by Rebecca

Meaning of Life on Earth

There is a lot that I don’t understand about my life, but I’m grateful to know the most important things about the meaning of life. These simple truths are taught as “the plan of happiness” within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by the media). I have found great happiness in my life knowing that there is purpose in my life.  We are each sons and daughters of God, and He sent us to earth for a purpose.

Last year, I went camping outdoors with some friends during the fall. I was surrounded by swirling autumn leaves and bright blue skies above the reddish mountain as I listened to Dieter F. Uchtdorf on the radio saying “Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters” (“You Matter to Him,” Ensign, October 2011). It’s hard to describe how close I felt to God while looking at His creations and the beauty around me, but I can say it was an overwhelming feeling of love, calm, and happiness. I’ve also felt this feeling as I’ve learned more about the meaning of life within the scriptures and as I’ve talked with Heavenly Father in prayer. I know for myself that He wants me to succeed in life and to be happy.

I’ve had many challenges in life, ranging from the death of my grandmother, a genetic terminal illness that took my mother, multiple surgeries, and of course just struggling through graduate schooling and the dating scene. Fortunately, the knowledge I have of the plan of happiness has given me a lot of hope and perspective as I’ve faced these circumstances. I would never wish such experiences upon anyone else, but I recognize that they were a necessary part of my journey here on earth and ultimately brought me closer to God. I was able to find happiness during such hard moments as I remembered the meaning of life—who I am and why I’m given such experiences.

Meaning of Life Taught during our Pre-Earth Life

Before we were born, we lived with God as His spirit sons and daughters. He presented to us His plan of happiness, which outlines the meaning of life. He offered us the opportunity to come to Earth, to get bodies, and to have experiences that could help us reach our potential as His children. Modern prophets teach us that “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” 1995).

We don’t remember this part of our lives because that’s part of the test. One wouldn’t learn very much if a teacher told them exactly what was going to be on the final exam and they knew all the answers beforehand. We are living by faith and don’t remember our pre-earth life simply because God respects the right we have to make our own choices. I’m grateful that modern prophets and the scriptures teach me more about the meaning of life so that I can live by faith and choose for myself whether or not to return to God.

Meaning of Life: Happiness Achieved through Christ

Adam and Eve were the first children that God sent to the Earth. He told them to not eat from one tree (the tree of knowledge of good and evil) but knew that it was a necessary part of His plan of happiness for them to do so. Once they had eaten of the fruit, they were able to have children (allowing the rest of us to come to earth and also get bodies) and were able to experience joy and sorrow (2 Nephi 2:22–25). However, as a consequence of eating this fruit, they no longer had immortal bodies; they could die, and they were cast out from God’s presence for disobeying Him.

Fortunately, God prepared for the Fall of Adam and Eve, and it was all part of His plan. He sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth and offered us two gifts. The first one is a free gift to all; everyone will receive a perfect, resurrected body. This means that the body and spirit will never be separated again after death and the resurrection (Romans 6:9). The second is the marvelous gift of the Atonement and the choice to use that power to repent so that we might again return to God’s presence, but this gift depends upon whether or not we choose to accept it. Christ is the center of the plan of happiness, and we can only return to God’s presence because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for us.

After our earthly lives, our actions we will be judged as we stand before God. Those that lived good lives and chose to accept Christ as their Savior will have the opportunity to live with God again. My personal and favorite part about the plan of happiness is that I can also live with my family after this life. The meaning of life is simple: we were sent to this earth to be happy and to prepare to return to live with God again, progressing eternally. I can’t imagine the eternities without my loved ones and am forever grateful to my Savior for the opportunity that I may have to be with them after this life.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

Jesus Christ in Mormonism 

More about Life before Life

Rebecca Bishop is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman). She is in the process of being published in the Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies.

Written by Josh Lloyd, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

We can All Become Like God the Father

Reading the first chapter of the book of Moses, found in a book of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, is a remarkably good experience for those who need a model of a solid, personal relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. Moses’ experiences give us some of the most basic and useful insights for building our own relationships with Heavenly Father. If we learn what Moses learned in this chapter, we will find ourselves in possession of key bits of knowledge that, if applied correctly, will lift our hearts and mind and propel them toward an everlasting inheritance.

The first thing that Moses learned from his experience was that “man is nothing.” We have to be careful how we define “nothing” here because we might be led to believe that we do not matter to God the Father, that we are insignificant. That is not what Moses learned. What Moses learned in his moment of physical weakness (and what we ought to learn if we too are children of God) was that we, provided with only our own power, cannot bring to pass any degree of righteousness in the world; or, defined slightly differently, we can only learn and accomplish the things which God the Father has given us power to do.

Our energy and ability to accomplish even the slightest tasks are given to us by the power and grace of God. Without the Father we become pathetic and truly devilish creatures. This truth, if understood correctly, will lead us to walk more humbly and give us desire to pray more earnestly for the gifts of the Spirit and grace of Jesus Christ (See the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 4:11-12). This is why Moses worshipped God. I, personally, would much rather be on the good side of the Almighty and see the grandeur of his power than, by my ignorance and pride, feel the wrath of his vengeance.

Another one of the important facts Moses learned about his relationship with God the Father was that the two of them were alike. Moses was created after the image of the Only Begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ. They had arms, hands, eyes, noses, etc. What we can take from this is that God is not some foreign object or abstract entity. God is real, and certain things about him are comprehensible by our mortal minds. However, the most important part of this principle that Moses understood and that we ought to as well is that if we are like him in body then we can become like him in character. Despite the massive difference in glory and power, becoming like God the Father is a legitimate and even an encouraged goal. So let’s not give up.

Moses also learned of the tools that God, as a good Father, has given us to help us in our mortal sojourn. In Moses 1:15, Moses mentions that the Spirit is what showed him the difference between God and Satan. Moses learned the difference between glory and darkness through the power of the Holy Ghost. We would be wise to learn the same principle that we ought only truly learn through the power of the Holy Ghost rather than be taught by the wisdom of men, lest we be deceived.

There is another principle Moses learned from this same moment. He learned the difference between the circumstances that God the Father and Satan enjoy – glory vs. darkness. We don’t have to learn it just the way Moses did, but we ought to be acquainted with the dynamics of eternal progression. Let us understand that an individual can either reach as high as the heavens or as low as hell, and our destination is determined by our decisions.

Moses also learned about prayer. Moses was spared from an awful experience, seeing the bitterness of Hell (See Moses 1:20), because he had the courage to pray. Similarly, we ought to learn to go to our knees before our decisions bring us to our knees.

What Moses learned about his relationship with Deity gives us some of the most fundamental building blocks for developing our own personal relationship with God the Father. Without a correct understanding that we are in the similitude of the Only Begotten of the Father, we would not feel particularly attracted to this omnipotent figure. Without knowledge of where our power to move and act comes from, we would proceed in a blasphemous, disrespectful and disobedient manner because of our own pride in what seems like “our” accomplishments. Without the most basic tools for communication with God the Father, we are blind in an ever thickening fog; prayer and the gift of the Holy Ghost will give us access to the powers of heaven and allow us to develop this, the most divine relationship, the way it ought to be developed. To clarify, by prayer we can actually talk to God our Father and by the Holy Spirit He can talk back. In this manner we can, in a way, spend “quality time” with our Father in Heaven.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. Request your free copy today.

Read/Watch/Listen to a living apostle testify of the reality that God is our Father.

God’s plan of happiness brings great comfort, peace an hope to life. Read a “Mormon’s” testimony about this truth.

The following is an email sent by Aragon, a dentist, to his parents. Aragon served in the Sydney Australia Vietnamese speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then attended University of California at San Francisco dental school. During his senior year he traveled to the Philippines to serve with “Kids International Dental Service.”

Hi family,

I just wanted to give a trip report for the past two weeks that I have been in the Philippines; apparently some of you…did not even know I was over there.

The trip was very special for me and reminded me of some of the feelings I had had when I was much younger as a missionary. As a missionary you are able to feel the peace that comes from focusing on others’ needs as opposed to just your own. It was during that time as a missionary that I knew I wanted to integrate such a lifestyle into the rest of my life.

The first summer back from my mission I spent four months in Vietnam, one day I was eating lunch at a café, and I started talking to a person that was sharing the table with me. I told him how I really wanted to help out with the poverty I saw around me but I did not know how. I remember him telling me that if I really wanted to help that I would need to go back to America to gain a skill first, then I really would have something to offer.

Over the next eight years I have been putting a lot of time into gaining that skill that I could offer others. I think during that time I have been so focused on myself and what I needed to do that I kind of forgot some of the reasons that I was doing all of this school work anyway. I was starting to think that getting a dental degree would enable me more personal attainment and thus more personal happiness. I had somewhat forgotten that a dental degree would enable me more ability to serve others, and in the focus of serving others I could once again experience the peace I had while a missionary. I hardly blame myself for forgetting; eight years of pursuing education trying to make grades, padding your transcript for recommendation letters and instructor brown-nosing will make anybody become a little self-centered.

The Lord blessed me to remember during this trip. I can remember particularly a 12 year old girl where I was overcome with godlike empathy. I had to extract most of (rotten to the gum-line) the adult teeth in a 12 year old girl. Can you imagine that? A girl not even a teenager yet who would have to go through her dating years with no front teeth and missing many of her back teeth? It was very difficult for me emotionally. Even though I was taking her out of pain my removing the rotten teeth, I felt as though I had failed her because I was not able to intervene sooner when the problem was small and I could have saved her teeth. But as difficult as it was, it was so peaceful to spend my waking moments during the day to figure out how I could set goals in life on how I could prevent this for other people.

Prayers during the trip became so much more powerful. It is one thing to pray to God to help you pass tests and such, and I am sure I have been blessed in that regard. The veil truly became thin when I was praying for God to bless my hands because I wanted so much to help these children with dental problems that I felt my skills were inadequate to treat.

I felt the power of these words in my patriarchal blessing on this trip: “You loved your spiritual brothers and sisters with all your heart and the Spirit of Charity is beginning to blossom within your soul at this time”

It is true that I do not have to go to the Philippines to focus and serve those around me, but perhaps I needed to see the shocking state of oral health over there to remind me and teach me things. I am looking forward to setting new goals in my life and I hope these memories will always be fresh with me.

Love, Aragon

My childhood was not pretty. I was raised in several “homes” and foster homes. Both my parents were alcoholics…in fact, they met at an AA meeting! Both of them had several failed marriages and relationships which resulted in various children. I have siblings, step-siblings and half-siblings, some of whom I’ve never met, even to this day. Others I was raised with on and off at different times and various circumstances. To say the least…it was a confusing, chaotic, and unstable childhood. Through all the chaos and confusion, there was one consistent thing in my life- that was the AV 1611 King James version of the Holy Bible.

My father, (believe it or not) was a southern Baptist preacher! He would preach about the love of Christ and the peace which passeth all understanding, but my father never knew peace, nor did he have a clue about the meaning of the word “love.” (I struggle with the meaning of it myself) As my siblings all turned to drugs, alcohol, sex or insanity as an escape from the torment of our lives, I turned to the Bible. I started memorizing it at an early age. By the time I was 16 years old, I was carrying my Bible with me to school every day and quoting whole chapters. When I was 26 years old, I quoted the first 14 chapters of Matthew on a TV show called,”The Parade Of Miracles”. It was broadcast from a church called The People’s Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas.

I didn’t know Christ or His love, but I wanted to know him. I longed to know him. As I poured over my scriptures, I found reference to Christ in every chapter I could from both the Old and the New Testaments. I wrote poems, read books (many books),about Christ, New Testament times and Old Testament times. As I matured into adulthood, I started “church hopping”, checking out many different churches and religions, each one claiming to have the only truth. Each one claimed that they were the the true church, and with each new church, I came away feeling empty. Finally, after my marriage failed and I started raising my two children alone, I decided to give up on church altogether. Although I could quote scripture better than most preachers I knew, I still lacked an understanding of who Christ was. I knew about him, but I didn’t know him. My problem was 18 inches long. There are 18 inches between your head and your heart. I had Christ’s words in my head, but they had not reached my heart. If I missed Heaven…it was going to be by 18 inches!

Then, one night I happened to see a commercial for a free Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ. Wow! It had never occurred to me that the Book of Mormon was a “Testament of Jesus Christ.” I had the Old Testament and the New Testament, what was this? A third Testament? I had never heard of such a thing! Maybe that was the missing piece! I grabbed my phone and dialed the number! When the person on the other end asked if I would like someone to visit me, as well as receive my free copy of the Book of Mormon, I said,” yes!” I had my first visit in February 2004. God bless those missionaries! I sure gave them a run for their money! I knew we were in the “last days”, and the the Bible says,”Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). I did not trust them; I knew many false prophets would arise in the last days, but I gave them my word that I would not make any decisions until I had read the Book of Mormon.

A funny thing happened as I started reading the Book of Mormon-I recognized my beloved Bible on every page! It didn’t start in First Nephi,either…it started with the introduction to the Book of Mormon and then the testimonies of the witnesses. I recognized God’s numbers, His “set” way of organization; I started pulling out God’s numbers-3,8,12-from the very first pages and I knew that this book was lining up with my Bible. As I read on, I decided that the Book of Mormon was either written by God or by Satan, but it could not have been written by any man! The wisdom was too deep. It lined up too well with the Bible, on so many levels. I knew that it was just not possible for man to have written this book. As I realized this, at first, I feared in my heart that the Book of Mormon was a counterfeit. Was this the strong delusion sent by Satan in the last days that my Bible had warned me about? Were these missionaries the false prophets that I knew would arise in the last days? I was sure in my heart that the Book of Mormon was a supernatural book, but to which end? I also knew that “ol’ smutty face” was a master of imitation and forgery. If anybody could make a “copy” of the Bible, yet twist it, he could! But the missionaries kept telling me to pray about it, and ask God if it was the truth. Satan wouldn’t advise me to ask God about anything! The Bible says in Isaiah 55:11 that God’s word will not return void and it didn’t. I had not memorized all that scripture for naught.

There was only one conclusion I could make about the Book of Mormon. My Bible came back to me and testified to me as I read each page of the Book of Mormon. The Holy Spirit was there too, and so were the missionaries…patiently putting up with my endless questions. I swam through a sea of confusion, but God knew my heart and he guided me back to him. Praise God!!! I’ve finally found the true church of Jesus Christ, and I can testify from my very soul that the Book of Mormon is the truth. It changed my life and it is the final piece to the puzzle of my life. The pieces have come together and I finally have the whole truth. I finally know Christ…REALLY know him, and I have felt his love for REAL this time. I’m home…at last!!!

I was inspired to write this poem during our Stake Conference in November of 2004. I had been reading LDS poetry from a book that I had borrowed from the church library and I had this feeling of frustration that all the LDS poetry that I had read so far kept painting this “rosy” picture of happy childhoods and “goodly” parents and how the heroin’s had to find their own testimonies. I thought to myself, why doesn’t anybody write about not being born into this church, yet finding their testimony? I was thinking these thoughts while listening to Conference when the Lord whispered into my heart…”Why don’t YOU write that poem?” I wrote it that night after Conference.

The Mortal Test

A spirit I was, a mortal to be…
The father came and spoke to me.
You’ve kept, my child, your first estate
and now it’s time to delegate…
A mother to give you mortal birth
a body and a place on Earth.
I know you’d like your mother, “kind”
but I have something else in mind.

You see, my child, it’s easy to be
in a holy family that pleases me.
What’s not so easy and takes more grit
is to be placed with parents that are unfit.
A childhood filled with fear and unrest,
you must endure and pass the test.
As you struggle through confusion and pain
Your efforts to find me again will not be in vain.

I love you and I’ll guide you back
if you will withstand Satan’s attack.
Your progression greatly will be multiplied
and I’ll be there waiting on the other side…
with rewards beyond you wildest dream
because you took the path extreme.
The Earth will be your proving ground
but Heaven is where you will be crowned.
You will receive rewards so sweet,
just toss them all at Jesus’ feet.

You will then be allowed to look upon my face
and once again receive your heavenly mother’s embrace.
I know you can do this, I have no doubt
because you’re a spirit Divine and devout.
I’ve planned this life and task to do
because I have great confidence in you.

(1 Corinthians 10:13)
I know God won’t give me anything that I can’t handle…
I just wish He didn’t trust me so much!!!!!

I have many friends who go through life confused and angry, not understanding the meaning of it all. The Plan of Salvation- the plan that God prepared for us before we came here- gives meaning to suffering. It brings peace to loss, it brings strength to the weak and tired. I have a testimony that there is a God, and he is our Father in Heaven. There is a reason for all that we must endure- and the knowledge of that purpose breathes new life into thousands each day. Ask Him, and He will tell you- He loves you, there is a purpose to life, there is a purpose to you. I have a testimony of God, which I have received through various circumstances and situations in my life. I have my own blog in which I record God in my life, and my life in Him. I’d love for you to visit! http://mydateswithgod.blogspot.com/