The "Plan of Salvation" is one of the Gospel Lessons the missionaries teach. There are a few things I want to point out in that lesson for some of my family who may be lost and need some understanding...with which I hope to give some direction in their lives. One person in particular - she knows who she is, but I know some others who could use this info too. Adam and Eve were in the garden and partook of the forbidden fruit - we all know this story. But did you know it was our Heavenly Fathers plan for this to happen? We were born with free agency, that is the right of every person to choose their actions for themselves - to do good or bad. As a result of having eaten from the tree of knowledge, we recognized sin. But we cannot know good - if we do not know bad. And knowing and understanding good and evil is knowledge. It is our Heavenly Fathers plan for us to gain knowledge on this earth, because what we learn on this earth we will take with us in the after-life. Sin is a part of life for everyone; but what we learn from that makes us who we are. If we choose not to learn anything from our bad behavior then we are destine to a life filled with it, and we will not return to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father.But if we learn, and grow in the direction of good, and continue to gain knowledge and strength we will return to live in perfection. Our life did not begin on earth, it began in Heaven, and we chose to come to earth to gain knowledge. In the life before our physical bodies we were limited by knowledge, and our choosing to come to earth was so we could grow and gain knowledge, and to prove we were deserving of something better than just being a Spirit. So if we live to improve ourselves worthy to return to Heaven, we will be rewarded a higher standing in Heaven. There are 3 degrees of Heaven. I Corinthians 15:40-41 They are described as celestial bodies compared to that of the brightness of the Sun, and terrestial is compared to the brightness of the moon, and yet another level compared to that of the stars...an even fainter glory in Heaven. In the Book of Mormon this lowest level is called the telestial. And only in the celestial kingdom will you have a perfect knowledge and live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. This highest level is what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints strive to become. To become like God- perfect in form and knowledge and strength. Knowledge is eternal, meanings we will continue to grow in this life and gain knowledge not meant for this earth [in the after-life]; but not if we are locked away into spirit prison, that place is a place of darkness and mental anguish. So though perfection is not something we can achieve on Earth, we are on Earth to learn - often times by the sin of our own choosing; but also by the sins of others. How we act upon this knowledge determines where we end up in the after-life. So how will you choose? Where do you want to end up in the after-life? Whom do you want to live with -- God?
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 04:25:27 +0000