Always keep in view that the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms - the earth and its fulness - will all, except the children of men, abide their creation--the law by which they were made, and will receive their exaltation.

Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should remember that our family relationships—even more than our Church callings—are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur. The conversion we must achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a good wife and mother. Being a successful Church leader is not enough. Exaltation is an eternal family experience, and it is our mortal family experiences that are best suited to prepare us for it.

When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel – you must begin with the first and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.

One year as we were preparing instructions for the newly called General Authorities, different members of the Twelve were assigned to prepare a statement on each of the important essential doctrines. One statement was given on the great plan of happiness. Years have passed and I cannot remember who had this assignment, but I have kept his statement in my binder. It explains what we're all seeking. It reads:

“Our Heavenly Father has made available to all His children the same plan, system, and grand design by which He himself became God. It is called the great plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ. It consists of infinite, eternal, absolute, unchanging principles. The plan is complete in every particular, capable of reaching without compulsion to every phase of man's existence from premortal life through mortality and to the resurrection of the body and into eternity. There is no condition of intelligence existing to which the plan cannot be applied if individuals willingly obey. There is no extraneous proviso, nothing to be added or taken away. Although individuals can be blessed through the gospel, the fullness is realized only in the family. The plan is the Father's. Jesus made it His by total obedience to the Father's will. The Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement are essential to the implementation and fulfillment of the plan.”

The irony of this is that, although we may make a difference in the lives of those we help, we who give charitable service are often the ones who benefit the most. When we sacrifice our time, talents, and resources for the sake of others, we refine our character and thereby become more fit for the kingdom. The Savior said the poor would always be with us (see John 12:8). And it is a good thing too because we cannot become exalted without them. We need the poor as much as the poor need us.

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.

You cannot be too good. Patience is heavenly, obedience is noble, forgiveness is merciful, and exaltation is godly; and he that holds out faithful to the end shall in no wise lose his reward. A good man will endure all things to honor Christ, and even dispose of the whole world, and all in it, to save his soul.

It will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned [all the principles of exaltation]. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.

The treasure house of happiness is unlocked to those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ in its purity and simplicity.... The assurance of supreme happiness, the certainty of a successful life here and of exaltation and eternal life hereafter, come to those who plan to live their lives in complete harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ—and then consistently follow the course they have set.

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior, has given us our map—a code of laws and commandments whereby we might attain perfection and, eventually, godhood. This set of laws and ordinances is known as the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is the only plan which will exalt mankind.