Our Heavenly Father knows us, and knows the world in which we live. He knows that some things in this world will lead to true happiness, that other things will lead to temporary and fleeting happiness, and that there are some things in this world that won't bring any happiness at all. So He warns us: He gives us the scriptures, He gives us His Son to teach and live the way we ought to live. These commandments don't limit us: the protect us and keep us safe and lead us to true joy.
We all know that Simba disobeyed Mufasa, and ended up putting himself and his friend, Nala, in danger because he went to the Elephant Graveyard and ran into some hyenas. Luckily, Mufasa came and scared the hyenas away, and rescued Simba and Nala; but Mufasa wasn't just going to let Simba off the hook for this one! Mufasa asked Simba why he disobeyed, they had a father-son talk, and Simba said he was sorry, that it wouldn't happen again (sound familiar?). What follows is one of the most heart-warming scenes ever to play on the silver screen, when we see Simba and Mufasa laughing, wrestling, and playing together. We know without a doubt that Mufasa loves Simba, and wants only the best for him; this is the same relationship we can have with our Father in Heaven.
I'm sure all of us have memories of our fathers, whether they be good or otherwise. What about our Heavenly Father? Do we have any memories of Him? We'll save that subject for a future date. But,we learn from the Bible that we do indeed have a Father in heaven. But what is He like? Lets take a look at a scripture!
"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." -Acts 17:28-29
From this scripture, we know that we are literally his offspring! From Him we have our spirits: we are His spirit children. From our earthly father (in part), we received our physical bodies. This relationship, between body and spirit, is a bit like a hand in a glove: the glove isn't any good without the hand, and our physical bodies aren't worth anything without our spirits.
Now, from truth that has been restored in these latter-days (which means that the truth was lost somewhere along the way), we know that God isn't a spirit essence without body parts or passions. Rather, we know that He has a body like the one we have, but His is glorified and perfected (this restored truth is supported by Genesis 1:26-27). Because He is the Father of our spirits, He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He wants us to be happy, just like our earthly fathers do. Because He wants us to be happy, He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ; Jesus taught and lived certain laws and commandments by which we are to live. Let me illustrate these points with a couple stories from Disney.
Let's look at another quick example. In Tangled, we briefly meet the parents of Rapunzel before she is cruelly and selfishly stolen by Mother Gothel. Rapunzel's parents never say a word the whole movie, but we see what they are feeling in the emotions played out on their faces. We see the love and joy when Rapunzel is born, and we see the sadness and heartbreak as she is stolen away from them. The King and Queen try everything they can to get her back, even sending up thousands of lanterns every year on the missing princess' birthday. In the end, when Rapunzel is reunited with her parents, they are overjoyed at the reunion, and you can see those emotions in their faces.
Our Father in Heaven sent us to this earth to learn and to gain experience, and he so badly wants us to come back to Him, so he has given us the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel is a plan that we can follow, and it leads back to our Father. Sometimes, we think that other things will make us happier, things not in line with our Father's plan. These things will make us "happy," but it won't last, and eventually we will be stuck not knowing where true, lasting happiness comes from. I know that I was like this for most of my teenage life: searching for happiness in things of this world, only to end up feeling alone and unloved. When I, with the help of parents, friends, and most importantly, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, turned my life around, I knew what true joy felt like.
I know that our Father in Heaven loves us: more than Mufasa loved Simba, more than the King and Queen loved Rapunzel, even more than our earthly fathers love us. He wants us to be happy, and has given us everything we need to find it. Do you believe that God is our loving Heavenly Father? Do you believe that, because He loves us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the path that leads to happiness? If you don't yet know about these things, please take the time to pray and read the scriptures, and get to know your Heavenly Father. Just like getting to know our friends and other people around us, we have to take the time to talk with them and listen to them. We can talk to Him through prayer, and we can hear His words of counsel to us through the scriptures.
No matter your life circumstance, there is power found in the words of Mufasa to Simba: "Remember who you are." You are a child of God: the most powerful and intelligent being in the universe, who controls the movement of planets, and cares for even the smallest sparrow. He loves you more than any of His other creations, and cares deeply for you: He weeps with us when we make mistakes and feels sorrow, or when our heart is broken; He rejoices with us when we make correct choices, help our fellow brothers and sisters, and follow in the path His Son has set before us. If ever you are feeling sad, heart-broken, lost, or hopeless, follow the counsel of Mufasa: "Remember who you are!"
If you have any questions, visit mormon.org, and see what others have said about their relationship with God. If you're interested in hearing more about this plan of happiness, visit http://www.mormon.org/missionaries, and two missionaries will be sent to help you learn more about it. I know that God loves me, and if He loves me, He must love you. He wants you and I to be happy, and has given us all we need to be happy. But we have to choose to follow in the footsteps of His Son. What will you choose: misery, captivity, and spiritual death? Or will you choose to follow the Savior, and choose freedom, happiness, and eternal life with a Father who loves you?
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