by Elder M. Russell Ballard

“Mortality, then, is the time to test our ability to understand our Heavenly Father’s plan and, of course, our willingness to be obedient. Obedience is essential to obtain exaltation and eternal life. King Benjamin explained that ‘the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe [in] Christ, . . . the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy’ (Mosiah 3:13).

“He also taught his people: ‘Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness’ (Mosiah 2:41).

“What a wonderful, warm, and reassuring thing it is to know that the primary objective of the very God of heaven is ‘the immortality and eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39), or, in other words, our eternal happiness and joy. Sometimes I wonder if we really appreciate what that means and how it should affect our lives. We must give adequate attention to the doctrines of happiness–real happiness, infinite and eternal. They should be the objective of everything we teach in the Church and of everything we do.”

(M. Russell Ballard, “Answers to Life’s Questions,” Ensign, May 1995, p. 23)