The goal of all existence is to combine with others and create something more than yourself. The ultimate combination is unity. All organizations and individuals strive for this. It is the motivation that drives all of life -- to be part of something bigger than yourself. It all starts from a single particle.
Particles
Through the study of physics we understand that there are indivisible particles that make up matter in our Universe. Each is a separate and distinct individual with intelligence and personality. We know some of their characteristics that we call "beauty," "color," and "spin," for example. We give different types of these names such as electrons, muons, mesons, bosons, quarks, and photons. We can distinguish each of these by their actions.
Atoms
If these particles come together in an organized way, they can form atoms. They are no longer individuals, separate and single, but rather have become part of something bigger. They work together in harmony and unity to become something that they could not be as individuals.
Atoms are individual entities with certain characteristics. We can distinguish them by their characteristics and structure. We know their mass and size, as well as their abilities to combine with other atoms.
Molecules
When atoms combine to form molecules, they become part of something bigger than themselves. They work together in unity to have certain characteristics which allow them to do certain things.
Molecules can form all sorts of structures such as worlds, stars, and cells.
Cells
When molecules form a cell, they all work together for a single cause -- life! The cell can live and breathe as long as all of the molecules continue to do their jobs. They all work together in unity, doing amazing things that none of them could do if they were alone and single. They are part of something bigger.
Organisms
Cells can come together to form organisms that have so much more potential than any single cell does alone. Each cell must specialize and work together in unity for the organism to survive, live, and grow.
People
Organisms also have the ability to work together to do much more than any one could do alone. People come together as well to become more than they are. This begins with marriage. In every good story the guy gets the girl in the end, and they live happily ever after. The essential element is the deepest desire of all of life -- unity. The beginning of this oneness is a man and a woman. As the Apostle Paul states, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 11:11) The very creation of man indicates this need. "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18) And then the woman was brought to Adam. "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:23-24) A goal of unity is what brings living beings together to become more than they are.
The sexual relationship is the token of this oneness. It is a gift that a couple gives to each other, from the heart, out of love. This requires a commitment that is unbreakable and unwavering. Each is committed to the other and will sacrifice anything for the other's benefit. Neither will be unfaithful in trying to seek gratification elsewhere. Couples who don't make this covenant can never grow in unity. A sacrifice must be made, hearts must be turned, love must be given, and trust built. This often takes time. It isn't an event, but rather a process -- a never-ending process. That is the beauty of unity, it just keeps getting better.
On the other hand, a sexual relationship that doesn't bring unity can only appease hunger momentarily. When people try to feel the connection without a commitment, they can never achieve it. You can get your back scratched, but it will only itch again. You can eat, but you will get hungry again. There is no ultimate satisfaction in the relief of appetite.
The Love Triangle
The pattern of the Godhead is repeated at all levels. The executive position, The Father, the management position, The Son, and the worker position, The Holy Ghost.
Likewise, marriage is a triangle. This triangle is formed by God in the executive position, man in the management position, and the woman in the worker position.
God
Man Woman
The triangle is always an equilateral one. The closer we are to our spouse, the closer we are to God. (If we are not married, we are probably very far from our spouse.) However, as we come closer together as husband and wife, both come closer to God.
God
Man Woman
The ultimate end of this is unity with God, which can only happen as spouses are united.
God
Man Woman
"I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine." (D&C 38:27) This is the principle of Eternal Life. It is infinite and Eternal. It exists on all levels, in all things. It is how those at a higher level bring up those below them. It is how parents raise children. It is how atoms, stars, and all matter is created. Unity defines life.
If the beings who are on the same level, neighbors, cannot become one, then they cannot be raised up to the next level.
Family
The unity of a couple creates a family. The family is a separate entity. If the parents are united, the family can become unified. The parents bring the goals and vision of the family. They teach their children how to behave, allowing the children to come together in love.
Father, mother and children come together to work together in unity for the benefit of all. Each has a job to perform, to learn and to grow up and the children eventually break off and start their own families. Each family has certain characteristics. We can distinguish families by how they look and behave. Their particular strengths and weaknesses make them suitable for certain work in society.
Society
Families get together to form a society. Societies come in many forms, but all are groups of people getting together to provide services that none could do alone. Clubs, companies, corporations, cities, and nations are all entities of society that mankind uses to provide for each other, and become more than they can be alone. The principles of these societies are all the same as we can see with companies that provide goods and services.
Inc.
A company of people get together with a common purpose to bring a product or service to society. They look to the desires of people, asking, "what do people want?" And then, they provide that. The leaders give the vision and set the course or direction. They say what product or service will be provided, and how. They then bring the plan to others who can help to create and distribute it.
The group can do much more as a unified body than they can do as individuals working separately. As a company, each member can specialize in a specific task and become much more proficient at it than one who must know everything.
If the group can come together with the same vision and work towards the same goal they will be able to provide ten or hundreds of times more to the society.
In order to do this, they must all come together under a leadership that provides them with:
1. A goal
2. A vision to reach the goal
3. Direction in how it can be achieved
4. Tasks that each will perform
5. Reward for the work done
If the leadership can provide these things, the employees will each do their job. They work together as a team, and the team becomes one. This unity is one of the greatest benefits of being in the workplace. Where there is no unity, the workers hate their jobs, the company flounders, and doesn't grow, improve, or provide goods and services.
However, when they come together as a team, and feel a part of something bigger than themselves, the members thrive, love their work, and provide more goods and services. Unity is the key to business.
Nations
Companies specialize to provide a certain service to society. Many other groups are formed in which people can participate and find unity, performing tasks that companies cannot. Governments are formed to give direction to the whole mass, bringing all together in a single nation. The unity of a nation depends on the unity of the societies contained within it, which depends upon the unity of families. If families don't teach submission, then groups can't be unified, and the whole nation is in jeopardy. Those who are selfish and refuse obey the rules create disorder, and collapse will ensue. This is why the foundation of all societies is the family.
When families are united, they bring order to society. We choose to unite ourselves with the group in which we feel comfortable. These groups form our societies. When whole societies are united, they can become much more than they are by becoming a part of God, like the City of Enoch. "Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever." (Moses 7:21)
God
Unity does not stop with societies. Our world is only one of many countless worlds in the Universe. Our state of being an individual in a body with so much more power than any one of our cells possesses is repeated infinitely. Life is both a circle and a progression of bringing beings together in unity to become part of something bigger than they are, with more power, might, dominion, and glory than they can even imagine. Could a bacteria imagine a human? I think not. Yet, they can become and integral part of the existence of the human, becoming one with him, working together in unity with other cells and bacteria to create a body that is so much more than a single cell.
In the same sense, as society becomes unified, they come together to form so much more than any individual alone. This is how we connect with God. We are not individuals to God any more than our skin cells are individuals to us. In spite of this, God knows and loves each one of His creations, from the atom to the greatest creature. God is greater than they all. He is the Highest. He cares for each one to teach them how to move on.
Unity with God is achieved as a society becomes unified. He instructs in how this is to be done. Those who refuse to participate become the outcasts, while those who obey become part of something bigger. We must lose ourselves in order to achieve this. We must desire to let go of our selfish desires and submit to a higher authority that can instruct us on what to do.
Pride
Many have so much pride, they don't want to participate. "I don't want to become some intestinal cell in the bowels of God! I don't want to submit. I want to be free! I want to be my own person, to do what I want!" There is fear, in submission, of losing your identity.
We have progressed so far, and yet we haven't learned. Happiness comes from growth. Growth is the process of becoming more than you are, which requires organizing and becoming one with others. Together you form a single entity that has rules. If you can't abide the rules, you can't be a part of the organization.
When we desire to be single, and avoid unity, we lose everything we have gained and take ourselves all the way back to the existence of subatomic particles. We become passive observers. Entities to be acted upon without power to act, because we have no rules. All is darkness. Everything is the same. There is no end. There is no time. There is no change. This is death. This is loss. This is suffering beyond degree. It is emptiness, loneliness and loss beyond comprehension. Awareness of loss forever without end. No growth. Nothing to look forward to. No time. Nothing. Just nothing -- forever and ever. Hopelessness. No chance of growth. No end. Nothing.
Pride is a dangerous thing.
Choice
From the first particle, through atoms, molecules, cells, organisms, families, societies, and God, each always has one thing: choice. The ability to choose is what makes God a God. He never takes that away. Every particle has choice. He instructs each of His creations in how to achieve the next level, and if they obey, they are sure to make it.
Many drop out at every level, thinking they are as powerful as they want to be. In fact, Jesus tells us that the large majority drop out:
"Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14) This is always true, on every level.
Do you think that a single cell inside of your body desires to be one with God while the rest are steeped in pride? Does a single member of a family want to be one with others, while all the rest are hateful? Is the group a democracy -- mob rule -- forcing the few who want more to accept less, or who want less to accept more? NEVER!!!
Life, in our current state, is the process of each making a choice to be part of whatever entity they desire. Just as every particle of your being chose to submit to become you, every cell in your body must be unified to one purpose. The body and spirit must become united to a single goal.
The question of life, the meaning of life, is to answer one question, "Where are we going?" It was revealed to Joseph Smith that there are many mansions in Heaven, but only a few will reach the one that allows for continued growth: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase." (D&C 131:1-4) If we don't achieve unity with our spouse, we cannot become one with God. This is the repeating pattern for life.
From the smallest particle to the highest existence every entity must be unified before it can move on to the next level.
Heaven
Heaven is unity. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the Great and Last Sacrifice that brings all together in one. It provides for all those of our kingdom or order to be unified with one another on whatever level we choose. However, there must be unity. Disunity is sin. The Lord said to the modern Saints, "if ye are not one ye are not mine." (D&C 38:27)
There are many degrees of Heaven. The purpose of our life is to choose which of these we will be unified in. Those who refuse to submit at all are cast out forever, separate, single, hopeless, dark, and lost. Those who submit are received into a Kingdom of Glory through Jesus Christ, who brings them together. The Lord declares through the Prophet Isaiah "That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." (Isaiah 45:23) This is the requirement to enter into any Kingdom of Glory.
Those who are forced by their circumstances to confess His name in order to avoid suffering are received into the lowest Kingdom of Heaven. They become one with the Holy Ghost and together receive their glory. They are one.
Those who act out of a desire for a reward, or rest, and happily confess His name, but are not valiant in giving their hearts are received in unity with the middle Kingdom of Heaven. They become one with Christ and praise His name forever.
Those who submit to the will of God, confessing His name, and making a covenant with Him through baptism, remaining faithful to the end are cleansed entirely and become one with God the Father. They are much higher in glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.
However, there are those few who will go on to become gods. These are unified into the body of Christ, and "inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths." (D&C 132:19) These are "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:17) These are the few who found the path to Eternal Life. This path is only found in unity, and continues on in unity, forever uniting and bringing together all that is in the Universe.
