Plan of Salvation

                This next assignment was an optional one, but I am really glad that I did it.  I got the opportunity to look through “Plan of Salvation” pages on the church website.  There was a lot of learning information on there, and for the last few days of class we have been learning about the Plan of Salvation as well.  Though this unit my understanding and testimony of the Plan of Salvation has really grown.

                The website speaks about how we often look for things in this life that we can hold on to, things that will last.  It speaks about how many people will look for temporal things to make them happy, and we look for money and riches to bring happiness.  Then here is the big quote, “But we eventually realize that life is temporary.”  This really hit me, because often I get so frantic that we don’t have enough money, that we won’t have enough money to live off of and that I won’t be able to be as trendy, or have a great big house, or get my kids all the things that I would like.  But I am starting to realize lately that these things don’t matter.  As long as we make enough to survive, does it really matter if we are rich?  Is it really that big of a deal to have a nice new house with all of the trendy décor?  Is it worth it to put all that time and effort into it to only leave it behind and realize that I didn’t put my work into the things I can take with me?  My house isn’t coming, but my relationship with my family will.  My car isn’t coming, but my love to learn is.  I think that is one of the amazing things about Heavenly Father’s plan is that we are able to take with us the things that bring us true joy.  Knowledge, family, wisdom, and a testimony. 

                The Plan of Salvation is truly a way for us to know how much Heavenly Father loves us.  When we cherish something, or someone, and it/they go away for a time, aren’t we always overjoyed to have them return to us?  This has to be the way Heavenly Father feels.   We lived with him before in the Pre-Mortal world.  Heavenly Father knew we would have to leave to find our own way, but he knew he wanted us returned to him someday because we are what make him happy, and he is what makes us happy.  So, in order for us to return, he created a plan that allowed us to be in his presence, even when we have done imperfect things. 

                Joe and I watched the move Courageous a few weeks ago and an analogy was made that really struck me.   There are two characters that are talking, one has done something wrong, and the other tells him that he needs to repent of that because we are judged according to our works.  The first man then says “well I just hope my good outweighs my bad.”  The second replies that it doesn’t work like that.  He then makes this great analogy.  If there is a man that has committed a murder he would need to receive a punishment and justice would have to be in order. Then when he appears before the judge in court he says “well I have done a lot of good in my life, so this one bad thing shouldn’t matter.”  If the judge let him go based off of that statement, we could consider him to be a bad judge.  Heavenly Father cannot allow the wrong we have done to be outweighed by the good.  If he is a true and honest judge, then we will have to be responsible for the bad that we have done.  And since only those who are clean can dwell in the presence of our Father, we would not be able to be with him.  This is where the atonement comes into play.  Jesus Christ has taken the punishment for those things we have done wrong.  He suffered the punishment so that we wouldn’t have to and so that we can be made pure and return to Heavenly Father.  Because of Christ’s love and atonement mercy is allowed to overcome justice, but only if we will repent of that which we have done wrong and allow for the Atonement to become a daily part of our lives.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ don’t want us to live with this burden, they want us to let it go and to no longer carry such weight.

                The Plan of Salvation is what makes all of this possible.  Heavenly Father created this plan that those who have done imperfect things to be able to return to him because he is overjoyed by our presence.  We have this life on earth to be tried and tested, to learn all we can, to create families, and to make covenants with our Father in Heaven.  But, his plan has allowed for those who haven’t done these things to receive them at a later time.  There is a Spirit world where we are allowed to rest from the troubles of the world, and those who were not able to learn about Heavenly Father’s Gospel now have the opportunity.  And we, as Saints have the opportunity to do that work for them.  What a great blessing it is to give to others the thing most precious to them.  They cannot make these covenants for themselves, but we can do it for them.  We can give the chance to return to our Heavenly Father to them, just as Christ gave that chance to us.  I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation so much, and I am so happy to know that I can return to him someday because of this plan.  Because of this plan I can be with my husband, my sweet baby, and the rest of my family again someday, and we will get to be together forever.