Lehi's Vision: the Mists of Darkness

One of the stories from the Book of Mormon that seems to have more and more meaning, no matter how many times I have studied it, is Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. In short, Lehi saw a tree with a rod of iron extending from it and a path underneath the rod of iron. On one side of the rod of iron was a river and on the other side of the river there was a huge building. Countless people were in the dream either moving toward the rod or away from it. Nephi was able to see his father’s dream and was given the interpretation as well. This dream seems to represent the spiritual journey that we are each on in this life.

I was intrigued by one verse in particular; where the angel is explaining to Nephi about the mists of darkness:

“And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost” (1 Nephi 12:17).

This gives three examples of how the adversary uses temptation to lead us away from the iron rod—the word of God (see 1 Nephi 11:25)—are by: 1) blinding our spiritual eyes, 2) hardening our hearts, and 3) leading us away into broad roads where we get lost.

Spiritual Blindness

In reference to blindness, the Bible dictionary states, “In addition to the healing of physical blindness, the mission of Jesus included curing blindness to the things of the spirit” (Bible Dictionary:blindness). Isaiah describes spiritual blindness as, “Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not” (Isaiah 42:20). Paul taught about spiritual blindness to the Ephesians as, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness [footnote: GR hardness] of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18).

Elder Kim B. Clark taught,

“In His mortal ministry, Jesus worked such mighty miracles of healing and taught with such authority and power that the scripture says, ‘His fame went throughout all Syria … and there followed him great multitudes of people.’

“Some who saw Him heal and heard Him teach rejected Him. Others followed Him for a season but then walked with Him no more. The Lord Jesus Christ was there in front of them, but they did not see who He really was. They were blind, and they chose to turn away….

“However, there were many men and women, including His faithful Apostles, who centered their lives on Him. Though they struggled with worldly distractions, with confusion about what He taught, and even with fear, they believed in Him, loved Him, and followed Him.

“Of them, Jesus said, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear’” (Kim B. Clark,“Eyes to See and Ears to Hear”, Ensign, November 2015).

Spiritual blindness comes when we choose to ignore the truths we know—perhaps out of ignorance, or perhaps because we have alienated ourselves from God. No matter the cause, it seems that we are unable to see those things that are right before our eyes, because of choices that we have made.

In Nephi’s vision he was taught about a “great and abominable church” who’s sole intent was to “blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men”. This was done by their “[taking] away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious” and because of this “an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them” (see 1 Nephi13:26-29).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave this insight,

“Book of Mormon prophecies describe the ‘great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil’. This ‘church’ is prophesied to have ‘dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people’. Called ‘most abominable above all other churches,’ this church is also said to act ‘for the praise of the world’ in bringing ‘the saints of God … down into captivity’.

“Because no religious denomination—Christian or non-Christian—has ever had ‘dominion’ over all nations of the earth or the potential to bring all the saints of God down into ‘captivity,’ this great and abominable church must be something far more pervasive and widespread than a single ‘church,’ as we understand that term today. It must be any philosophy or organization that opposes belief in God. And the ‘captivity’ into which this ‘church’ seeks to bring the saints will not be so much physical confinement as the captivity of false ideas” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Stand AsWitnesses of God”, Ensign, March 2015).

We are surrounded by the ideas and philosophies of the world. As we hold to the rod of iron we can avoid deception.

Another way the mists of darkness cause spiritual blindness is by the temptation to “[look] beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14). I think that means seeking for things that we can’t understand in this life, sometimes to the exclusion of all other things. Seeking is necessary in this life, but there are many things that we won’t have answers for until the next life. When on our quest for truth, which comes through seeking, it would be wise to remember the words of President Uchtdorf,

“It’s natural to have questions—the acorn of honest inquiry has often sprouted and matured into a great oak of understanding. There are few members of the Church who, at one time or another, have not wrestled with serious or sensitive questions. One of the purposes of the Church is to nurture and cultivate the seed of faith—even in the sometimes sandy soil of doubt and uncertainty. Faith is to hope for things which are not seen but which are true.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us”, Ensign,November 2013).

To avoid, or withstand, the mists of darkness we must cling to the rod of iron and not let the questions that we don't have answers to cloud our vision of what we already know.

Lehi told of “a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron” (1 Nephi 8:20). I wonder if this path is made of “a sure foundation” (Helaman 5:12), a foundation of rock—rather than a dirt path—that the posts of the rod of iron are deeply embedded into. The iron rod is the word of God, and Christ is the rock. If we stray from the stone path we are near a river (a horribly, dangerous, swiftly moving river) that I imagine has gradually sloping, sandy banks.

I am reminded of the psalm, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105). The path is something solid to guide our steps. However, when the mists of darkness come if we don’t have hold of the rod, Nephi recorded that those people, “did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:23) even though they were initially on the path. It is our grip on the rod that makes the difference when the mists of darkness come. And they will come.

“Traveling through mists of darkness is a completely normal part of God’s plan. He allows us to experience difficulties from time to time so that we can completely depend on Him and His Son. The key is to cling to the iron rod” (Juventa Vezzani, “Latter-daySaint Voices: Finding My Way through Mists of Darkness”, Ensign, January 2016).

Hardens the Heart

I think a key to understanding how hearts can be hardened is found in the Book of Hebrews,

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;” (Hebrews 3:12-14)

I feel that these verses say that we will start to disbelieve when we distance ourselves from God. We can then become more hardened in our hearts through continued disbelief or even the deceitfulness of sin, further distancing ourselves from God. We lose our connection with the Spirit through sin, and no longer have the continual guidance and direction available through the Holy Ghost.

We, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God” (Articles of Faith 1:8). The Lord has given us His word—an iron rod—to cling to as a spiritual protection in these last days. President Ezra Taft Benson shared this promise about the Book of Mormon specifically:

“It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion”, Ensign, November 1986, emphasis added).

There have been times during my life when I have been closer to the Lord and other times when I have been father away. How do we continually stay close to the Lord? I think that President Spencer W. Kimball gave wise counsel when he said,

“When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be ‘remember.’ Because all of [us] have made covenants … our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day—to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that [we] ‘… may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us].’… ‘Remember’ is the word” (see Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual, Lesson 33, "A Sure Foundation").

I also love this insight on the power that comes through remembering that was shared about a seminary class,

“’If you remember,’ [the teacher] said, ‘you won’t forget to pray. You won’t forget to serve or love. You will remember to read the scriptures. You will not forget your family and friends. You will remember to obey the prophet. You’ll keep in your heart the knowledge that Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for us, and you will love him as he loves you. You will remember why you came to this earth. And you will remember you are sons and daughters of God. You can return home to him if you remember to keep his commandments and live your lives the way he has asked.’” (Laura Kay Worthington, “What is the Most Important Word?”, New Era, September1992).

Another key about why our hearts may be hardened is found in 3 Nephi. Nephi recounts,

“[A]nd the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

 “Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing” (3 Nephi 2:1-2).

The people began to forget about what they had seen and heard, and began to harden their hearts. They were not remembering. Each week we are reminded to “always remember Him” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:77, 79) during the sacrament prayers. This does not mean for those few minutes that we’re sitting in our seats, but always in our day-to-day lives. This is a great protection to us, to allow us time to really remember our Savior, so that we can (hopefully) keep from becoming hard in our own hearts.

We will be surrounded by mists of darkness at different times throughout our lives. During these times, if we can remember to grasp the iron rod we can find light, truth, and direction. Continually holding fast to the rod of iron takes faith, but is crucial when we are surrounded by these mists and unable to see. Elder David A. Bednar explains the importance of the day-to-day things that we need to do to be able to remember.

“In [1 Nephi 8:30] we read about a third group of people who pressed forward ‘continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.’ The key phrase in this verse is continually holding fast to the rod of iron.

“The third group also pressed forward with faith and conviction; however, there is no indication that they wandered off, fell into forbidden paths, or were lost. Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the scriptures. Perhaps it was diligence and devotion to a seemingly ‘small and simple [thing]’ that saved the third group from perishing. Perhaps it was ‘the knowledge of the Lord’ and ‘the knowledge of the truth’ obtained through faithful study of the scriptures that yielded the spiritual gift of humility—such that this group of people ‘fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree’. Perhaps it was the spiritual nourishment and strength provided by continually ‘feasting upon the word of Christ’ that enabled this group to heed not the scorning and mocking of the people in the great and spacious building. This is the group you and I should strive to join” (David A.Bednar, “Lehi’s Dream: Holding Fast to the Rod”, Ensign, November 2011).

Leadeth them Away into Broad Roads

When I read this sentence I wondered why the adversary chose to lead people into “broad” roads. Why didn’t he lead them to isolation? Perhaps it is because when we are alone, and take a moment for some quiet reflection and contemplation, that we can feel the whisperings of the spirit drawing us back to the path. I feel that the adversary is aiming for distraction. If he can put us in a broad road, filled with sights, sounds, and other distractions, it can put us in an awkward or uncomfortable situation of making ourselves stand alone, if we choose to be different. He wants to cloud our judgment with what seems to be a natural desire to want to be included and accepted. There is strength in numbers, both for good and evil.

I also like this explanation that President Boyd K. Packer gave:

“This trend to more noise, more excitement, more contention, less restraint, less dignity, less formality is not coincidental nor innocent nor harmless.

“The first order issued by a commander mounting a military invasion is the jamming of the channels of communication of those he intends to conquer.

“Irreverence suits the purposes of the adversary by obstructing the delicate channels of revelation in both mind and spirit” (Boyd K. Packer, “Reverence Invites Revelation”, Ensign,November 1991).

In Luke we read, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24). When I read this verse I wondered why would they “not be able” to enter? What would keep them from being able to enter?

King Benjamin taught about the broad road of sin when he said, “And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them” (Mosiah 4:29). The road to sin is so incredibly vast that we cannot fathom it. The road to the Savior, on the other hand, is very narrow. Nephi taught,

“Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter….

“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life;…

“And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

“And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:17-21).

Once we are in the “broad” roads of life it is easy to stay there without any effort. But once we enter into the gate that leads to eternal life, it will take a concerted effort on our part to stay there.

The adversary does not often come out and attack openly. He uses subtlety, deceit, arrows and fiery darts that can be thrown from a distance, rather that hand-to-hand combat. He doesn’t attack when we are strong but waits until we are tired, rundown, and weak.

The mists of darkness are necessary to provide an opportunity for growth. We can’t fully comprehend something unless we’ve experienced it. This life gives us that opportunity to learn—to know for ourselves the good from the evil. In this battle we have our Savior on our side. The power that comes through the atonement of Jesus Christ can help to keep us on the strait and narrow path. It is only through Him that we will be able to stay on the path that leads back to Him.

The key to enduring through the mists of darkness, the temptations that will come throughout our lives, is the rod of iron.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gives amazing insight into the power of the word of god.

“The Savior warned that in the last days even those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth. If we think of this as a form of spiritual destruction, it may cast light on another latter-day prophecy. Think of the heart as the figurative center of our faith, the poetic location of our loyalties and our values; then consider Jesus’s declaration that in the last days ‘men’s hearts [shall fail] them’….

“Brothers and sisters, God always provides safety for the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done that in our time. Remember this declaration by Jesus Himself: ‘Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived’—and in the last days neither your heart nor your faith will fail you” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Safety for the Soul,” Ensign, November 2009).

May we do all that is in our power to keep our grip on the iron rod.

The Plan of Salvation: Overview

Premortal World

Many years ago, perhaps even millions and millions of years ago, we lived as spirit children with our Father in Heaven. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states, "IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World).

Architects create structures, and can call them their creations. However, these creations don’t have the potential to become like their builder. Our Heavenly Father has created us. We, as His spirit children, have the potential to become as He is. President Uchtdorf said, “My dear brothers and sisters, if we look at ourselves only through our mortal eyes, we may not see ourselves as good enough. But our Heavenly Father sees us as who we truly are and who we can become. He sees us as His sons and daughters, as beings of eternal light with everlasting potential and with a divine destiny” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “It Works Wonderfully!”, Ensign, November 2015).

It was in our pre-earthly estate that our Father in Heaven introduced His plan to us, His spirit children. Elder Robert D. Hales explained,

“In a premortal council, Heavenly Father explained to us His plan of redemption. The plan was based on doctrine, law, and principles that have always existed. We learned that if we accepted and followed the plan, we would be required to willingly leave our Father’s presence and be tested to show whether we would choose to live according to His laws and commandments. We rejoiced at this opportunity and gratefully sustained the plan because it offered us the way to become like our Heavenly Father and inherit eternal life.

“But the plan was not without risk: if we chose in mortality not to live according to God’s eternal laws, we would receive something less than eternal life. Father knew we would stumble and sin as we learned by experience in mortality, so He provided a Savior to redeem from sin all who repent and to heal the spiritual and emotional wounds of those who obey.” (Robert D. Hales, “The Plan of Salvation: A Sacred Treasure of Knowledge to Guide Us”, Ensign, Oct 2015).

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, is a critical piece in our Father’s Plan. In the Bible Dictionary we read that, “All are covered unconditionally as pertaining to the fall of Adam. Hence, all shall rise from the dead with immortal bodies, because of Jesus’ atonement…The atonement is conditional, however, so far as each person’s individual sins are concerned, and touches every one to the degree that he has faith in Jesus Christ, repents of his sins, and obeys the gospel” (Bible Dictionary: Atonement).

We know, however, that not everyone was joyful about the news, nor did everyone accept the Father’s plan. We had agency in the premortal world, just as we have it now. Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “God gave his children their free agency even in the spirit world, by which the individual spirits had the privilege, just as men have here, of choosing the good and rejecting the evil, of partaking of the evil to suffer the consequences of their sins. Because of this, some even there were more faithful than others in keeping the commandments of the Lord” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:58-59).

We know through the scriptures that Lucifer turned,

“a third part of the hosts of heaven…away from [our Father in Heaven] because of their agency;

And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels;” (Doctrine &Covenants 29:36-37).

These spirits, just as we, lived in the presence of God, the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. They were given the opportunity to make a conscious, informed choice, and made their choice knowing full well what the consequence would be.

Elder Tad R. Callister, in his book The Infinite Atonement noted that, “All premortal spirits commenced their spirit sojourn innocent (i.e., meaning free from sin), but all such spirits lost their innocence through individual sin” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p77). He also reminds us that, “the two-thirds that remained were not all equal in their allegiance and obedience to God. At their spiritual birth they were ‘on the same standing as their brethren’, but through the laws of agency each spirit advanced at his own rate so that only some became ‘noble and great ones’” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p76-77).

Birth

From our premortal life, we came down to our second estate on earth, through the miracle of birth. A veil of forgetfulness was placed over our memories so that we would have to live by faith in this life. In the Book of Mormon Alma taught that, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). And from the Book of Abraham we learn that we are here on earth to be tested, and “to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]. And they who keep their first estate [that is to be obedient in the premortal existence] shall be added upon; … and they who keep their second estate [that is, to be obedient during mortal life] shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abraham 3:25-26). Of these verses Elder Richard G. Scott stated,

“So that the period of mortal testing and growth would yield its greatest benefit, you were taught and prepared for the circumstances you would personally encounter in mortality. Our Father’s pattern for guiding you through mortal life was explained. …God would give each child moral agency, the right to choose His counsel or to ignore it. All would be encouraged but not forced to obey. You understood that while you could choose your path on earth, you could not determine the outcome of your choices. That would be decided by eternal law” (Richard G. Scott, “Truth Restored”, Ensign, November 2005).

Mortality

We are now here in mortality. We have some glimpses of what happened before this life, but we were sent here to live by faith and to use our agency to learn for ourselves; to choose between good and evil, right and wrong, and sometimes between something good and something even better.

This life is a time where we will be tried and tested, again and again. The adversary is very aware of who we are, and who we can become; he and his minions do not have a veil covering their memories. But the Lord does not either. And, with Him at our side we can succeed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ is essential to our eternal success on this earth. As we come to understand the power that is available to us through the Atonement, not just the power to repent but also the power to change, we can gain confidence as we make our journey back to our Father in Heaven.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “God knew the challenges [those in mortality] would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled they would sometimes feel. So He watched over His mortal family constantly, heard their prayers always, and sent prophets (and later apostles) to teach, counsel, and guide them” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels”, Ensign, Nov 2008).

Through miracles too numerous to be counted we have the fullness of the gospel on the earth. The gospel of Jesus Christ was restored by Jesus Christ, through the prophet Joseph Smith. We have the Priesthood restored to the earth through which we can make covenants that will help us on our path back to our Father in Heaven. In fact, we have everything that we will need to make it back to Him, if we will do what He asks and endure to the end.

Lorenzo Snow taught, “The Lord has placed before us incentives of the grandest character. In the revelations which God has given, we find what a person can reach who will travel this path of knowledge and be guided by the Spirit of God. I had not been in this Church [very long] when it was clearly shown to me what a man could reach through a continued obedience to the Gospel of the Son of God. That knowledge has been as a star continually before me, and has caused me to be particular in trying to do that which was right and acceptable to God” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, “Chapter 5: The Grand Destiny of the Faithful”).

Death

Our days are known to the Lord, and when our time on this earth is done we will pass into the spirit world. Brigham Young taught the following about our life after this one,

“We shall turn round and look upon [the valley of death] and think, when we have crossed it, why this is the greatest advantage of my whole existence, for I have passed from a state of sorrow, grief, mourning, woe, misery, pain, anguish and disappointment into a state of existence, where I can enjoy life to the fullest extent as far as that can be done without a body. My spirit is set free, I thirst no more, I want to sleep no more, I hunger no more, I tire no more, I run, I walk, I labor, I go, I come, I do this, I do that, whatever is required of me, nothing like pain or weariness, I am full of life, full of vigor, and I enjoy the presence of my heavenly Father” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 17:142; quoted in Doctrines Of The Gospel Student Manual, “Chapter 30: Death And The Postmortal Spirit World”).

What a marvelous day, when that time comes.

One of my favorite scriptures is found in the book of Alma, where Alma is speaking to his son Corianton. He said, “Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life” (Alma 40:11, emphasis added). We have a loving Father in Heaven who is watching over each of us, and will be there to welcome us home. President Ezra Taft Benson also taught that, “Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us” (Ezra Taft Benson, "Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations", Ensign, December 1988). I am looking forward to that day, even though I know it is probably many years away.

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma describes two divisions among spirits in the Spirit World. We usually refer to these divisions as Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison.

Bruce R. McConckie described Spirit Paradise as follows: “Paradise—the abode of righteous spirits, as they await the day of their resurrection; paradise—a place of peace and rest where the sorrows and trials of his life have been shuffled off, and where the saints continue to prepare for a celestial heaven; paradise—not the Lord’s eternal kingdom, but a way station along the course leading to eternal life” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4:222). 

We have learned the following about Spirit Prison: 

“The Apostle Peter referred to the postmortal spirit world as a prison, which it is for some. In the spirit prison are the spirits of those who have not yet received the gospel of Jesus Christ. These spirits have agency and may be enticed by both good and evil. If they accept the gospel and the ordinances performed for them in the temples, they may leave the spirit prison and dwell in paradise.

“Also in the spirit prison are those who rejected the gospel after it was preached to them either on earth or in the spirit prison. These spirits suffer in a condition known as hell. They have removed themselves from the mercy of Jesus Christ” (Gospel Principles, “Chapter 41: The Postmortal Spirit World”).

Through the restoration of the gospel we know that, “Through the work we do in temples, all people who have lived on the earth can have an equal opportunity to receive the fulness of the gospel and the ordinances of salvation so they can inherit a place in the highest degree of celestial glory” (Gospel Principles, “Chapter 46: The Final Judgment”).

“The spirit world is a place of waiting, working, learning, and, for the righteous, resting from care and sorrow. Our spirits will live there until we are ready for our resurrection”. (Gospel Principles, “Chapter 41: The Postmortal Spirit World”)..

Resurrection

After some amount of time in the spirit world all will be resurrected. In the Bible Dictionary it states, “All will not be raised to the same glory in the resurrection nor will all come forth at the same time. Christ was first; the righteous have precedence over the wicked, and come forth in the first resurrection, whereas the unrepentant sinners come forth in the last resurrection….

“The resurrection consists in the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided. The resurrection shall come to all, because of Christ’s victory over death….[A] resurrection means to become immortal, without blood, yet with a body of flesh and bone. To obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Bible Dictionary: Resurrection).

Judgment

In the scriptures we read that all of us will be judged. In the Book of Revelation, John records, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12). Joseph Smith explained that these books refer to, “the books which contained the record of [our] works, and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. And the book which was the book of life is the record which is kept in heaven;” (Doctrine & Covenants 128:7).

Alma explains that not only will we be judged according to our works, but also our words, and our thoughts (see Alma 12:14). And, lest we think we can hide anything from the Lord, Nephi teaches that Jesus Christ will be, “the keeper of the gate…and he employeth no servant there [and] he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Nephi 9:41).

In Gospel Principles we read, “There is another record that will be used to judge us. The Apostle Paul taught that we ourselves are a record of our life. Stored in our body and mind is a complete history of everything we have done. President John Taylor taught this truth: “[The individual] tells the story himself, and bears witness against himself. … That record that is written by the man himself in the tablets of his own mind, that record that cannot lie will in that day be unfolded before God and angels, and those who shall sit as judges” (Gospel Principles, “Chapter 46: The Final Judgment”).

Depending on how we have chosen to live our lives in mortality will determine which kingdom of glory we will inherit. The Doctrine and Covenants specifies three kingdoms of glory: the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial.

Those in the Celestial Kingdom are those who “received the testimony of Jesus…believed on his name and were baptized…[kept] the commandments…[received] the Holy Ghost...[overcame] by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:51-53). These are those who were sealed as husband and wife in the Holy Temple, and kept the covenants therein. These are those who are obedient and valiant in their testimony of Jesus Christ. “These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:62).

Bruce R. McConkie gives quite a detailed description of what it means to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus. He said,

“Now what does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

“It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of faith. ‘Be strong and of a good courage,’ the Lord commanded Joshua, and then specified that this strength and courage consisted of meditating upon and observing to do all that is written in the law of the Lord. The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to ‘come unto Christ, and be perfected in him’; it is to deny ourselves ‘of all ungodliness,’ and ‘love God’ with all our ‘might, mind and strength.’

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and his gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

“But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness. ‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to ‘press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.’ It is to ‘endure to the end.’ It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep the commandments. It is the manifestation of ‘pure religion’ in the lives of men; it is visiting ‘the fatherless and widows in their affliction’ and keeping ourselves ‘unspotted from the world.’

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Be Valiant in theFight”, Ensign, November 1974).

That is a tall order, and can only be accomplished by relying consistently and continually on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But, those who do this, “shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths…. Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power” (Doctrine & Covenants 132:19-20).

That is our goal.

We know the following about those who will inherit the Terrestrial Kingdom. “These are they who rejected the gospel on earth but afterward received it in the spirit world. These are the honorable people on the earth who were blinded to the gospel of Jesus Christ by the craftiness of men. These are also they who received the gospel and a testimony of Jesus but then were not valiant” (Gospel Principles, “Chapter 46: The Final Judgment”). This would include those members of the church who are not valiant in their testimony of Jesus Christ.

We know that hard times are ahead for us, before the Second Coming of the Savior. In the early days of the church, Heber C. Kimball said, “The Saints will be put to tests that will try the integrity of the best of them” (as quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, “May the Kingdom of God Go Forth”, Ensign, May 1978). And more recently, President Russell M. Nelson reminded us,

“[D]ifficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord ‘shall suffer persecution.’ That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily lives.

“How you deal with life’s trials is part of the development of your faith. Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth” (Russell M. Nelson, "Face the Future with Faith", Ensign, May 2011).

How we deal with our trials will also be a determining factor in where we go after this life.

The lowest Kingdom of Glory is the Telestial Kingdom. In the Doctrine & Covenants we read,

“These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.

“These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit….

“These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:82-83, 103).

Those who do not inherit a kingdom of glory will be cast into what is referred to as outer darkness. Regarding them, in the Doctrine & Covenants, the voice of the Lord was recorded as saying,

“Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power—

“They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;

“For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;

“Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come—

“Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.

“These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels—

“And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:31-37).

I don’t think this means those who have a testimony, and failed to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, or those of us who make poor choices more often than we want to admit.

This is for those who knew God, had a witness of Him, but rather than relying on the power of the Atonement, these are they who allowed themselves, through their agency, to be overcome by the power of the devil, and follow him as their master.

Alma puts it this way, “But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup” (Alma 40:26).

Where we end up after this life is determined by our choices here on earth. The Lord’s Plan of Happiness is a plan of agency. Our agency.

Eternities

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said this about the Plan of Salvation.

“The Savior’s sacrifice opened the door of salvation for all to return to God. His ‘grace is sufficient for all [who] humble themselves before [God].’ His grace is the enabling power that allows access into God’s kingdoms of salvation. Because of His grace, we will all be resurrected and saved in a kingdom of glory.

“Even the lowest kingdom of glory, the telestial kingdom, “surpasses all understanding,” and numberless people will inherit this salvation.

“But the Savior’s grace can do much more for us. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we aspire to something unimaginably greater. It is exaltation in the celestial kingdom. It is life eternal in the presence of our Father in Heaven. It is the greatest gift of God. In the celestial kingdom, we receive ‘of his fulness, and of his glory.’ Indeed, all that the Father hath shall be given unto us” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “It Works Wonderfully!”, Ensign, November 2015).

How grateful I am to have the Plan of Salvation. To know where I came from, and that I’m a daughter of God; why I’m here on earth, the steps I need to take to return to my Father in Heaven, and what comes after this life. How grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength and support it provides to me each day; when I remember to ask. I know that God lives, that He loves us, and watches over us. He will give us the experiences we need to progress toward perfection and our destiny as heirs of eternal life if we will let him.