One of the questions that have puzzled people forever regards the existence of a person prior to birth.
Why is this important?
Knowing who we are and where we are from is vital to our understanding our relationship with God, as well as our potential for the future.
Of utmost importance is to understand that we are children of our Heavenly Father. As a child of God, we begin to realize that we have a divine inheritance and potential. God loves us. He is actively interested in our lives. He wants us to succeed. He also has a plan for us.
Central to that plan is the role of a Savior. Jesus Christ lived among us as our Brother prior to our coming to this world. He agreed to become our Savior and to take upon Himself our burdens. Because of His intercession, we are all able to repent, become worthy of His spirit in this life, and access His grace to ultimately return and live with our Father again. More on the plan later...
We were given the opportunity to accept this plan (referred to alternatively as the plan of redemption, plan of salvation, or the plan of happiness). Those who accepted this plan and exercised faith in Christ and His salvation were given the opportunity to come to earth and learn, gain a body, and grow in ways that were impossible. We were blessed to forget completely the place from which we came, thereby learning faith, patience, and humility.
We are also given opportunities to love and serve each other. We have been organized into families to afford us these opportunities. It is only as families that people can achieve the true and full measure of their potential.
As a child of God, I am humbled to think that God is mindful of me. Yet I know that He is. And I am grateful for it.
As a recent example of this, I offer the following: I recently graduated from the University of Utah with my Master of Urban Planning degree. Prior to graduation, I took a job with the City of Saratoga Springs in northern Utah County. It was wonderful! I worked with great people in the profession I desired. So why would I ever want to leave? I didn't. But something impressed me to look for another job...
I saw a job in Texas working for the City of Mont Belvieu. I was impressed to send an application here. I had never been to Texas, didn't know anything about Texas (other than the usual stuff), and I was unsure about how or what to do. But I have learned over the course of my life to follow these impressions. Further, I attended a BYU-Idaho commencement address where Elder Holland stated the following:
"I charge you to tell your story wherever you go," he said. "Declare that what you did ... mattered in the quest for a unique way to teach and learn and ultimately live, that wherever you are you are still trying to be ‘right before your Father in Heaven, doing the things God requires at your hands, standing precisely where he wants you to be,' at least in part because of what you saw and felt and experienced here. Think of Joseph (Smith), think of Brigham (Young)..."
I felt like he was speaking to me, but at the time I didn't think much of it because I had just taken the new job and life was good. But I couldn't forget what he said.
So I took the job. I left my job in Saratoga Springs and moved my family over 1500 miles away from their friends. I didn't know why, but I knew that the Lord would bless me and my family by following His guidance.
It was about a month ago that I heard that the guy who took my spot at Saratoga Springs had been laid off. If I had stayed there, I would have been laid off. What I would have done at that point I do not know, but I do know that it would not have been good.
I still don't know why it had to be Texas. But I am patient. I know that God loves me and wants me to succeed. And that is enough for me.
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