The Family: A Proclamation on Happiness

The Family: A Proclamation on Happiness
Part 3

The third paragraph of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" focuses its contents on the journey that we all are going through. From the beginning of our existence to our hopeful end back in heaven. It reads...

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped 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 his or her divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

I love this paragraph because it begins by outlining who we are before we even come to earth. Have you ever wondered why your identical twins have such different personalities? It is because they are different, and have been long before they came into your earthly family. Originally we were all sons and daughters of God, who worshiped and knew him personally as our Father. Although we believe firmly that we existed before coming to earth, many other faiths do not. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church who preaches this doctrine. The beauty of this doctrine is that it gives more depth to who we are. We each made choices in heaven, we choose to come here, and each learned and grew there just as we do here on earth. Before we were sent to earth however, we went through a veil which masked our memories of that life to allow us to freely make our own choices here and again choose God's path. 

I love this doctrine because it makes me think of who I must have been. I must have valiantly chosen God's path before I came to earth. I imagine I was even a firm believer as I am now. Regardless of what I was however, I Know that I knew God then and want to know him after I die. Satan wants all people to forget that they were ever a heavenly being. To forget they ever followed God or chose his ways. If Satan can get us to believe this, then he has taken away a very empowering part of who we are. Which is often one of the first steps in pulling us closer to his evil ways. 

Another reason that we descended to Earth was to obtain a body. Why did we need a body however? 
Joseph Smith explains this doctrine by saying,

 "We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer a swine's body to having none" (Joseph Smith, Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Alma P. Burton, p.82).

Just as the Prophet Joseph Smith explained, our bodies set us apart from Satan. They are a sign of our divine potential. Imagine in your mind a person with Muscular Dystrophy, A rare disease which progressively weakens the muscles. This kind person has been in a wheelchair their entire life, and during this time has decided to learn all that the world contains. They read every book, learn every song, and collect baskets full of bachelor and graduate level degrees. After learning all that the world had to offer, all of their knowledge would not go to waste, but they would not be able to progress any farther in their current state. To walk, run, jump, and swim freely would open a world full of new possibilities for learning. It is a way to progress. 

When even a small baby learns to walk they are learning lessons. How to fall and get back up. How to try again. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body because a body allows us to learn, grow, and develop. In the premortal world we were just spirits, and could only obtain a body by coming to earth. We did it so we could learn. 

Bodies also come with a multitude of passions that we must learn to control. A life of no control, where we indulge in fatty foods, addictive drugs, and lasciviousness is one where we learn nothing. When we control our bodies, instead of letting our body control us, we learn an even more valuable lesson. Think of God, who can with the snap of a finger bring life to a lifeless corpse. If he had no self control, and was not a good person, we would all likely have burned up decades ago. Instead he curbs his passions, and teaches us to do the same by giving us bodies. 

Life isn't easy, but its better than not having a body. View your as a gift, and try to be happy here on earth. 

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