Families Are Part of God’s Plan

In a world driven by information, there are many important puzzles to solve.  Some of the most important questions we might ask ourselves include the following.  Where did we come from?  Why are we here?  Where are we going?  These profound questions can be answered by learning about God’s plan for us.  

Before we existed on this earth, we existed in spirit form and we lived with God.  Because we needed a chance to gain our full potential, we needed to gain a physical body and be tested and tried.  Our families provide both the physical body and an opportunity to be tested.  The earth, and by extension, the family fulfills God’s purpose for this part of the plan.  However, it is important to understand where we are going after this life, so that we can make the best of our lives here on earth.  

God’s goal for us is that we return to live with Him as an eternal family.  This is possible because He is our father and we are His children.  God created families to help us in our mission to return to live with Him.  The family provides a wonderful setting for individuals to learn and grow with a built in support system.  Through marriage and family life, individuals can develop according to God’s plan for them.  

Marriage is not just a vehicle for bringing children into the world, although that is an important God given purpose of marriage.  Marriage is a partnership between a man, a woman, and God.  Through marriage, a couple can be united in service, unity, and love.  Our individual roles as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and children are part of our eternal identity.

According to Daniel K. Judd, “From the beginning, God organized the human family and revealed that marriage and family relationships are meant to be eternal.”  This makes the formation of families a vital part of our mission on earth.  As we strive to return to our Heavenly Father, we can look to our family members for examples of how we should live. 

Nevertheless, there is another vital part to God’s plan for us.  Because we were separated from our Heavenly Father, it is crucial that the means and a method for our return exist.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the way and our families provide the reason.  Not only did Jesus Christ make it physically possible for us to return to God’s presence through his atonement, he also provides the perfect example of the way we must live if we would return.  Daniel K. Judd says, “the Savior is also the very embodiment of the ways of living and being by which we are to live our lives.”  A family who wants to return to God must study the life and teachings of Christ if they would have an example. 

Judd also shares the importance of love in the family.  As we learn to truly love God with a pure love, it enhances our ability to love our family members.  As we turn to God in prayer, our lives will be blessed with understanding on how best we can serve our family members.  We can understand their needs better and learn how to fulfill them in meaningful ways.

God’s plan makes it possible for us to be reunited with our families after we die.  The Family: A Proclamation to the World promises us that, “the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave”.   There are specific things that we are required to do in order to qualify for this blessing.  As the family is the focal point of God’s plan, it is vital that we learn more about his plan for families.  The Family: A Proclamation to the World was created to give us a framework for our knowledge of the things families must do and to help us understand God’s plans.