The Purpose of Life

To live in America is an awesome blessing and opportunity. I always look forward to each year when we celebrate the birth of this country. At that time I like to reflect back on all the memorable moments of the year. We have so much for which we can be grateful. This country was found on the principles of God The Father.

I feel honored to be a citizen of this great country. It is a land of many opportunities and accomplishments. We have had many setbacks and downfalls, but through it all she still tops the rest. We each have a great responsible to this country we reside in.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons).

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law and the leaders. (Twelfth Article of Faith)

Obeying the law means we will have good intention rooted in our hearts to do our part to make our country a great place. In honoring our country we look upon it as something important to us. We sustain our country when we refrain from saying or doing anything, which will weaken or make our country ineffective.

Have you ever thought about what condition our society would be in if we didn't have leaders or rules? We would use our free agency to make our own rules, responding at whim to any and all situations as we would choose. However,this would cause our country as a whole to suffer.

We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every.(Doctrine & Covenants 134:5)

Our responsibility as citizens is to strive to make our country strong and worthy of God's blessings. Working to make our homes strong and good will make good people, good people will make a great nation. It is important that we teach our children to love this country and to respect the leaders in authority. When we make this a part of our lives we will be rewarded for all our efforts.

President Harold B. Lee taught: "When one sets himself up to make his own rules and presumes to know no law but his own, he is but echoing the plan of Satan."(Conference Report,July 1972)

Our righteous behavior will make all the difference in how great this nation will become and be. Let’s not give Satan any entrance into our lives, and we do this by striving to be good law abiding citizens. This is my prayer.

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.