Why am I here? Is there any purpose?

Do you have a feeling, down deep inside, that we MUST be more than just biological accidents on some rock in space? Or do you not think about that sort of thing at all? Are you just another cog in a 21st Century wheel, spinning through a meaningless life, expecting it all to be over some day? Are you secretly seeking some real meaning to life or are you just riding it out, existing on the "If it feels good, do it" merry go 'round?

What is your attitude towards Religion or spirituality? It's all just fantasy or legend from an older, less advanced day? Outdated and irrelevant? Was Jesus just a gifted teacher, like Ghandi, Budha or Plato? Someone who lived a long time ago and is no longer relevant to today's life.

In the TV show, "The Good Wife", Grace asks her mother, Alicia, why she hates Jesus. Alcia's answer is a remarkably honest piece of dialogue because it doesn't paint the modern secular person as angry, rebellious, or carrying deep anti-religious trauma. It just highlights that vast, quiet ocean of indifference. "I don't hate Him. I just think He lived 2,000 years ago and it doesn't have anything to do with me."

There is a real God. He isn't some ball of light, floating in the firmament. He isn't some unreachable, uncaring foreign being, somewhere out in the cosmos. God the Father is a living being, who has known you from before this world existed. He knows your name, who you are and how you are feeling. The love that He feels for us is completely indescribable. Everything He does is out of Love for all mankind. He hears and answers your prayers.

You are more than a blob of blood and bone, walking around, waiting to turn into smelly dust. You are a combination of those physical attributes and a Spirit which has existed for longer than we can imagine and will exist long after this world has burned and gone. We are all eternal beings. We helped to design this world and the Plan of Happiness in which we are all involved. We are literally all brothers and sisters, children of God the Eternal Father.

We were born to this world so that we could learn what it is like to have physical, mortal bodies. To learn the difference between pleasure and pain, fear, sorrow and joy. To experience the sun on our shoulders, the smell of rain on a fresh breeze, the comfort of a purring cat on our lap, the taste of coffee, bacon and a big fluffy cinnamon roll. These things were theory for us once, now they're real. The experiences we enjoy or suffer here will be the foundations of the people we are forever.

In addition, we can be with our families forever. The power to seal (bind) on Earth and in Heaven is again on the earth. You can be married for all eternity, not just "'till death do you part". Your family is as eternal as yourself.

Why then do bad things happen to good people? Why the senseless accidents, wars, terrorists, sickness and suffering? First, we are back to the "experience" thing again. You can't truly appreciate health unless you experience some sickness. Death is a part of our mortal existence. Everyone will die. And then, the things we do to each other. God is not going to infringe on people's free agency. The choices we make often affect the others around us, sometimes negatively. But we all discussed these things and decided that the experiences, the LIFE were worth the opposing pain. God doesn't interfere. Our free will is paramount.

Knowing that we would do many things that make us ashamed, that hurt others or cause bad results, we were afraid to come here because we couldn't go "home" with our bad, shameful or even evil acts on our records. Somehow, that all had to be cleaned up.

Jesus Christ offered to come to earth and take our punishments on himself so that we could be clean so we could return to the Spirit world from which we had come and live again with our Father in Heaven. In order to be a truly just judge, He also suffered every pain, sorrow or shame that anyone can or has. He did these things voluntarily, for us, because He loves us.

While here, He created an organization to help us learn these truths as well as to perform the ordinances that help us to progress later. Then, a major part of His mission here. He not only suffered mightily for our sins/transgressions/pains but was then cruelly murdered by the very people He came to teach and save. The good news was that His death was a part of the plan. Because, there was one aspect of our eternal progression that still had to be dealt with. We all will die and go back to being just spirits and after experiencing the wonders of a physical body, the idea of never feeling those wonderful things again would be true suffering.

So, Jesus, who was born of a mortal Mother but an all powerful, immortal Father, was able to rise from the grave. He was the first to receive an immortal body through resurrection and because of that, we all will also be resurrected. But, this time, those bodies will be immortal. We'll never suffer death again.

What are the important takeaways from this? God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ and Their Messenger, The Holy Ghost are real, living and caring beings who want desperately to be a part of your life. Not just 2000 years ago. Not just in Jerusalem. Right now, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. They are REAL! and They are current.

We are not just cosmic accidents, who live and then end. We are eternal beings who will still love and laugh and feel joy forever. There is another world, just out of our mortal sight, where spirits wait impatiently for that resurrection. Where those who never heard of Jesus Christ, His Atonement and His plan while they were on this earth get a chance to hear and learn it all and accept it, if they want to.

Because of the Savior, we all will be resurrected and we all will advance to a degree of Glory; what some call Heaven. It's not a pass/fail test for which most never got the study materials. Our Father is fair and just and so is His plan.

I can tell you that I first began to accept and believe all this because I have a very logical, analytical mind. The whole thing just made sense to me. As my years have gone by and I have lived a very eventful life, I have come to understand through inspiration, promptings and even what could be called revelation that these things are absolutely true. God the Father, His son, Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost live. They know me. Most importantly, They LOVE me! I've felt it! I know that these things are true. Prayers are often two way conversations. In addition, I know that God did not leave us to struggle along without help. He restored His Church to the Earth and it is led by a living Prophet today.

If you've ever wondered. If you've ever asked "Why am I here? Why do these things happen? Is there any purpose?" The answers are here and available.

I testify to you of these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ...amen.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints