Week 4: The Plan of Happiness

Hope you had a wonderful week! and were reminded about the real Plan of Happiness for us! If you are new this week, you can read the beginning of the Conference Challenge here, Or if you would like to see last weeks discussion, you can go here.

For this discussion we will be reviewing President Packard's talk: The Plan of Happiness 

For next week we will be studying Sister Burton's talk: We'll Ascend Together

So for 'The Plan of Happiness'

President Packard begins by expressing that having families and children is not an 'incidental part of the plan' it is the plan of happiness; it is the key to happiness' 

Its important to remember this, as we might get caught up in the day to day doings, and with children sometimes its easy to forget that families are THE Plan of Happiness. Nothing else matters, nothing else is as important. 

He talks about the mature love that married couples can develop. "Married couples are tried by temptation, misunderstandings, financial problems, family crises, and illness, and all the while love grows stronger. Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds."

I can see the truth of this even in my short almost 6 years of marriage. I definitely love my husband more and deeper than I did when we first met and fell in love. Our love is growing, as it should be. 

He teaches that the power of procreation should only be used between a man and a woman, who are married. He talks of the miracle of birth and the coming of physical and spiritual parts to form our souls and who we are on earth. 

He also comments on repentance that, "when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ." This is always a good reminder. And it applies to all degrees of repentance. The more serious sins, and the smaller sins. We all are in need of repentance and the Atonement provided by our Savior. 

President Packer is not ignorant of everyone's trials, and differences. He talks about how having children, or being married, might not happen for everyone. He says, "God is our Father! All the love and generosity manifest in the ideal earthly father is magnified in Him who is our Father and our God beyond the capacity of the mortal mind to comprehend. His judgments are just; His mercy without limit; His power to compensate beyond any earthly comparison." 

How wonderful to be reminded of this again. Our Father in Heaven truly loves us and He is understanding of our own situations and trials. Whatever our situation, He knows and He will still bless us according to our faith and obedience. 

I am grateful to have reread this talk. It has helped me to remember that families are the most important part of the Plan of Happiness. Families ARE the Plan of Happiness. And I am so grateful for my wonderful family!

Hope you felt uplifted and enlightened. Thanks for reading!  Have a great week, and see you next Sunday!