Earth Life, a Parent’s Perspective

One thing I love about being a parent is that it helps me understand God better.  I think that’s one of the reasons He organized us into families: so that we could experience being parents—with all the challenges and miraculous love—and relate to Him in that way.

Insights from Being a Parent

A while ago I took my toddler to a popular fast food Play Place.  It was his first time there and I thought he’d enjoy the experience, but I couldn’t play with him because I also had a small baby.  Sending him alone and watching from a distance made me wonder what it felt like for Heavenly Father to send us away to Earth.  Keep that thought in mind as you read my account:

• Before I set my child loose, I showed him the whole play structure and pointed to where he would need to go to reach the ultimate destination: the slide.  I knew he was capable of reaching his destination if he would follow my guidance.
• Once he was inside, he didn’t have the same perspective.  Vision was much more limited and he couldn’t remember where to go.  He was easily distracted and took some wrong turns.
• My boy could only see the areas immediately surrounding him, but from where I stood, I could see the entire play structure and beyond.
• I watched him the entire time (shadows in the tunnels) even though he couldn’t see me, except for a few glimpses he caught through windows.
• At one point, I sent a messenger to him—someone who was familiar with the structure whom he could trust to take him to the slide.
• Knowing he was lost, I went to the bottom of the slide and called to him.  He listened and followed the sound of my voice all the way to the end where I was waiting for him.  We were happy to be together again, and he was happier from having the experience.

As much as I love my children, I know Heavenly Father loves them and me even more.  He wouldn’t turn us loose on Earth without a plan.  He watches us with great interest.  He speaks to us, answers our calls.  Sometimes he sends messengers.  He provided a model (Jesus Christ) for us to follow and revealed a map (scriptures)showing the path.  He looks forward to our return.  Following His plan will make us happier than anything else.

Heaven and Earth

If you’re not familiar with the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, here’s a summary of what we call The Plan of Salvation or The Plan of Happiness.  We are all spirit children of our Heavenly Parents.  Our spirits are eternal; we lived before coming to Earth.  Father created a plan for us to be able to live on Earth and gain bodies.  Earth life would be challenging because we’d be away from Him and because we’d experience mortal bodies for the first time.  He knew we would sin so He provided a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus agreed to come to Earth as an example for the rest of us.  He was perfect and showed us the way to return to Father again.  He suffered terribly as though our sins, sorrow, and sickness were His.  It’s incomprehensible but true.  (This is what we call the Atonement.)  He died and rose again, overcoming death and making resurrection possible for all of us.  When we accept the Savior’s sacrifice, repent, and are baptized; He makes our burdens light and cleanses us of our sins.  If we endure this life faithfully, then we will be able to live in God’s presence forever.  It will be different from before we lived on Earth, because of the added joy of having bodies and because many of us will live together in families from marriage on Earth.