Live Your Life with Purpose ~ Part One

 Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

How can you live your life with a purpose? This post focuses on a BYU Devotional in February 2013, and it is called "Live Your Life with Purpose" by Sister Janie Penfield. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Sister Penfield has mentioned the following; "... Through my many adventures I have learned that each one must be planned with clear purposes or objectives to summit a peak, to complete a course, or to enjoy the views. I have found that planning with purpose is the best way to ensure that each adventure is successful.

For example, I love to Nordic ski. As with all skiing, there is a trail map that allows you to chart a successful course through the woods and terrain. ... Each ski trek begins with the question Where to? followed by Which route? 

Each trail takes us to a different spot with different options for adventure and scenery a steep climb, a flat meadow, or an incredible view. Before we begin to ski we must determine the purpose of our trek so we know which trails to take. Then we must ski on course or we will not reach our destination.

"Great minds have purposes, 
others have wishes."
- Washington Irving.

Determine Your Purpose

We are here on earth in a type of adventure. We left our Heavenly Father to obtain bodies, to be tested, to make covenants, to gain knowledge and experience, and to hopefully return to live with Him. 

But we do not always remember these purposes. Many who do not have the gospel have forgotten these purposes because of the veil. We often get weighed down by the daily monotony of school, church, family, and work and forget about our aspirations - aspirations that our Heavenly Father wants us to have. ...

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught: As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all. [“Good, Better, Best,” Ensign, November 2007, 104–5]

... There are many good things that we can do, but we must stay true to our purpose and live the life of a disciple. We can get married or, better/best, we can get married in the temple. ... Individually we may become discouraged because of the distance between us and the mortal life we’ve aspired to. 

We may not be married, have children, or have the degree or success that we thought would give us the life we’d planned. Fame, fortune, fashion, and fun will play a part in our eventual destination. ... Our collection of choices will determine our final destination.

President Thomas S. Monson said: Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is [our] goal. Such a goal is not achieved in one glorious attempt but rather is the result of a lifetime of righteousness, an accumulation of wise choices, even a constancy of purpose. [“Decisions Determine Destiny,” BYU devotional address, 6 November 2005]

So what can we do to ensure that we build a lifetime of righteousness and accumulate wise choices? We can live our life with purpose - the purpose to gain eternal life and be counted as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Keeping our destination or the purpose of our life in mind influences our decisions. ... Knowing that we will not go toward so many other destinations provides us with significant direction. 

We can make our judgments and decisions based on the decided purpose of our life. ... Committing to achieve the greatest possible outcome from mortality frees us from much of the push and pull of the world. ... Becoming a disciple also includes being baptized, making and keeping temple covenants, and building the kingdom of God.

It can sometimes be difficult to remember our predetermined course. The scriptures and the prophets counsel us to remember the things of the Spirit - our Savior and the Atonement, our covenants, and the commandments. Remembering helps us keep proper perspective and focus on our purpose. We must choose to remember. We must remember what we want and why we want it. 

... If we live worthy of the Holy Ghost we will remember our purpose. The Savior taught, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14:26)." 

Stay Tuned until next time.