#19 The Plan of Salvation

*Show picture of man hugging Jesus in the clouds.
*Ask what time frame could this picture represent? Pre-existence, Mortality, or After Life, Any answer is correct and we are going to talk about how.
This man is going to represent each of us. We are each going to write a synopsis of a play, the play of our lives but we will use this guy’s life to discuss it openly. You write out your own characters and dialogue on paper I am handing out. Normally we could call this man ADAM, but since I have a son named Adam we will call this man John! We will not be writing the words and parts to the play, but the synopsis-meaning the basics of what this man’s life will be like, characters that will co-star with him in his life etc.

ACT I: Pre-existence
Let’s start with the Pre-existence. Before we write what the pre-existence was like for this man we must know something about the pre-existence so let’s do some research.

Research: D&C 93:29 Man was in the beginning with God; In the Beginning only because we can’t grasp eternity. So beginning “refers to the time when we began as the spirit offspring of God or to the time when the earth began as a temporal sphere. (p 219 institute manual)
We were intelligences and they always existed. Joseph Fielding Smith said: “intelligence always existed. It is the real eternal part of man, which was not created or made. This intelligence combined with the spirit constitutes a spiritual identity or individual.” (Progress of man p11) (p220 inst. Man.)

So to sum up: We just existed with God then He created for us spirit bodies. He is our literal Father in Heaven.

D&C 138:55-56 All of us were foreordained to some work and when we die we continue that work.

Abraham 3:22-23 Abraham saw all intelligences, noble and great. We were all there.

Characters: Knowing all this, what characters could we put in Act I? Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, Prophets, “John’s” closet friends and family etc.
Dialogue: What kind of things could we put in Act I as far as dialogue? Seeing this picture, and knowing that Heavenly Father was a kind and loving Father what do you suppose were some of the things He talked to this man about? I think He told us what John’s work would be on earth, who he would help; I think He would tell John to be strong, told him what gifts he would get, told us He’d send divine help through others, scriptures, angels, church etc. He asked him to stay valiant, Never forget, always come back, encouragement to do his best and last, but definitely not least that He loved Him!
Another thing we could put in the dialogue is John’s part he played in the council of Heaven where the Plan of Salvation was set up. (Job 38:4-7)-One of John’s parts we know, was that he rejoiced and sang for joy about the plan. Then we know he was sent down to earth.

Act II Mortality
Research:
To receive Physical body, Joseph Smith in Teachings of Joseph Smith says, “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom”

Abraham 3:24-26 Those who keep their 1st estate will be added or sent to mortality onto their 2nd estate where we get more glory or not depending on how we do on earth.
D&C 101:78 Men are to act and be held accountable, through this acting D&C 29:39 we become agents and we learn about the bitter versus the sweet.
D&C 29:40 We are subject to Satan. Meaning we can be tempted and tried by him.
Abraham 3:25-26 We are to be proven.
D&C 29:42-43 repent and have Angels help.
Alma 12:24 Repent, this life is probationary state, a time to meet God

Characters: Who would be included as characters in John’s life here on earth? Parents, siblings, teachers, church leaders, friends, wife, children, co-workers, boss anyone He may come in contact with for any reason.

Possible scenarios: (Things that may happen to/for this man)

Boyd K. Packer is going to help us know what we can put in this section:
“There are three parts to the plan. You are in the second or the middle part, the one in which you will be tested by temptation, by trials, perhaps by tragedy…Remember this! The line ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is never written into the second act of a play. That line belongs in the third act, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right…Until you have a broad perspective of the eternal nature of the plan, you won’t make much sense out of the inequities in life. Some are born with so little and others with so much. Some are born in poverty, with handicaps, with pain, with suffering. Some experience premature death, even innocent children. There are brutal, unforgiving forces of nature and the brutality of man to man. We have seen a lot of that recently. Do not suppose that God willfully causes that which, for His own purposes, He permits. When you know the plan and the purpose of it all, even these things will manifest a loving Father in Heaven” (The Play and the Plan 7, May 1995, 1-2)

So what areas will John have Trials: (3 areas) Physical, mental, emotional (Christ had temptations in these 3 areas as well)
What kinds of Physical trials could there be in store for this man? His own health could fail (cancer, AIDS, Back problems, accidents, paralyzed etc) He could experience physical trials through close family (a child, wife, parent, etc)
What kinds of Mental trials could there be in store for this man? Anxiety, depression, anger, schizophrenia, financial distress, etc.

And lastly- emotional issues: Not able to have children, have children go astray from all that He taught them, He may have nervous breakdown, etc.

These trials and struggles could happen at any time to this man, as a child, teenager, adult, parent etc.

*Now that we know mortality has no happily ever after and that is a proving ground, how can this picture (Christ and man hugging) possibly represent this part of life? Christ’s arms are there to comfort us anytime, through prayer, angels, or others. He loves us and just wants to help us get through this part of our existence. So what does Christ send to us through these hard times? Miracles, Love, wonderful experiences, manifestations of Divine guidance and love,


Finally ACT III: Life after Death
Research: Alma 40:11-14 v11 (1) Spirit taken to God that gave us life after death. v12 (2 a) Righteous in state of happiness, peace, rest (paradise)
V12 (2b) Wicked cast into outer darkness-misery
D&C19:16-19 they suffer as Christ suffered
V13-14 (3) all spirits stay in either place until the resurrection
D&C 138:30-34 Righteous appointed as messengers to preach gospel to others who didn’t have the chance in mortality.

Alma 42:11-13, 15 if we accept Christ we will be saved spiritually
D&C 93:33 we will be Resurrected

Next comes the judgment. D&C76:111 we will be judged by our works.
Alma 11: 43-45 we will be brought before God where He will look at our hearts.
Then of course we will be allowed into 1 of 3 kingdoms. Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial which we will discuss in detail next week.

Characters: Christ ancestors, other friends and ward members, People John has helped during mortality, anyone he has come in contact with who’ve past on before him.

Dialogue:
He will be thanked for all his help by family and friends, people he’s done temple work for etc. Most Important He will be greeted into the arms of His Savior where he will be told “well done thou good and faithful servant” (Which is where our picture comes in again) He will then rest from troubles and worries but be put to work, given assignments to help preach the gospel to others who didn’t have the chance, or help us on earth continue to get through our experience.

I have a testimony that this life is just a continuation of the life we’ve already lived and that every experience good, bad, or ugly will make us stronger. I know that the people we are here with can either be benefited or hindered by our actions, and that is where our foreordination comes in at. I know that we will come to face our Savior again in the life to come and be enfolded into His arms after we have done our best! In the name of Jesus Christ AMEN.

How does my Plan of Salvation play out?

ACT I: Pre-existence

Research: D&C 93:29; D&C 138:55-56; Abraham 3:22-23


Characters:


Dialogue:


Act II Mortality

Research: Abraham 3:24-26; D&C 101:78; D&C 29:39; D&C 29:40; Abraham 3:25-26; D&C 29:42-43; Alma 12:24
Characters:


Dialogue: Possible scenarios: (Things that may happen to/for this man)



Finally ACT III: Life after Death
Research: Alma 40:11-14; D&C 138:30-34; Alma 42:11-13, 15; D&C 93:33; D&C76:111; Alma 11: 43-45
Characters:



Dialogue:
We all will be greeted into the arms of our Savior where we will be told “well done thou good and faithful servant”!