1. Our Premortal Life Chapter 6
Introduction (which includes receiving mortal bodies). All
who keep their second estate will have “glory
Some people have difficulty understanding added upon their heads for ever and ever”
that their existence before this earth life could be (Abraham 3:26).
forgotten. Because we do not recall the first few
years of early childhood does not mean that we Supporting Statements
didn’t exist, that we didn’t eat, play, laugh, and
interact with family and friends. So it is with our A. Intelligence, or the light of truth, is eternal and
premortal estate. We lived and associated, grew has always existed.
and learned; yet we cannot recall those former ■ “The Lord made it known to Moses (See
activities for reasons that the Lord in His eternal Book of Moses Chap. 3.) and also to Abraham
wisdom has not fully revealed to us. (Abraham Ch. 3) and it is expressed in several
revelations, that man was in the beginning with
Doctrinal Outline God. In that day, however, man was a spirit
unembodied. The beginning was when the
A. Intelligence, or the light of truth, is eternal and councils met and the decision was made to create
has always existed. this earth that the spirits who were intended for
See Doctrine and Covenants 93:29. this earth, should come here and partake of the
mortal conditions and receive bodies of flesh and
B. We lived as spirit children of God in a premortal
bones. The doctrine has prevailed that matter was
existence.
created out of nothing, but the Lord declares that
1. God is the father of the spirits of all mankind the elements are eternal. Matter always did and,
(see Hebrews 12:9; D&C 76:24; Acts 17:29;
therefore, always will exist, and the spirits of men
Romans 8:16).
as well as their bodies were created out of matter.
2. Our spirit bodies are in the form of God’s We discover in this revelation that the intelligent
physical body (see D&C 77:2; Ether 3:6–16). part of man was not created, but always existed.
3. Our instruction and preparation for earth life There has been some speculation and articles have
began in the world of spirits (see D&C 138:56). been written attempting to explain just what these
4. God gave us agency in the premortal life (see ‘intelligences’ are, or this ‘intelligence’ is, but it is
Moses 4:3; D&C 29:36). futile for us to speculate upon it. We do know that
5. Many became noble and great in the premortal intelligence was not created or made and cannot
world (see Abraham 3:22–25; Jeremiah 1:4–6; be because the Lord has said it. There are some
Alma 13:3–5). truths it is well to leave until the Lord sees fit to
C. God the Father provided the plan of salvation by reveal the fulness” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church
which His spirit children could eventually become History and Modern Revelation, 1:401).
like Him. B. We lived as spirit children of God in a premortal
1. God’s plan of salvation was taught to His spirit existence.
children (see Abraham 3:24–27). ■ “There is no way to make sense out of life
2. Jesus Christ was chosen and foreordained to without a knowledge of the doctrine of
come to earth to perform the atoning sacrifice premortal life.
(see 1 Peter 1:19–20; Moses 4:2; Revelation 13:8; “The idea that mortal birth is the beginning is
Abraham 3:27). preposterous. There is no way to explain life if
3. Lucifer, a spirit in authority in the presence of you believe that.
God, sought the glory and honor of God and the “The notion that life ends with mortal death
elimination of the agency of the children of God is ridiculous. There is no way to face life if you
(see Moses 4:1–3; D&C 76:25–28; Isaiah 14:12–14). believe that.
4. Lucifer’s rebellion against God caused a war in “When we understand the doctrine of
heaven (see Revelation 12:7; D&C 76:25–29). premortal life, then things fit together and make
5. One-third of the spirits were cast out of heaven sense. We then know that little boys and little girls
because they chose not to keep their first estate are not monkeys, nor are their parents, nor were
(see Abraham 3:27–28; D&C 29:36–38; 2 Peter 2:4; theirs, to the very beginning generation.
Revelation 12:8–9). “We are the children of God, created in his
6. All who kept their “first estate” (premortal life) image.
were promised that they would “be added upon” “Our child-parent relationship to God is clear.
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2. Chapter 6
mortal bodies are made. (Ether 3:16; D. & C.
131:7–8.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon
Doctrine, 589).
■ “The spirit of man consists of an organization
of the elements of spiritual matter in the likeness
and after the pattern of the fleshly tabernacle. It
possesses, in fact, all the organs and parts exactly
corresponding to the outward tabernacle”
(Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 79).
“During the ages in which we dwelt in the pre-
mortal state we not only developed our various
characteristics and showed our worthiness and
ability, or the lack of it, but we were also where
such progress could be observed. It is reasonable
to believe that there was a Church organization
there. The heavenly beings were living in a
perfectly arranged society. Every person knew his
place. Priesthood, without any question, had been
conferred and the leaders were chosen to officiate.
Ordinances pertaining to that pre-existence were
required and the love of God prevailed. Under
such conditions it was natural for our Father to
discern and choose those who were most worthy
and evaluate the talents of each individual. He
knew not only what each of us could do, but what
each of us would do when put to the test and when
responsibility was given us. Then, when
“The purpose for the creation of this earth is the time came for our habitation on mortal earth,
clear. all things were prepared and the servants of the
“The testing that comes in mortality is clear. Lord chosen and ordained to their respective
“The need for a redeemer is clear. missions” (Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to
“When we do understand that principle of the Perfection, 50–51).
gospel, we see a Heavenly Father and a Son; we ■ “In the pre-existence we dwelt in the presence
see an atonement and a redemption. of God our Father. When the time arrived for us
“We understand why ordinances and to be advanced in the scale of our existence and
covenants are necessary. pass through this mundane probation, councils
“We understand the necessity for baptism by were held and the spirit children were instructed
immersion for the remission of sins. We in matters pertaining to conditions in mortal life,
understand why we renew that covenant by and the reason for such an existence. In the former
partaking of the sacrament” (Boyd K. Packer, in life we were spirits. In order that we should
Conference Report, Oct. 1983, 22; or Ensign, Nov. advance and eventually gain the goal of
1983, 18). perfection, it was made known that we would
■ “All men and women are in the similitude of receive tabernacles of flesh and bones and have to
the universal Father and Mother, and are literally pass through mortality where we would be tried
the sons and daughters of Deity. and proved to see if we, by trial, would prepare
“‘God created man in His own image.’ This is ourselves for exaltation. We were made to realize,
just as true of the spirit as it is of the body, which in the presence of our glorious Father, who had a
is only the clothing of the spirit, its complement; tangible body of flesh and bones which shone like
the two together constituting the soul. The spirit the sun, that we were, as spirits, far inferior in our
of man is in the form of man, and the spirits of all station to him” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines
creatures are in the likeness of their bodies. This of Salvation, 1:57).
was plainly taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith ■ “From this revelation [Abraham 3:23], we
(Doctrine and Covenants, 77:2)” (The First may infer two things: first, that there were among
Presidency [Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and those spirits [in premortal life] different degrees
Anthon H. Lund], in James R. Clark, comp., of intelligence, varying grades of achievement,
Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of retarded and advanced spiritual attainment;
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:203). second, that there were no national distinctions
■ “These spirit beings, the offspring of exalted among those spirits such as Americans,
parents, were men and women, appearing in all Europeans, Asiatics, Australians, etc. Such
respects as mortal persons do, excepting only that ‘bounds of habitation’ would have to be
their spirit bodies were made of a more pure and ‘determined’ when the spirits entered their
refined substance than the elements from which earthly existence or second estate. . . .
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3. Chapter 6
“Now if none of these spirits were permitted to “As I read the scriptures, Satan’s plan required
enter mortality until they all were good and great one of two things: Either the compulsion of the
and had become leaders, then the diversity of mind, the spirit, the intelligence of man, or else
conditions among the children of men as we see saving men in sin. I question whether the
them today would certainly seem to indicate intelligence of man can be compelled. Certainly
discrimination and injustice. . . . men cannot be saved in sin, because the laws
“. . . Our place in this world would then be of salvation and exaltation are founded in
determined by our own advancement or condition righteousness, not in sin” (J. Reuben Clark Jr.,
in the pre-mortal state, just as our place in our in Conference Report, Oct. 1949, 193).
future existence will be determined by what we ■ “There were no neutrals in the war in heaven.
do here in mortality. All took sides either with Christ or with Satan.
“When, therefore, the Creator said to Abraham, Every man had his agency there, and men receive
and to others of his attainment, ‘You I will make rewards here based upon their actions there, just
my rulers,’ there could exist no feeling of envy as they will receive rewards hereafter for deeds
or jealousy among the million other spirits, for done in the body” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
those who were ‘good and great’ were but 1:65–66).
receiving their just reward” (David O. McKay, ■ “The punishment of Satan and the third of
Home Memories of President David O. McKay, the host of heaven who followed him, was that
228–30). they were denied the privilege of being born into
C. God the Father provided the plan of salvation by this world and receiving mortal bodies. They did
which His spirit children could eventually become not keep their first estate and were denied the
like Him. opportunity of eternal progression. The Lord cast
■ “When the great War in Heaven was fought, them out into the earth, where they became the
Lucifer, the son of the morning, came forth with tempters of mankind—the devil and his angels”
a plan that was rejected. The Father of us all, (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:65).
with love for us, His children, offered a better
plan under which we would have freedom to
choose the course of our lives. His Firstborn Son,
our Elder Brother, was the key to that plan. Man
would have his agency, and with that agency
would go accountability. Man would walk the
ways of the world and sin and stumble. But the
Son of God would take upon Himself flesh and
offer Himself a sacrifice to atone for the sins of
all men. Through unspeakable suffering He
would become the great Redeemer, the Savior
of all mankind” (Gordon B. Hinckley, in
Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 107; or Ensign,
May 2002, 90).
■ “Christ made the Father’s plan his own by
adoption. But what is basically important in this
respect is to know that the power to save is vested
in the Father, and that he originated, ordained,
created, and established his own plan; that he
announced it to his children; and that he then
asked for a volunteer to be the Redeemer, the
Deliverer, the Messiah, who would put the eternal
plan of the Eternal Father into eternal operation”
(Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 1:48–49
note 3).
■ “What Satan wanted, quite evidently, was the
full possession, ownership, of this creation of spirits
that is involved in the peopling of this earth; so he
tried to get them by gift, and that being denied, he
is following along and trying to get us through the
commission of sin. If we sin sufficiently we become
his subjects.
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