Laws

I see two ways to look at the word "laws."

Definition 1: Laws imply imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all persons who are subject to that authority.

Definition 2:  A principle governing actions; a precept or principle.

I choose to believe that it is this latter definition that the Lord has been trying to teach us. I see no thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai - only a loving Father asking Moses to teach his people the laws of happiness.

My version of the plan of salvation or the plan of happiness includes a personal interview with my Heavenly Parents right before I leave. They encouraged me to discover the principles of truth and happiness while I am on Earth "for by their fruits you shall know them."

In this plan Father trusts that I will learn through experience to "prize" the good. True principles have consequences that are natural teachers. That is the meaning of D&C 132:

"There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world upon which our blessings are predicated and when we obtain any blessing from God it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

Some call this living a principled life. As we learn a truth we make a choice to live by that truth or principle. True principles make us happy - bring joy to our lives. As we learn to follow those principles we can say our lives are governed by law. We are no longer tossed around but we are solid, predictable, trustworthy.

Surely one major purpose of the church organization is to help us learn together what those principles are.

Paul understood this as he wrote in Ephesians:  "and he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelist, and some, pastors and teachers: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, and to a perfect man, on to the measure of the stature of the fullness of

that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, but a slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

I see our task as learning to trust the Father's plan and to be witnesses of the truths we have learned and to have a deepening appreciation for the Savior who assures us that our mistakes will not stop our progression and who will heal us from the wounds we suffer along the way.

Warning:  humans have a great tendency to regress from living principles (that is, obedience to the principles of happiness)  to assuming sovereign authority. As parents we often assume that role.

Read D&C 121:41-46 often!!