FEBRUARY SUNDAY LESSONS
The Plan of Salvation
“This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
Many of the difficult choices a young woman has to make become easier when she understands the plan of salvation. Knowing that she lived with her Heavenly Father before she was born and that He sent her here with a divine purpose can help her view her trials and challenges with an eternal perspective. Knowing that being a woman is part of her eternal identity can help her develop her divine gifts and prepare for her future. Knowing that agency is a gift and that she will be accountable for her choices can inspire her to make decisions based on eternal principles.
What is the plan of salvation?
Heavenly Father prepared a plan to enable us to become like Him. The plan includes the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and all the laws, ordinances, and doctrines of the gospel. This plan makes it possible for us to be perfected through the Atonement, receive a fulness of joy, and live forever in the presence of God.
What happened in my premortal life?
Before we were born, we lived with Heavenly Father as His spirit children. In the Council in Heaven, the Father presented to us His plan of salvation, and Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior. Satan sought to amend the plan, taking away our agency, and he and his followers were cast out. We accepted our Father’s plan and chose to follow Jesus Christ.
What is the purpose of life?
During this life we obtain physical bodies and are tested to see if we will obey God’s commandments. We came to earth to prepare to have an eternal family, bless God’s children, and build His kingdom. Our experiences during mortality are meant to help us become more like our Heavenly Father.
Why do the choices I make matter?
Heavenly Father has given us moral agency, the ability to choose and act for ourselves. While we are free to make our own choices, we cannot choose the consequences of those choices. Good choices lead to lasting happiness and eternal life. If we ask Him, Heavenly Father will help us make wise choices.
Why do we have adversity?
As part of Heavenly Father’s plan, we must experience adversity during mortality. In some cases, adversity comes as the result of our own poor choices or the choices of others. Other trials are simply a natural part of our mortal experience. Though they are difficult, our challenges can help us grow spiritually and become more like Jesus Christ.
How can I find comfort when someone I care about dies?
Death is an essential part of the plan of salvation. In order to become like our Heavenly Father, we must experience death and receive perfect, resurrected bodies. When we understand that death is part of Heavenly Father’s plan and that Jesus Christ overcame death through His Atonement, we can receive hope and peace when a loved one dies.
Why should I treat my body like a temple?
Our bodies were created in the image of God. They are a gift from Heavenly Father to allow us to experience mortality and continue to become more like Him. This knowledge influences the way we treat our bodies and how we feel about Heavenly Father and ourselves. When we treat our bodies as temples of God, we obtain physical, emotional, and spiritual blessings.
