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.

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.