January 28, 2017....." The Eternal Family is Part of God's Plan"

     So what is God's Plan?  I opened up my son's Preach My Gospel book that he used on his mission and above the chapter heading of "The Plan of Salvation", my son had in quotations, "The Happy Plan".  I believe God's Plan truly is the happy plan.  Have you ever wondered, where you came from, why you are here on earth and where you are going after death?  God's Plan enables us to become like Him. be perfected through the Atonement and live in his presence forever.

     Eternal marriage is part of God's Plan. "Latter-day scripture and the words of latter-day prophets teach us that not only are covenant marriages intended to last beyond the grave, but so can sibling and family relationships endure across generations." (Smith 1955, p.84)  This is fantastic!  We can be together forever!

A litter more about me:

     Sometimes things don't go as planned.  I was first married at the age of 18 to my college sweetheart.  He was a convert to the church and still learning about the gospel. I had high hopes that he would continue his learning and that our temple marriage would only grow stronger as we both grew together in the gospel. I prayed for this marriage to work.  After 18 years, I conceded the fight, took my 3 children and left.  This was my "Eternal Marriage", it wasn't supposed to fail.  Thus began my journey.  As I healed, I continued to raise my children in the church, giving them the consistency of the gospel and surrounding them with a ward family who loved them.

     I often pondered over the years about my eternal marriage that was still intact.  I still took my covenants seriously as I attended the temple alone and with family and I prayed that I would find someone who took his covenants seriously also.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught:

     “Now, since life is eternal—and that is absolutely certain—true marriage must also be eternal. It is a most important event and a most necessary one. Marriage by civil officers or local leaders is “till death do you part,” and terminates with death. Only celestial marriage extends beyond the grave. Celestial marriage is performed in holy temples erected and dedicated for that special purpose. Only such marriage transcends the grave and perpetuates the husband/wife and parent/child relationships.

     That's the type of marriage I want and will have, a celestial marriage.