Area Leadership Message
God’s Plan of Happiness: Finding Purpose Through Jesus Christ
Daniel had just finished a long day at work. He sat on the edge of his bed, scrolling through endless news headlines and social media feeds. Wars, corruption, disasters everywhere he looked. The world seemed chaotic. With a heavy sigh, he whispered, “What’s the point of all this? Do I even matter in the middle of so much confusion?”
That night, Daniel dreamed he was standing on the edge of a vast desert. Suddenly, the heavens opened, and light brighter than the sun surrounded him. A voice called him by name: “Daniel, thou art my son.”
He saw worlds beyond number—galaxies, stars, and people stretching farther than his mind could grasp. He felt small, almost invisible. But then the voice returned: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
When Daniel awoke, nothing outside had changed. There were still bills to pay, work deadlines, and challenges ahead. But something inside him was different. He now understood what Moses once learned: we are not forgotten wanderers. We are children of God, known personally by Him, and part of His eternal plan.
God’s “Fabulous” Plan
One of God’s greatest gifts is His plan, a plan that explains our identity, purpose, and destiny. President Dallin H. Oaks taught: “All of this is part of a divine plan whose purpose is to enable the children of God to be exalted and become like Him. Referred to in the scriptures as the ‘great plan of happiness,’ ‘the plan of redemption,’ and the ‘plan of salvation’ (Alma 42:8, 11, 5), that plan . . . began with a Council in Heaven.”
President Russell M. Nelson (1924–2025) testified: “I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.”
When we remember this truth, life is no longer random or hopeless. Even in times of trial, the plan reminds us that every experience has eternal meaning.
Why Mortality Matters
Mortality is not a mistake; it is essential to God’s plan. President Oaks explained: “The purpose of mortal life and the postmortal growth that can follow it is for the offspring of God to become like He is. This is Heavenly Father’s desire for all His children.”
Noah’s building an ark must have seemed impossible to many around him (see Genesis 6), but his obedience preserved life and fulfilled God’s purposes. In the same way, our obedience, even when misunderstood by the world, anchors us in God’s plan and prepares us for eternal blessings.
Jesus Christ: The Center of the Plan
At the heart of everything stands Jesus Christ. Without Him, there would be no plan and no hope. President Nelson declared: “Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.”
Because of Jesus Christ, we are cleansed, lifted, and strengthened. Through His Atonement, our sins can be forgiven and remembered no more. Because He bore our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities, He knows how to help us in our struggles. Because He broke the bands of death, all will be resurrected, and families can be reunited eternally. And because His work continues beyond the veil, even those who did not accept the gospel in this life may repent and prepare for eternal life. Truly, because of Him, hope replaces despair, strength overcomes weakness, and life, even beyond death, is filled with meaning and joy.
The Savior’s own life shows us how God’s plan unfolds. In Gethsemane, He bore our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities so that He would know how to succor us in our moments of deepest need (see Alma 7:11–12). At the tomb of Lazarus, He wept with Mary and Martha before raising their brother from the dead, revealing both His tender compassion and His divine power over death (see John 11). And on the cross, He declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30), completing the central act of God’s plan and opening the way for our redemption.
Our Eternal Identity
Understanding the plan also clarifies who we are. President Nelson testified:
“First and foremost, you are a child of God.
“Second, as a member of the Church, you are a child of the covenant. And third, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
This identity is greater than any worldly title or label. We are preparing not just for survival but for eternal life in God’s presence. President Nelson further declared: “Heavenly Father’s plan for His children allows us to live where and how He lives and ultimately to become more and more like Him.”
My Testimony of the Saviour’s Atonement
I came to understand this more deeply when I faced loss. In my grief, I turned to the Saviour’s promise: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
In those tender moments, His words felt deeply personal. Because of His Resurrection, death is not the end. My sorrow was softened by the assurance that families are part of God’s eternal, fabulous plan.
That experience taught me that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is not only for forgiveness; it is also for healing sorrow, calming fears, and turning despair into hope. His love gave me peace when I had none. His promise of eternal life gave me strength to keep moving forward.
Choosing God’s Plan
Mortality is a time of decision. President Nelson taught: “This life really is the time when you get to decide what kind of life you want to live forever. Now is your time ‘to prepare to meet God.’”
Each choice we make determines whether we move closer to God’s celestial plan or drift toward something less. Faith in Christ empowers those choices. As President Nelson declared: “Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life. All things are possible to them that believe.”
God’s plan of happiness gives life both purpose and meaning. It teaches us who we are, why we are here, and where we are going. Most importantly, it centres in Jesus Christ, whose Atonement makes the plan possible.
I bear my witness that God’s plan is real. It is a plan of happiness, a plan of redemption, and as President Nelson testified, a fabulous plan. As we follow the Saviour with faith and obedience, we will discover joy in this life and eternal fulfilment in the life to come.