Foreordination, Pre-Mortal Existence
Eric's thoughts
While reading in Alma 13 about the Priesthood and Foreordination I found myself reflecting and wanting to know more about the pre-mortal existence. What was life like there? In the New Testament Institute Manual, Elder McConkie teaches that we were able to work on our talents, and gifts and abilities that we would bring with us in this life, but how? Was their recess, P.E., music class, Math, Science and theology and we were able to choose whether we wanted to stay in from recess and continue working on our Math and Science homework? If we all only spoke one language there, the Adahmic language, what need did we have to focus on the gift of tongues?
Also, as I look around me and see so many people of all different levels of spirituality and I began to wonder on what would the temptations have been like there or what would have there been that would have distracted us enough to where we would have become totally lost and fallen behind in our spiritual progress? In that same quote, Elder McConkie taught that our spiritual ability was the greatest gift we could have focused on during our very long tenure in that pre-mortal realm. So if we were all created from the organizing of intelligences by a loving and kind Father in Heaven, and were raised in his presence, although he may not have been present at all times, how did so many of His children, including Lucifer himself, become so distracted as to completely rebel against Heavenly Father?
More than just Lucifer and the 1/3 that were cast out, what did the 2/3 that chose Heavenly Father’s plan experience as a way of testing so that Heavenly Father could come to know us perfectly. Alma 13 states that we all started out equals, but that through the hardness of their hearts, and blindness of their minds, many individuals lost the opportunity that would have been theirs to receive the Priesthood and serve in various capacities. Note, it is not where we are foreordained to serve in this life, but that we were foreordained, and therefore must always strive to remain worthy of that election.
In the Melchizedek Priesthood manual from 1974-75, Elder McConkie states that during the pre-mortal existence we were schooled, tested, and given laws that would allow us to progress. In April conference of 1974, Elder McConkie taught the following:
We know we had friends and associates there. We know we were schooled and trained and taught in the most perfect educational system ever devised, and that by obedience to his eternal laws we developed infinite varieties and degrees of talents. . . .
“. . . When we come into mortality, we bring the talents, capacities, and abilities acquired by obedience to law in our prior existence.”
What were these laws? How were we schooled? How did we develop infinite varieties of talents? I feel like the answer is just around the corner, and that if I think hard enough about it it will all of a sudden come rushing back to my memory. But until then I must look at my current state, the types of learning and education we are offered here in this mortal state, the opportunities to develop talents and abilities, and to grow in infinite varieties and degrees, and how so many of us painfully miss out. As many of our latter-day prophets have described, we are all too often caught up in the “thick of thin things”, unable to effectively judge between “Good, Better, and Best”
Also, as I look around me and see so many people of all different levels of spirituality and I began to wonder on what would the temptations have been like there or what would have there been that would have distracted us enough to where we would have become totally lost and fallen behind in our spiritual progress? In that same quote, Elder McConkie taught that our spiritual ability was the greatest gift we could have focused on during our very long tenure in that pre-mortal realm. So if we were all created from the organizing of intelligences by a loving and kind Father in Heaven, and were raised in his presence, although he may not have been present at all times, how did so many of His children, including Lucifer himself, become so distracted as to completely rebel against Heavenly Father?
More than just Lucifer and the 1/3 that were cast out, what did the 2/3 that chose Heavenly Father’s plan experience as a way of testing so that Heavenly Father could come to know us perfectly. Alma 13 states that we all started out equals, but that through the hardness of their hearts, and blindness of their minds, many individuals lost the opportunity that would have been theirs to receive the Priesthood and serve in various capacities. Note, it is not where we are foreordained to serve in this life, but that we were foreordained, and therefore must always strive to remain worthy of that election.
In the Melchizedek Priesthood manual from 1974-75, Elder McConkie states that during the pre-mortal existence we were schooled, tested, and given laws that would allow us to progress. In April conference of 1974, Elder McConkie taught the following:
We know we had friends and associates there. We know we were schooled and trained and taught in the most perfect educational system ever devised, and that by obedience to his eternal laws we developed infinite varieties and degrees of talents. . . .
“. . . When we come into mortality, we bring the talents, capacities, and abilities acquired by obedience to law in our prior existence.”
What were these laws? How were we schooled? How did we develop infinite varieties of talents? I feel like the answer is just around the corner, and that if I think hard enough about it it will all of a sudden come rushing back to my memory. But until then I must look at my current state, the types of learning and education we are offered here in this mortal state, the opportunities to develop talents and abilities, and to grow in infinite varieties and degrees, and how so many of us painfully miss out. As many of our latter-day prophets have described, we are all too often caught up in the “thick of thin things”, unable to effectively judge between “Good, Better, and Best”
Perhaps, I ask myself, the pre-mortal life wasn’t too different from what we are seeing all around us now? Whatever life was like back then, I am eternally grateful that I chose to hold on tight to the iron rod and develop gifts and abilities that have helped me along my sojourn in this mortal state. I don’t know why others weren’t as attentive in the pre-mortal realm. I am saddened everyday at the thought that all these good people around me, my eternal brothers and sisters, are having a completely different Mortal experience than I am. That although we are all living in the same Mortal realm, the pace, joy, and happiness I feel on a daily basis and so often take for granted, is something many of them will never find.
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