“The Perfect Plan,” Ensign, June 2019
Young Adults
The Perfect Plan
When was the last time your plans fell through? Last week? Mine did. No matter how perfect our plans, unexpected twists and turns through life seem to be a fact of mortality. I never planned to have four miscarriages between my two children, but I did. When prayerfully laid plans surprise us in unexpected ways—or come crashing down all together—what do we do? In this issue, young adults from a variety of circumstances share the answers they have found to this question when their family planning didn’t go as planned.
For me and my husband, miscarriages stopped our tracks and broke our hearts (see page 42). For Katherine and her husband, sorting through the opinions of society to find the voice of the Lord proved an obstacle in their path (see page 46). For Mindy, a wait on marriage delayed her plans, and then, once she was married, the surprise of twins sped plans forward. She shares some things to remember as we face the many unexpected challenges that may arise (see page 48). Sarah and her husband were blessed with a child earlier than expected. She provides inspiring insights on how to align our will with the Lord’s on a journey that often turns out differently than we anticipated (digital only). For James and his wife, children came much, much later than expected. He shares the guidance, comfort, and even joy they experienced as they dealt with the poignant challenges of infertility (digital only).
In additional digital-only articles, Christina shares her fears and hesitations about becoming a mother, and Brian details how deployment almost derailed his and his wife’s family plans. Katie, a wise young single adult, provides insight into the eternal nature of our identity as parents.
Whether you are waiting for children to bless your home, have more children than you originally planned, or are simply waiting for marriage, one thing is certain: Heavenly Father has the perfect plan, and He is ever guiding and sustaining us in personal, one-on-one ways as we seek to align our will with His.
Regardless of the outcome, simply aspiring to bring children into this world will bless us with a more profound perspective of Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness. Wherever you are on your family-growing journey, as you read our stories, I sincerely hope the Holy Ghost will guide you to insights or answers that may help you along your way.
Happy reading!
Marianne von Bracht