Act One: Where Did I Come From?

In my post of July 26, 2008, I wrote, “To look at life only through the lens of mortality leaves many unanswered questions. It’s like going to the theatre to see a play in three acts, but showing up late and having to leave early.”

At the end of that post I promised to write about Acts One and Three. If you have been eagerly awaiting such a post, your wait is over … at least in part. I want to use this post to write about Act One.

I ended the earlier post by suggesting that, “Who we are is not defined merely by what takes place between our date of birth and our date of death. That is just the ‘second act.’” When we understand the events of ‘Act One’ we will better understand the purpose that led us to ‘Act Two’ in the first place. In Act One we learned about who we really are, and the purpose of our ‘mortal experience’ (Act Two.) Act One, then, might be called, “Our Pre-mortal Experience.”

Before we were born, we lived as spirit beings in a pre-mortal place. We existed even before the earth was formed. The essence of who we are, our spirit self, is eternal. We understood that we were the spirit sons and daughters of an all-loving God.

During our pre-mortal experience, we learned of a plan that would help us progress and become more like our Father in Heaven. In fact, scripture reveals that God’s purpose is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of His children. We chose to follow Father’s plan. We knew that while on earth we would make mistakes. We also knew that as mortals, we would die. We would need a Savior to free us from the permanency of death, to redeem us from our sins, and to prepare us to return to be with God. We accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Then, at an appointed time, we started our journey on earth. (The curtain falls, and Act One comes to an end.) As we entered mortality the memory of our pre-mortal life faded. It was meant to be that way. With our memory gone, we would be required to walk by faith. This would be part of life’s test. The spirit being we were before coming to earth now lives with our mortal body. Our spirit yearns to remember what it once knew. It is always in search of truth. One of life’s tests is to see if we will be true to the truths we are given; to learn and be obedient to God’s commandments.

It is within this framework that the curtain goes up on Act Two.

If you would like to read more about God’s plan for His children, click here.

Next time: Act Three!

Some Thoughts on Purpose and Potential

This post will simply be my way of sharing some words of wisdom. I enjoy reading quotes. They inspire me. They provide “food for thought” that can nourish the soul.

Here are just a few of my favorites about purpose and potential:


Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.

- David O. McKay

As far we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.

- Carl Jung

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

- William Morrow

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we
 have learned here. The spiritual journey is the unlearning 
of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts.


- Marianne Williamson

If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life.

- Abraham Maslow

Go to your bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.

- Shakespeare

Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

- Henry Van Dyke