Parry's newest book is an easy to read, and clearly written, blueprint for those wishing to find the key to a richer and fuller life. Using the Scriptures and the words of the General Authorities, he provides a uniquely Mormon approach to a topic recently popularized in the evangelical book The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren.

I call it "uniquely Mormon" because it views life and purpose in a wider sense than is generally understood by other Christians. Indeed, the "Plan of Happiness," as spoken of by Mormon writers, encompasses the full span of our lives, from the pre-existence, to the post-mortal kingdom. As such, it entails a different path, a larger vision:

We were created to be happy...

We can find happiness here as he walk God's path. It is a spiritual gift that comes to those who fulfill the twelve purposes of life with true and honest hearts....

Our success in this life depends to a great degree on our understanding of why we're here. A Primary-level understanding isn't enough. Our mortality has deep and significant meaning. That meaning has been defined by God himself... (p. 3-4)

So what are these purposes?

Purpose One is "To Gain Mastery in a Temporal World." Beginning with our coming to earth to gain mortal experience and testing, Parry reminds us that this enfleshment comes with a stewardship, not just to grow, but to be responsible for the keeping of our bodies, our planet and our time.

Purpose Two is "To Be Tested." He discusses the various ways in which we are tested in this mortal life -- not just by the devil, but by God and by life itself! It encourages us to come through these tests victoriously.

Purpose Three is "To Discover the True God." He explains that full salvation requires a knowledge of who God really is. This understanding comes after a process, part of an ongoing education. He isolates seven steps in our development, from our existence as intelligences to our resurrection, the final uniting of body and spirit. On page 65, Parry makes the kind of statement Rick Warren would never make:

"We are of the species of the gods."

This is a powerful statement, marking the divine heritage of every person.

Purpose Four is "To Develop a Relationship with God, Our Father." It focuses on the areas of prayer and worship.

"We must know God with our minds and feel him with our hearts." (p. 84)

It also charts the path from trust to obedience, an important part of our relationship with Heavenly Father.

Purpose Five is titled "To Learn How to Grow in Faith." It is a fascinating look at a subject that is often treated superficially, although discussed widely in Sacrament Meeting talks and magazine articles. Joseph Smith's definition of "faith" and his teachings about faith and power have always fascinated me. Quoting from "Lectures on Faith" (and I acknowledge that authorship of this work is currently in dispute):

Faith is the "first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation nor existence." (p. 102)

The chapter also includes hints on how Saints can grow their faith. The suggestions are practical and clear.

Purpose Six is "To Receive the Spirit." The Mormon teaching of the "light of Christ" is unique in its universal application and availability. Here Parry discusses the nurturing of that inner light, learning to recognize and follow the spirit. Reflecting on the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the author shows how great things can be done when one is awakened to that inner call.

Purpose Seven utilizes a familiar phrase to all Latter-day Saints: "To Come unto Christ."

We are invited in the scriptures to "come unto Christ." I used to think that simply going through the motions of Church activity automatically brought us unto Christ. After all, if you are baptized, partake of the sacrament, go to the temple, and remain active in the Church, what else are you doing?

Unfortunately, it is possible to do all those things without coming unto Christ. To come unto Christ is to do all that and more. It is to give him our whole hearts, our lives, our plans and hopes and wishes and dreams, our devotion. It is to establish a relationship with the Father and the Son. It is to always remember our Savior, letting him be the focus of our thoughts and the object of our deepest, most cherished feelings. (p. 145)

Parry invites the reader to enter into a deeper, more personal relationship with Christ. He emphasizes prayer and participation in the ordinances of the gospel.

Purpose Eight is "To Live by the Gift of Charity." Here Parry discusses the profound influence, on ourselves and others, of the transforming power of love. He focuses on the need for each of us to be a conduit of God's love to others, learning to love them as we love ourselves.

Purpose Nine is titled "To Obtain an Ever Deeper Knowledge of Truth." He explores the various ways in which we obtain knowledge -- through study, from discussions with other seekers, and through revelation. He argues for the importance of knowledge as a way of coming into a deeper relationship with God.

Purpose Ten, "To Seek to be Perfected in Christ," addresses the importance of developing a godly character. Some folks tremble when they see the word "perfect" in a religious context. It's a goal that simply cannot be reached. Much discussion has been carried on over the years as to the meaning of the word "perfect," but Parry takes it quite literally. He sees perfection as being attainable as one garners benefits from the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Purpose Eleven is "To Find Your Personal Mission in Life." He offers the familiar triad of "proclaim the gospel, perfect the saints, redeem the dead," as guidelines for each member to find his or her special mission. He also emphasizes that each person may, by study and by personal revelation, know his or her particular purpose in life. It is a challenge for each member to discover God's plan for their lives.

Finally, Purpose Twelve is "To Help and Teach Others in All These Things." Parry wants his readers to internalize what they've learned from his book and carry out these goals in their lives. He offers a nice bottom line to the story:

We can bring together the powerful combination of love and the Spirit in all our efforts to help and bless others.

The scriptures teach that a key to our ability to do all the Lord wants us to do is to increase in our love for God and man. The more we experience godly love, the more we will have the inner drive to bless others.

The scriptures also teach that a key to growing in love is to seek it as a gift of the Spirit -- and then obey what the Lord tells us to do in order to qualify for the gift. (p. 276)

A brief Epilogue contains twelve powerful promises to help us along the way.

Readers will find the structure of the book to be very helpful. Each chapter, each "purpose," is divided into subtopics, each having a set of discussion questions at the end. Inset boxes bring out key thoughts. The reading, then, can be done on a gradual basis, good "bite-sized" chunks for those wanting to use that as a resource for, say, Family Home Evening.

However one uses the book, Parry wants above all to challenge us to enter more fully into our relationship with God, to sort through the various pressures coming at us from all directions, and to discern our personal mission in life.

This book will be helpful for those experienced in the faith, and even more for those new to Mormonism. While it likely won't sell as many copies as Rick Warren's book, it does offer the Latter-day Saint a focused and understandable approach to nurturing and developing a Christian character.

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Jeff Needle
September 12, 2005