Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”

There is a reason this statement is second only to the fact that we are created by God in His image. Once we know who He is, then we can begin to truly understand who we are, and who we can be. It is the foundation of how we look ourselves, and our roles in this life.

There is a certain power and perspective that comes from knowing who you really are. I often think back to a movie I saw on TV a few years ago. Its premise was the very fact that the world as we see it wasn’t ‘real.’ It was only when people were ‘unplugged’ that they saw the world for what it truly was. Only then were they able to see themselves and their true roles as they really were.

Though it was pure fiction, I cannot help but I see a parallel in our lives today. We are all busily living our lives; we have jobs and responsibilities, hobbies and recreation, entertainment and fashion, toys and things. Many of us take what we can see and hold as real, and believe that these tangible things are what matter most. We allow media and the world to tell us who and what we should be, and how we don’t measure up.

If we could ‘unplug’ from our worldly focus, we might be able to see life as it truly is. And when we do that, we will see ourselves, our roles, and our destiny as they truly are.

My ‘unplugging’ was a slow process. During my teenage years, I was focused on the world. I wanted to be liked and accepted by those around me. I looked to my peers to tell me if I was cute, fun, or even of worth. It was a constant battle as I struggled to know where and how—if I even did—fit in in the world.

My decision to serve a full-time mission, and subsequent preparation for it, changed my perspective. I began to focus on my relationship with my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ. As I began to understand more fully and deeply who they were, I began to see myself and life for what it truly was. I started to unplug myself from the world, and see the eternal nature of things.

I am a child of a God with a divine purpose and destiny. That understanding changed my life. Out of this simple seed of truth sprung a new perspective, strength, priorities, confidence, joy, love for myself and others, and love of my Heavenly Father and Savior. I knew who I was and where I was going. I knew who I should look to to define my worth.

I am a child of a God with a divine purpose and destiny. This truer perspective (for the closer we can get to God’s perspective, the truer ours is) has guided the decisions in my life, and brought me great joy. Knowing who I am and what my potential and possibilities are has given me the strength, hope, and peace in even the toughest times; times when the troubles of the world seem heavy, when trials hurt, when my already limited capacities seem at their limit. I can see the purpose in adversity and find peace in my faith.

There are times when I feel myself plugging back into the world, when I allow the opinions and policies of others to shift my position, when I allow myself to be swayed by the things of man and the world. But through my Sunday meetings, Temple worship, and daily scripture study and prayer, I get unplugged again. I can go about my daily responsibilities with that truer perspective and a deeper sense of gratitude that only comes from God-given understanding.

I am a child of a God with a divine purpose and destiny. This testimony is my compass and my anchor in an ever-changing world of pressures, redefining of roles, responsibilities, and priorities. We are His children. He does have a plan for us. It is different than what much of the world tells us, and for that I am grateful.

To quote a favorite Primary song, “I know who I am. I know God’s plan. I’ll follow Him in faith.” As we keep ourselves ‘unplugged’ from the world, and plugged into Him, we can have the power to be who He intends, to become who we can be, and to fulfill the measure of our creation.

The 24th anniversary of The Family: A Proclamation to the World is at the end of this month. Every day until then I will be reposting articles from The Family Proclamation Celebration that has been held on my blog starting in 2010.