord does not remember them any more. In fact, each of us needs continually to repent and obey so that the gift of the Savior will satisfy the demands of justice for even our small mistakes.

For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. (Alma 42:5)

There is hope through the power of repentance. In order for the process of repentance to take place there are several necessary steps to take:

1. Recognize Our Sins

We must admit to the wrong we have done. If we do not admit this we can’t repent. The scripture tells us not to justify our sinful practices. "And he said unto them, Ye are they, which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)

2. Feel Sorrow

We must feel terrible about the wrong we have done and have a sincere desire to change. It will require much tears, sorry and regret.

3. Confession

Confess your shame and guilt to the Lord and then plead for His help. Confessing our sins removes a heavy burden off our back. Covering our sins keeps us from progressing. But, those who confesses and give up their sin shall have mercy.

4. Make Restitution

We should make right any wrong we have done. When we do these things God will not mention our sin to us when we are judged. Restitution shows the Lord that you will do all in your power to repent.

5. Forgive Others

We must forgive those who have hurt us. Our hearts must be free of hate, bitterness, and bad feeling against others in order for forgiveness to work.

6. Keep the Commandments

We must fill our lives with righteous activities. Read and ponder the scriptures. Pray for the Lord's guidance and strength, fasting during those times of need in our lives.

The prophets have declared that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32).

We should begin the day by examining our actions to see whether the Spirit of God is with us. At night before we go to sleep, we should review our acts and words of the day and ask the Lord to show us the things for which we need to repent. By repenting every day and having the Lord forgive our sins, we will experience the daily process of becoming perfect. As with Alma, our happiness and joy can be sweet and exquisite. There is no blessing as sweet as the blessing of repentance. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to repent each day.

In a church that preaches the importance of seeking personal revelation (I’m referring to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons) we sometimes become a little obsessed about it. Whom to marry, what occupation to pursue, and where and how to pursue it are just a few of the major decisions for which people seek God's seal of approval. Beyond these major concerns, there is also a myriad of smaller decisions for which we may also seek an answer. Whether or not to commit our time to a certain cause, how to repair a damaged relationship, or how to cope with a difficult task for example.

God, we know, is very concerned about our lives. He cares about what we eat and drink (D&C 89:5-20), our sleep habits (D&C 88:124), and how we spend our money (Marvin J. Ashton, “One for the Money,” Ensign, Sep 2007, 36–39). At the same time, God has told us that He will not direct us as to what we should be doing every minute of every day (D&C 58:26-28). Often getting answers as to how we should act is a matter of learning and applying the principles already taught by God’s prophets. However, when we need additional direction we can turn to a member of the Godhead whose mission is help us recognize the way to go: the Holy Ghost.

All those who are baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost does not possess a body but is a personage of spirit. Like God and Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost knows all things. We can rely on the Holy Ghost to always speak the truth. He will give us guidance and direction, even regarding what may sometimes be seemingly insignificant personal struggles.

The Holy Ghost can influence us in a few different ways. Sometimes the direction of the Holy Ghost comes as a thought to our minds. Other times we experience the Holy Ghost in our hearts, our emotional center, through feelings of peace, comfort, or warmth. A good friend of mine says she gets goose bumps when feeling the Holy Ghost’s influence.

As we learn to recognize and respond to the promptings of the Holy Ghost we will notice an increase in the direction we receive.

I am very grateful to have the Holy Ghost in my life. It connects me to my Father in Heaven and helps me to know the best way to act in confusing situations. I remember a time when I was single and having a difficult time with a girl I was rooming with at the time. I would often rehearse in my mind all the reasons I was justified in being mad at her. Yet as I searched in my soul for a solution to the problem, I had the distinct thought that I needed to quit focusing on my roommate and examine my own heart and motives. After that realization I was able to begin the process of forgiving the perceived offenses and from then on we became better friends. To this day I know that credit for that thought that turned things around belongs not to me, but to that kind guide sent from our Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost.

The Bible describes hope as an “anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19). Now, I’m not an expert on anchors or how they work, so I did a little reading. Apparently anchors are used not only to keep your boat from leaving the shore when you don’t want it to, but they can also be used to keep your boat from sinking in a storm. It doesn’t sound intuitive to me, dropping a heavy chunk of metal to the ocean floor when you are trying desperately to stay above water, but there you have it.

Imagine you are a little boat on the ocean. Faith is like choosing your direction. In order to know where to go, you look to God for the correct heading. The destination God chooses for you will not be some jaunt to the nearest island for some good fishing, but a life-changing journey across the sea. You decide that you want to choose the course God has for you, and you start sailing out from land and everything familiar. However, as you sail into the open sea, you invariably encounter storms. These are not like the occasional storm that used to wash into shore, but colossal waves that threaten to sink you.

Here’s where hope comes in. You already have decided that you want to follow God’s course, but now it’s tempting to abandon your design. Hope keeps you safely hanging on long enough for the storm to pass and you to get your bearings again. God promised you could make this journey with His help, and hope is believing in that promise even when things look bleak.

The Apostle Paul wrote in an epistle to the Romans that hope comes through “patience and comfort of the scriptures” (Romans 14:4). The scriptures teach us what things we can realistically hope for. If our hope is not something promised in scripture, it is merely wishful thinking.

It’s also important to remember that hope is delayed gratification. Probably the most memorable book I've read to date is Some Miracles Take Time by Art Berg. In it Art relates how he became paralyzed from the chest down following a tragic car accident. With only partial use of his upper arms, he learned to eat again, to dress himself, and eventually was able to drive again, and work independently. Again and again he defied doctors' expectations. But as the title indicates, it didn’t happen overnight.

Paul further taught that hope is a gift of the Spirit (see Romans 15:13). Gifts of the Spirit are available to disciples of Christ only if they are living worthily. One cannot be breaking the commandments and experience genuine hope.

Finally, I like these words on hope from Paul to the Colossians:

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister...

God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:23, 27)

Hope is a principle of being stable and firm in that faith that started you on the course of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not always easy to weather the storms of life, but if we constantly seek that hope that God has promised the faithful, He will not fail us in our time of need.

I was out enjoying a summer stroll with my husband one evening when my cell phone rang. It was from a friend I knew through church (I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons). Her doctor’s appointment that morning had brought devastating news: the 20-week-old fetus she’d been carrying was dead. My friend was scheduled to go to the hospital later that night to deliver the body. She was calling to ask me if I would notify our local church leaders for her.

As I got off the phone my husband asked what was wrong. After I related the contents of the call, we held each other for a few moments, then hurried home to see what more we could do.

The following evening I went with another girlfriend to visit this friend who’d lost her baby. I’d bought a yellow rose with a vase and card which we both signed, but I felt completely at a loss as to what I could possibly say that would help this grieving friend.

When we got to her door, we found that there was another couple from the ward (local congregation) already visiting, and we were invited to join them. About six months previously this visiting couple had also miscarried surprisingly late into their pregnancy. I humbly sat and listened as the visiting couple counseled with confidence my friend and her husband, both of whom looked visibly relieved to be speaking with two people who knew their pain so intimately. The visiting couple's prior experience had specially equipped them to help in this very sad, very unusual situation.

We are not always fortunate enough to have a close friend or relative who knows our particular pain. Fortunately, there is always One who knows perfectly what we are going through, because He too has personally experienced it. Many years before the Savior's birth, an ancient American prophet Alma prophesied that Christ would “take upon him [our] infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh how to succor His people according to [our] infirmities” (Alma 7:12). In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ suffered not only for the sins of all mankind, He also suffered every physical and emotional pain we could possibly experience. Because of what he suffered, Christ was uniquely prepared to give needed comfort to each of us during hardship. To succor means to run to the rescue, and Christ is waiting and willing to run to our side.

Whenever we are hurting we can seek the Savior’s comfort through prayer, reading scripture, or listening to sacred hymns. In quiet moments we can experience the reassurance that Christ is there and he knows what we are going through. While this knowledge will not alter our circumstances, it does give us needed relief, healing, and strength to carry on, while at the same time looking forward to a day when we can smile again.

To be loved and to give love is a wonderful gift from God. At some level or another we all search and long for that feeling called love. No matter what walk of life we come from, we all seek to fill that feeling for love.

Why is this? It is because we had that feeling in the premortal world. That renewing feeling is truly a natural inheritance of every person born on earth. Because, of this we all are searching and longing for that which embraced us before we came here to earth. This feeling isn’t new to any of us. I myself have experienced the feeling of longing for home. My spirit often misses the tender care and unconditional love of our Heavenly home.

Just as we long for this loving feeling Heavenly Father longs for us to have those loving feelings for Him. We must get to know God with our minds and feel Him in our hearts. I’m sure He must miss having our presence in heaven as much as we miss being there. Heavenly Father loves all of His children,regardless of the way we act or the attitude we have about things. But, when we obey, we are favored of Him. Obeying the Lord tells Him how much we love Him. When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we all can be His favorite. Isn’t it great to know the Lord can have favor in us?

A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.(Proverbs 12:2)

When I sit and think about what a friend is. It is someone you have a strong connection with. You think of each other and their well being. You look out for each other more. You rejoice upon meeting one another after a brief separation. To share these qualities with the Lord is truly the greatest gift for which we could ask. Our confidence will increase and our love for Him flourishes when we work to feel His love. It simply makes our journey here on earth more enduring; the loneliness we may feel disappears.

Joseph Smith said, ”Nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven, and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for the redemption of man, will enable [the saints] to exercise that confidence in him, necessary for them to overcome the world, and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God. (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith 6:4)

Our purpose in life should be to find God and establish a lasting connection with Him. Love is the most powerful feeling that will connect us with Him. We can have that sweet relationship with Heavenly Father even though we haven’t seen Him. Let your desire be,to be favored by the Lord.

Suffering is one of the most difficult things to make sense of in this life. God knew when he sent us to live on the earth that there would be great hardship. Some of it would result from the evil actions of others. Some of it, however, would simply be natural adversity common to all mankind, like natural disasters, accidents, and disease. If this life was all there is, God would indeed seem uncaring, even cruel. But this is not the case.

Peace comes from knowing God’s plan of happiness (see We Once Were In Heaven). While God knew life on earth would be necessarily difficult, He sent His son Jesus Christ to help us overcome life’s obstacles and give us hope.

Part of our hope comes from knowing life does not end with death. Christ overcame the obstacle of death with His resurrection, thereby making it possible for all mankind to be resurrected. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the scriptures assure us that those who keep the commandments shall be “heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ” (see Romans 8:16-17). He further taught that with this resurrection would come an end to suffering:

“How consoling to the mourners when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.” (“Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 52-53.)

In addition to knowing that we may be reunited with departed loved ones, Christ promised he would not leave us comfortless. He sent us the Holy Ghost to give us peace in times of difficulty and sadness. (see John 14:26-27) The Holy Ghost will often testify to us that the things we believe are true. This is comforting when facing the death of a loved one since most of us have never seen the Savior or a resurrected being. Also, we sometimes feel critical of God when overcome with grief. The Holy Ghost reassures us that all of God's promises will be realized and there will be an end to our present distress.

During his ministry, Christ taught that we should respond to the suffering of others by showing compassion (see for example, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37). In his own life Christ demonstrated the kind of selfless concern of which He spoke. While hanging on the cross in great agony, Christ's final instructions to the disciple John were to look after His (Christ's) mother after He died. Anyone who has been through a difficult time can attest what a difference the presence or absence of seemingly simple acts of kindness made. As we respond to the suffering of others, we assist Christ in His mission of lifting and saving souls.

God knew this life would be hard, but He did not leave us alone. Christ made it possible for us to look forward to a better life beyond this one. The Holy Ghost reassures us when we feel uncertain or need solace. We aid each other by following Christ’s example, knowing that we can look forward to a time when we no longer feel the pain common to our present life.

As you read the newspaper, watch the news and go about your daily activities you often hear of betrayal and loss of trust in others. You might feel there is no one you can confide in and trust. There is one we can completely trust, He is our Heavenly Father.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)

When we look at this grand creation that is our world it is a witness of His trustworthiness to each of us. We can always have that reassurance that each day will come forth as it should in perfect order. All because of a trustworthy Father in Heaven.

Trusting God means we know He will do what He says He will. If we do our part, He will do His. However, He will never let us down or forget us.

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)

You might ask how it is possible to trust God with all that is going on in the world today? You can, Heavenly Father is perfect, unchangeable, steadfast and immovable. He is different from any person you will ever meet. We are an imperfect people prone to sin and a willingness to change our minds on a whim; and yet He loves us and wishes only for us to succeed.

Furthermore, trusting in Heavenly Father is a necessary step to gaining our salvation. When we start to trust Him we will more likely desire to obey Him. Obeying God with a pure heart brings us inner peace in a world where there is no peace.

Job is a great example for each of us to remember. In the midst of all his suffering, he continued to trust in the Lord. He never turned his back on the Lord.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come between him. (Job 13:15–16)

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

Job was anxious to obey the Lord in every way because he trusted Him. Job was truly blessed for his obedience and example. I truly believe that we can find that same trust as Job did in our Father in Heaven.

In God’s premortal council, He presented a plan in which men and women could come to earth, gain a physical body, and progress toward eventual exaltation. A Savior would be provided to atone for the sins of mankind. Central to this plan was agency, the ability for men and women to choose for themselves. Those who chose to repent and follow the Savior would receive forgiveness of their sins and be enabled, once they died, to return to the presence of God.

Not everyone who heard God’s plan embraced it. Richard G. Scott, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, describes the opposition that took place:

"From before the Creation of this earth, there was rebellion against our Father’s plan, instigated by a brilliant but evil spirit we know as Lucifer or Satan. He proposed a modification of the requirements. So convincing was his argument that one-third of the Father’s spirit children followed Satan and were cast out. They lost the extraordinary opportunity to grow and the critical advantage of a mortal body." (“Truth Restored,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 78)

Satan’s proposed modification was the removal of agency, men and women’s ability to choose for themselves. People would be forced to do the right thing. Because no one could sin, there would be no need for a Savior. He alone would take the place of preeminence in this version of God’s plan. His rebellion caused him to be cast out from God’s presence, but Satan still strives to destroy the agency of those who have chosen to come to earth and receive a body.

One way Satan inhibits the agency of men and women is by addiction. James E. Faust wrote the following about the controlling influence of addiction:

"There are many kinds of addictions, and it is difficult for someone who has one of these serious addictions to change because some of them are mind-altering. A recent article on addiction said, “In the brains of addicts, there is reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, where rational thought can override impulse behavior.” Some addictions can control us to the point where they take away our God-given agency. One of Satan’s great tools is to find ways to control us. Consequently, we should abstain from anything that would keep us from fulfilling the Lord’s purposes for us, whereby the blessings of eternity may hang in jeopardy. We are in this life for the spirit to gain control over the body rather than the other way around." (“The Power to Change,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 122–24)

Satan knows that if he can enslave people through addiction, they will not be capable of living the kind of life necessary to return to God. It will not matter that they chose to follow God in the premortal world, they will be incapable of continuing to do so on earth.

Another way he inhibits agency is by waging war on democracy. Satan and his followers inspire governments which deny basic freedoms, such as the freedom of religion, so people will not be able to live according to their own principles. Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, taught that it was a basic tenet of the Mormon faith that all people should be allowed the same freedom of religion:

"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith 1:11)

Governments which exercise excessive control are contrary to God’s purpose for giving us life on this earth.

Another way Satan inhibits our freedom to choose is by encouraging us to live beyond our means. When we incur excessive debt, we are no longer able to use our resources in the way God intended. Giving to charity, making desirable career changes, obtaining education, and providing for a family all become difficult if not impossible when we are burdened with unnecessary debt.

There is an oft repeated maxim that freedom is not free. The freedom of choice we possess as individuals was fought for by God and by those who chose to follow Him before the creation of this earth. The battle continues today, whether a personal struggle against addiction, the worldwide struggle against tyrannical governments, or a societal trend toward increasing consumer debt. Agency, the freedom to choose for ourselves, is something Satan is ever striving to take away and requires our constant vigilance to preserve.

Before coming to earth everyone born on this earth, from Adam and Eve down, lived in heaven with Heavenly Father. While there, Heavenly Father called each of us together in a grand meeting were He explained His great plan of happiness for us.

And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)

In order for this plan to move forward we needed a Savior to pay for our sins and to teach us the way to get back to Heavenly Father's presence. Jesus, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to make our own choices about whether or not we would obey. We needed to choose for ourselves in order to prove worthy of exaltation or eternal salvation.

Jesus said “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever”. (Moses 4:2)

Lucifer, who became known as Satan, wanted to force us all to do his will. We had no say with Satan's plan. He would make all the decisions, taking away our freedom of choice. With his alternate plan there was no room for growth, learning and improvement, the entire purpose of our mortal existence.

Satan also came saying, “Behold, here am I send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. (Moses 4)

In the end, Jesus became our Savior. Satan was not pleased with Heavenly Father decision. He became angry and rebelled, causing a war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought again Jesus and His followers. They were thrown out of heaven and denied the opportunity of having a body or of experiencing earthly existence.

We are here on earth today because we chose to follow Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Sadly, Satan and his followers are also here on earth as spirits. (Revelations 12:9) They still remember who we are, they are always around us, trying to tempt us to do those things that are not pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Before coming to earth we made the right choices. We must continue to do the right things now. Following Jesus is our only sure guarantee that we will return to our heavenly home and live in the presence of our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ once again. When Jesus became our Savior, He kept His part of the agreement and He did all He said He would. Now, it’s our time to show Him how thankful we are for His effort by striving to become the best that we can become each and every day of our lives.

We are not here on earth solely to concentrate on our own desires. We are here to bless and teach others about Heavenly Father gospel.

Blessing others must first begin at home. Fathers and mothers have an important responsibility of teaching their children the gospel. Doing these things well is our purpose in life. Marriage between a husband and a wife is essential to Heavenly Father's plan.

Each of our missions in life includes a family. Having the structure of a family helps refine us. In a family we are forced to choose between right and wrong. Home is a laboratory of great learning experiences; where we can learn to be the person we are meant to be.

Heavenly Father expects us to be kind and considerate to our families. Just as we are to those we work with, go to school with and encounter in other ways.

Heavenly Father understands that it will be a struggle for us to overcome the challenges that we face in our families. But, He is there to help us if we are willing to ask. He loves us and He wants us to succeed at making our families the best.

However, if we take this counsel lightly we will have failed in the most important responsibility of our existence.

David O. McKay said it best; "No other success compensates for failure in the home."

There are two ways we can fail in our homes. First, we fail when we refrain from having a spiritual environment where children are taught to pray and think on the things of the scriptures. Secondly, we fail when we choose not to live in our family situations as Jesus Christ would.

Margaret S. Lifferth, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, shares some profound truth when she say, “In today‘s world, children will need not only a devoted mother and father, but they will need each of us to protect, teach, and love them. Personal obedience and example in every part of our lives are the ultimate gospel lessons for children. So study, learn, and apply the gospel.” (“The Family Is Central to the Creator’s Plan,” Ensign, Feb 2008, 69)

We are to be diligent in this cause. Jesus never said it would be easy only that it would be worth it. However, we will be blessed for all our efforts in the end.

Part of our purpose in life is to gain control over our physical bodies. One way in which we can do so is by regular fasting.

Let’s be honest: Fasting can be torture. Anyone who has faced the prospect of going 24 hours without food or drink knows how suddenly obsessive you can become over something as mundane as eating and drinking. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are expected to fast every first Sunday of the month, in addition to special fasts they may hold in times of special spiritual need. It is important to note that those with special considerations are exempted from fasting. These include small children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with prohibitive medical conditions.

Religious fasting is different from other kinds of fasting in that the intended benefits are more spiritual than physical. It is an opportunity to set aside temporal concerns (like fixing meals) as well as selfish concerns (like satisfying one’s palate) to focus more on spiritual concerns (like helping those in need). A religious fast should have a specific purpose, whether it is a petition for a desired blessing or to express profound gratitude. A proper fast open and closes with a prayer, and is characterized by increased prayerfulness through out the fasting period.

The reason for a fast is as personal as the individual who is fasting. Carl B. Pratt offered the following thoughts on the different purposes for which we might fast:

“The purpose of our fast may be a very personal one. Fasting can help us overcome personal flaws and sins. It can help us overcome our weaknesses—help them become strengths. Fasting can help us become more humble, less prideful, less selfish, and more concerned about the needs of others. It can help us see more clearly our own mistakes and weaknesses and help us be less prone to criticize others. Or our fast may have a focus on a family challenge. A family fast might help increase love and appreciation among family members and reduce the amount of contention in the family, or we might fast as a couple to strengthen our marriage bonds. A purpose of our fast might be to seek the Lord’s guidance in our callings, as President Hinckley has demonstrated, or we might fast with our home or visiting teaching companion to know how to help one of our families.”
((“The Blessings of a Proper Fast,” Ensign, Nov 2004, 47))

I remember an experience when fasting took on special meaning for me. As a junior in college I looked forward to weekly emails from my brother in South Korea. He was serving as a full-time missionary and having tremendous experiences despite being fairly new and learning the language. Then we received news that he’d been assigned to serve in a deaf congregation. Still struggling to learn spoken Korean, having to learn Korean sign left my brother feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. Over the next few weeks his morale continued to wane.

Finally he expressed in an email he was reaching a breaking point. He didn’t see how he could continue when he was making little progress in either the spoken or sign language. I did the only thing I could think to do. I called my parents back home and asked them to fast the following day with me. Our purpose was to petition the Lord to intervene in my brother’s behalf, to help him not be so discouraged and to be able to continue his mission.

Now, admittedly, I am one of the world’s biggest wimps when it comes to fasting. But this time it was different. I was so anxious to see my brother overcome this uncharacteristic depression that for once I had little trouble ignoring my stomach. Whenever a usual meal time rolled around, I remembered why I wasn’t eating and prayed for my brother. I felt fortified knowing my parents, who also weren’t accustomed to fasting a full 24 hours, were doing the same thing. With a focused purpose, the fast was more than manageable; it became a very positive and memorable experience.

My brother’s email the following day was in complete contrast to the last few we’d received. He had been reassigned, was back to learning just spoken Korean, and was more enthusiastic about the work than ever. I admit this wasn’t the kind of answer I was expecting, but it was the right thing for my brother, and he completed his mission successfully and had many wonderful experiences along the way.

Fasting really is a blessing, though at first it might no seem like it. Having a purpose makes a tremendous difference on what we gain from our fast, as well as what it accomplishes for others. For additional insight on the benefits of Mormon fasting, see Ali Cross’s terrific blog, The Joy of Fasting.

If I had to sum up the purpose of life in one word, it would be family. We lived before this life as part of God’s family, we were born into an earthly family, and depending on the choices we make in this life, the family we have may endure eternally.

We are what you might call dual beings. There is the physical part of us—our body. It is made up of millions of tiny cells, able to mend its own cuts, get stronger with exercise, and turn food into energy. But eventually our bodies will succumb to a slow decay ending in death.

There is a second part to us—our spirits. We lived as spirit children of a loving Heavenly Father prior to this life. Our Father in Heaven loved us and wanted us to become like him. We differed from God in that we did not have a physical body as he did. We also had not progressed in knowledge and ability to the degree he had.

God sent us to be born on earth because he loved us enough that he was willing to part with our company. We needed to come to earth to obtain physical bodies, learn to live by faith, and gain necessary experience to become like Him. Adam and Eve were the first parents. They taught their children to pray to God and to follow his commandments. The love they felt for the children born to them mirrored the love God feels for all of us, his children. Every person who finds themselves in the position of becoming a parent receives a taste of the profound love God feels for each of us.

God did not leave us alone. He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to teach us the way to live so that we could return to God’s presence. God knew we would make mistakes as we learned to choose between right and wrong. Christ’s atonement makes it possible so that we can repent and have our sins wiped away. This way, if we were willing to learn from our mistakes and make restitution for them, we would not be condemned for our sins.

God also gave us the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit can guide us in making correct choices, give us power to overcome temptation, and console us when life is difficult. We can’t feel the influence of the Holy Spirit if we are knowingly sinning or rebelling against God’s will. If we accept the baptismal covenant and live the commandments, we are promised that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion.

Our earthly family teaches us important principles that will benefit us eternally. We learn the importance of being accountable, of contributing our fair share, and subduing our natural selfishness. Not everyone who lives on earth will choose to follow after righteousness. Those who choose not to follow God will not enjoy the same privileges after this life as those who do. One of the blessings granted those who faithfully serve God is the ability to have their family relationships continue eternally. Those who are married in God’s holy temple and who keep their marital covenants will still be husband and wife after they die. There can be no greater joy than to have our family, those whom we love more than life itself, to be there with us in heaven, never to be separated again. To me, it is the very definition of heaven.

To learn more about God’s Plan of Salvation, please visit www.mormon.org.

It is probably safe to say that all Christians believe in the eternal nature of God, but what about the eternal nature of men and women? Even prior to Christ’s resurrection, his followers understood that there would be a resurrection day for them as well. In John 11:23-24 Martha affirms her belief that her dead brother, Lazarus, would live again in some future day:

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

When Christ appeared to his disciples as a resurrected being, he had a glorified body. His disciples could physically handle him and feel the scars on his hands and on his feet. Christ ate fish and honey in their presence (see Luke 24:36-43). His new resurrected body would never sicken or die. He was immortal, perfected. Because of Christ, every man and woman that has ever lived on the earth may anticipate a glorious resurrection.

But what came before the first man and first woman, Adam and Eve, were put on the earth? Did each man and woman first come to exist at birth, or did they exist before being born in the flesh? Christ indicated that he dwelt with God before he was born to the virgin Mary:

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
(John 17:5, 24)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormons) has additional scripture that explains the eternal nature of men and women. God showed Abraham in a vision how he, God, had organized the spirits who were to be born on the earth. Among them were those who were especially suited to be righteous leaders on earth, like the prophet Abraham. The following is from The Pearl of Great Price:

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. (Abraham 3:22-23)

None of us, unfortunately, remember life before we were born on earth. It does not mean, however, that it did not occur. Part of the challenge of this life is learning to live by faith. It is important to understand that when we hear God’s truth on earth, we are not hearing it for the first time. We dwelt with God as his spirit children in a premortal world. God held a premortal council wherein he presented a plan for his children to come to earth and learn to live by faith. Those that choose to follow God will be blessed not only in life, but will be allowed to return to God’s presence after they died, never again to be separated from his presence.