Lesson Two: Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation

Many missionaries will eventually talk about Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation, sometimes called the Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Redemption. This is one of the central frameworks in Mormon theology. It’s presented as the answer to life’s biggest questions: “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going after this life?”

The LDS Plan of Salvation includes several key ideas:

• Pre-mortal life: Before birth, all people existed as spirit children of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. We lived in God’s presence and chose to follow his plan, which included coming to earth to receive a body and be tested. According to LDS teaching, both Jesus and Satan are also spirit children of Heavenly Father. Jesus was chosen to be our Savior, while Satan rebelled against the plan and was cast out, along with a third of the spirit children who followed him.
• The Fall—A Step Forward, Not a Tragedy: The Fall of Adam and Eve was a necessary and positive step in God’s plan. Rather than viewing it as the tragic entrance of sin into the world, Mormonism sees the Fall as a blessing that allowed humanity to progress. According to 2 Nephi 2:25 in the Book of Mormon, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” The Fall made it possible for humans to gain physical bodies, experience mortality, and eventually become exalted like God.
• The Atonement: Mormonism teaches that Jesus’ atonement makes it possible for people to be physically resurrected (a free gift), overcome sin, and become exalted (which requires obedience and effort). Jesus did not accomplish everything for you, but he made it possible for you to do what’s required.
• Earth life: This is a time of testing, during which spirit children receive a body, face trials, and try to grow spiritually by keeping commandments and following Jesus (as defined by LDS teachings).
• Spirit World: After death, spirits go to either Spirit Paradise or Spirit Prison, depending on their worthiness or whether they accepted the LDS gospel. This is a place where spirits can continue to progress toward godhood. It’s also where those who didn’t have the opportunity to hear or accept the LDS plan during mortal life can be taught and converted.
• Resurrection and judgment: Everyone will be resurrected and judged according to their works. Almost everyone will inherit a degree of glory (heaven):
  • Three degrees of glory:
    – Celestial Kingdom (exaltation, for faithful LDS who kept covenants)
    – Terrestrial Kingdom (for good people who didn’t fully accept LDS teachings)
    – Telestial Kingdom (for the unrepentant and wicked)
  • Only a few “sons of perdition” go to outer darkness (Hell), as well as Satan and those who rebelled with him.

The LDS Plan of Salvation can sound comforting and even hopeful. It emphasizes family, purpose, and post-death opportunity. But the deeper you go, the more works-focused and hierarchical it becomes. To attain eternal life with God (Celestial glory/exaltation), one must adhere to strict obedience, temple covenants, and endure to the end. Grace becomes just one piece of a much larger system of personal worthiness.

But the Bible speaks of only two eternal outcomes: life with God or separation from him. It doesn’t mention a second chance after death or multiple kingdoms of heaven. Most importantly, eternal life is not something we earn, learn, or become worthy of. It’s a gift received in Jesus alone (John 5:24; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9).

You may read through the LDS teaching materials on the Plan of Salvation here: Lesson 2.

Conversation Opportunities

You don’t need to explain the whole biblical view in one sitting. Instead, consider asking questions that gently uncover the differences:

• Have you noticed any places in the Bible where the Fall is treated like a good thing? 
• Would you help me understand the difference between salvation and exaltation?
• How does one live eternally with Heavenly Father?
• What gives you confidence that you’ll reach the Celestial Kingdom?
• In your plan, when is a person fully saved—when they believe, or after they’ve done everything God asks?

If the missionaries describe a works-based path to God, you can say something like:

“That sounds really demanding. I find so much peace in knowing that eternal life is a gift, not a reward. Jesus said whoever believes has eternal life (John 5:24). That means it’s secure now, not something I have to hope I’ll achieve later.”

Be aware that LDS missionaries are trained to avoid words like earn when discussing salvation or exaltation. Instead, they may describe it as a process of learning eternal life, often using the example of piano lessons: Your mother may give you the piano and the lessons, but you have to practice to become a concert pianist implying that Jesus gives you the tools and power to become like God, but you must put in the effort. 

If they use this analogy, consider asking, “At the end of the concert, who gets the applause? Who did most of the work?” This can help highlight that, in their view, the credit ultimately belongs to the performer, not the one who gave the gift, gently raising the question: Is eternal life with God truly a gift or credit for our effort?

The Witnessing Scenario Giving Us Piano Lessons or Making Us Pianists? explains how to respond to this popular LDS illustration. Did you know that we offer a separate course on the Mormon Plan of Salvation? Check it out here: Mormonism’s Plan of Salvation.