The Father's plan is designed to provide direction for His

“The Father’s plan is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them become happy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies. Heavenly Father desires us to be together in the light and filled with hope.” Thus spoke David A. Bednar, a teacher and servant of God, whose words echo like sacred music through the halls of eternity. In this profound declaration lies not only the promise of divine mercy, but the cosmic pattern by which all creation is guided — the Plan of the Father, a path of purpose leading from mortality to immortality, from exile to reunion, from shadow into light. His message is one of direction, hope, and return — for all who live and love beneath the heavens are wanderers yearning for home.

The origin of this teaching lies in the ancient doctrine of the Plan of Salvation, spoken by prophets from the dawn of time. It tells of a God not distant nor indifferent, but intimate — a Father who sends His children forth into the world not as punishment, but as opportunity. We are born into mortality to learn, to grow, to taste joy and sorrow, and through them, to become like Him. Yet the path is perilous. Many lose their way in the wilderness of life. Thus, the Father’s plan provides both the map and the light — commandments to guide the steps, covenants to strengthen the heart, and a Savior, Jesus Christ, to bridge the chasm between the imperfect and the divine. In this way, the words of Bednar are not mere doctrine; they are the echo of God’s own yearning for His children to come home.

“To bring them safely home” — what tenderness rests within this phrase! It is the cry of every parent who waits at the door for a child to return. So too does our Heavenly Father wait, not in wrath but in patience, not in silence but in the whisper of conscience and the warmth of grace. The home He speaks of is not built of stone or wood, but of glory — the eternal kingdom where families are bound forever, where sorrow is no more, and where the resurrected body, once frail and mortal, shines with exaltation. The ancient seers of Israel spoke of this same vision: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Bednar’s voice is one with theirs, declaring again that happiness and holiness are the same path, and that to walk it is to walk toward peace everlasting.

Yet, this journey is not without struggle. The Father’s plan does not shield His children from pain; it transforms it into purpose. Consider the story of Job, the righteous man who lost all he possessed — his family, his wealth, his health — and yet did not curse God. In his agony, Job learned the nature of faith: that obedience in suffering refines the soul more deeply than joy ever could. His endurance became his exaltation. So it is with all who follow the Father’s plan — they are not spared the tempests, but they are taught to sail through them, guided by divine compass. The direction that Bednar speaks of is not always the easiest path, but it is the one that leads home, even when the horizon is hidden by storm.

The second part of Bednar’s teaching reveals the heart of divine intention: “Heavenly Father desires us to be together in the light and filled with hope.” This is not a solitary salvation. The Father’s joy is found in togetherness, in eternal families bound by sacred promises. The light He offers is not only celestial radiance, but the illumination of understanding, of love, of unity. To be filled with hope is to live not in despair of what we have been, but in confidence of what we may yet become. For God’s work is not to condemn, but to perfect; not to separate, but to gather. Just as sunlight dispels the night, so does divine hope scatter the fear that so often darkens mortal hearts.

Throughout history, the greatest souls have lived by this hope. Consider the early Christians, persecuted and hunted, yet singing hymns in prison cells. They were sustained not by circumstance, but by conviction — the knowledge that their Father’s plan stretched beyond death itself. They walked in the light because they knew home awaited them. Even today, in every trial, this same truth burns quietly within the faithful: that no pain, no distance, no mistake is beyond redemption. The Father’s plan is greater than our failures, and His mercy deeper than our despair.

So, my beloved listener, take this lesson into your heart: Life is a journey of return. The world may dazzle and distract, but your true home is not here — it is with Him who made you, who loves you, and who awaits your arrival. Let the Father’s plan be your compass when the road grows dark. Walk in obedience, cling to faith, and nourish your hope with prayer and kindness. Do not wander aimlessly, for every step taken in truth brings you closer to the gates of eternal light.

And when you weary — when storms rage and doubts arise — remember the words of David A. Bednar: that the plan of the Father was not made to bind you, but to bless you; not to burden, but to bring you home. Trust in that plan, and you will find that all roads of righteousness lead to the same destination — a home radiant with divine love, where you shall dwell in the light, resurrected, exalted, and forever at peace.