The plan of redemption. The plan of happiness. How wonderful is this plan of our great God! Generally, and rightfully, we focus on the blessings and promises of that plan. But let us not forget an indispensable word in those descriptive titles: plan. This word is vitally important to our understanding of our Heavenly Father, who knows the end from the beginning. In a remarkable prophecy, Joseph Smith said that “persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
Saul was someone who strongly harassed Christian believers, but the Lord still had a plan for him. While on the road to Damascus intending to arrest any followers of Christ, a light shone around Saul and the Lord spoke to him. After the Lord identified Himself, Saul said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?” (Acts 9:6). The Lord knew who Saul could become—Saul's past didn’t determine his future. Though his journey wasn’t an easy one afterwards, he had the opportunity to show the Lord that he would keep choosing Him—and he did.
We live in a day of confusion, even chaos. The world over, people are searching for truth on a host of subjects—but how can anyone know? It is not an easy search. Who do we trust? Where do we look? How do we know if something is in fact true? If the subject we seek to verify is purely secular, such as historical or even mathematical information, the search for the truth can be fairly easy given today’s technology.
“One of the things that has touched my heart with this project is that the individuals were just like you and me. They lived, they had their concerns (which were probably not too much different than the ones I have), and for the most part, they remained faithful to the Church,” states Kathi Quantz, a volunteer for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation.
I am inspired by the ancient Apostle Peter. We know well that after he denied the Savior three times, “Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). However, Peter’s resolution to repent and stand as a witness of Jesus Christ to the end of his life should be remembered.
I have long felt that the most important verse in all scripture, and in fact the most important sentence in any record, is found in Luke 24:6: “He is not here, but is risen.” Without a knowledge of Christ and His Resurrection, as Wilford Woodruff said, “The separation by death is one of the most gloomy subjects it is possible to contemplate.” But, he continued, “As quick as we obtain the gospel, as soon as the spirit of man is enlightened by the inspiration of the Almighty, he can exclaim with one of old—‘Oh grave, where is thy victory, Oh death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the gift of God is eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ”
“It is a startling idea to think we are worshiping a God that once was in the situation that we are in ourselves,” Brigham Young stated in June of 1851. In this sermon recorded by Wilford Woodruff, President Young continued, “[He] had to pass through a probation of pain, suffering and the fall like ourselves.”
Have you ever found it difficult to align your will with God’s and humbly submit to His plan for you? We can learn how to better submit to the will of our Heavenly Father by looking at the example of Jesus Christ and some of the early Saints.