Plan of Salvation

In the premortal existence, Heavenly Father prepared a

plan to enable us to become like Him and receive a fulness of

joy. The scriptures refer to this plan as “the plan of salvation”

(Alma 24:14; Moses 6:62), “the great plan of happiness”

(Alma 42:8), “the plan of redemption” ( Jacob 6:8; Alma

12:30), and “the plan of mercy” (Alma 42:15).

The plan of salvation is the fulness of the gospel. It

includes the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement of Jesus Christ,

and all the laws, ordinances, and doctrines of the gospel.

Moral agency, the ability to choose and act for ourselves, is

also essential in Heavenly Father’s plan. Because of this plan,

we can be perfected through the Atonement, receive

a fulness of joy, and live forever in the presence of God. Our

family relationships can last throughout the eternities.

You are a participant in Heavenly Father’s plan, and

your eternal experience can be divided into three main parts:

premortal life, mortal life, and life after death. As you come

to understand the plan, you find answers to questions asked

by so many: Where did we come from? Why are we here?

Where do we go after this life?

Premortal Life

Before you were born on the earth, you lived in the presence

of your Heavenly Father as one of His spirit children. In

this premortal existence, you attended a council with

Heavenly Father’s other spirit children. At that council,

Heavenly Father presented His great plan of happiness (see

Abraham 3:22–26).

In harmony with the plan of happiness, the premortal

Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son of the Father in the spirit,

covenanted to be the Savior (see Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27).

Those who followed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were

permitted to come to the earth to experience mortality and

progress toward eternal life. Lucifer, another spirit son of

God, rebelled against the plan and “sought to destroy the

agency of man” (Moses 4:3). He became Satan, and he and his

followers were cast out of heaven and denied the privileges

of receiving a physical body and experiencing mortality (see

Moses 4:4; Abraham 3:27–28).

Throughout your premortal life, you developed your

identity and increased your spiritual capabilities. Blessed

with the gift of agency, you made important decisions, such

as the decision to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. These decisions

affected your life then and now. You grew in intelligence

and learned to love the truth, and you prepared to come to

the earth, where you could continue to progress.

Mortal Life

You are now experiencing mortal life. Your spirit is united

with your body, giving you opportunities to grow and develop

in ways that were not possible in your premortal life. This

part of your existence is a time of learning in which you can

prove yourself, choose to come unto Christ, and prepare

to be worthy of eternal life. It is also a time when you can help

others find the truth and gain a testimony of the plan of

salvation.

Life after Death

When you die, your spirit will enter the spirit world and

await the resurrection. At the time of the resurrection, your

spirit and body will reunite, and you will be judged and

received into a kingdom of glory. The glory you inherit will

depend on the depth of your conversion and your obedience

to the Lord’s commandments (see “Kingdoms of Glory,”

pages 92–95). It will depend on the manner in which you

have “received the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:51; see also

verses 74, 79, 101).

Blessings through Knowledge of the Plan

A testimony of the plan of salvation can give you hope

and purpose as you wrestle with the challenges of life. You

can find reassurance in the knowledge that you are a child of

God and that you lived in His presence before you were born

on the earth. You can find meaning in your present life,

knowing that your actions during mortality influence your

eternal destiny. With this knowledge, you can base important

decisions on eternal truths rather than on the changing circumstances

of life. You can continually improve your relationship

with family members, rejoicing in the promise that

your family can be eternal. You can find joy in your testimony

of the Atonement and the Lord’s commandments, ordinances,

covenants, and doctrines, knowing that “he who

doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward,

even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to

come” (D&C 59:23).

Additional references: 2 Nephi 2:5–30; 10:23–25; Alma 12:24–37;

22:12–14; 42; Moses 6:47–62

See also Agency; Atonement of Jesus Christ; Creation; Death, Physical;

Death, Spiritual; Fall; God the Father; Gospel; Heaven; Hell; Jesus Christ;

Kingdoms of Glory; Paradise; Resurrection