From the First Presidency

Back to Your Heavenly Home

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Adapted from “Your Wonderful Journey Home,” Ensign, May 2013.

You have embarked on your own wonderful journey back to your heavenly home!

This story begins a very long time ago, when you lived in a faraway, beautiful place.

embark: start

In that premortal place, you knew that God existed because you saw and heard Him. You knew Jesus Christ. You had faith in Him. And you knew that your destiny was not to stay in the security of your premortal home. You knew you wanted and needed to embark on a journey. You would depart from the arms of your Father, pass through a veil of forgetfulness, receive a mortal body, and learn and experience things that hopefully would help you grow to become more like Father in Heaven and return to His presence. It wouldn’t be easy, but you knew it was worth every effort.

In the end, you knew God would triumph. You knew that your Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, would provide a way for you to be cleansed from sin and rescued from physical death. You had faith that, in the end, you would rejoice.

And so, you took a deep breath …

And a great step forward …

And here you are!

You have, each one of you, embarked on your own wonderful journey back to your heavenly home!

• Answers: Premortal Life, Earth Life, Spirit World, Resurrection, Final Judgment, Three Degrees of Glory

Your Guidebook

The Book of Mormon is a guidebook that tells us what we need to do to get back to our heavenly home. Match each picture with the correct verse. You will need to use one verse twice.

• Repent and be baptized.

• Have bright hope.

• Love God and all people.

• Follow Jesus.

• 2 Nephi 31:10

• 2 Nephi 31:11

• 2 Nephi 31:20

Your Map

Heavenly Father has given us a map to return home to Him! We find this map

• in the scriptures

• in the words of prophets and apostles

• and through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost

Plan of Happiness Scramble

Our Heavenly Father wants us to return to live with Him, so He created a plan! Put these pictures in the right order, and talk about the plan of salvation at your next family home evening. Check your answers below.

• Premortal Life (D&C 138:55–56)

• Earth Life (D&C 59:23)

• Spirit World (D&C 138:5–15)

• Resurrection (D&C 88:14–17)

• Final Judgment (Alma 11:44)

• Three Degrees of Glory (D&C 76:50–53, 77–79, 98–102)