Doctrine and Covenants 76

Watch the video presentation on YouTube at:https://youtu.be/pBSI5YTi298

To purchase slides or handouts, go to: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower

ICEBREAKER

As an icebreaker and introduction to this section, I like to take give them a bit of historical background and context for this revelation. I once heard a historian say that nothing really significant in history has taken place in big rooms. All over the world there are palaces, and castles, and stadiums, and monuments. But how many really significant things have happened in these kinds of places? I'm not saying that there hasn't, but I challenge you to think of some and if you can, let me know. On the other hand, I can think of some very historically significant events that have taken place in small rooms. Most of the great works of literature were written in small rooms. Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables in a small room of his home on Guernsey Island. Thoreau wrote Walden in his little cabin. Einstein worked out his theory of relativity while working in the Swiss Patent office. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in a small room of St. Mary's hospital in London. The Declaration of Independence was signed in ok, more of a medium sized room, but the Assembly Room at Independence Hall isn't really that huge. And then of course, Jesus Christ was born in a small stable, the last supper took place in a small upper room, and then the greatest miracle Christ ever performed took place in the garden tomb. The Restored Church was organized in 1830 in the small front room of the Peter Whitmer farm, and then, I would like to introduce you to a very special room in Church History. This room. If you ever get a chance to visit Kirtland, Ohio, be sure that you make the short trip out to Hiram and the John Johnson farm. To me this was one of the most special places we visit on a church history trip. The first time I went, I wasn't even expecting it, but there is a spirit in that house, and this room to me, that is palpable. There's a feeling that something very sacred and significant took place there. Historically speaking, to get away from the hustle and bustle and distractions of Kirtland, Joseph and Emma moved out to John Johnson farm so that he could more fully focus his attention on the inspired translation of the Bible. Last week we concluded that one of the Lord's favorite ways to honor and reward those who serve him is with truth and knowledge. Well, here, in this very room, some of the greatest knowledge ever revealed to man was given.

The way in which this revelation was received is also fascinating. As you study it, keep in mind that Joseph receives this in front of a group of people and all at once. Here's how Philo Dibble, who was one of the men present, described it. He said:

“The vision which is recorded in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants was given at the house of ‘Father Johnson,’ in [Hiram], Ohio, and during the time that Joseph and Sidney were in the spirit and saw the heavens open, there were other men in the room, perhaps twelve, among whom I was one during a part of the time—probably two-thirds of the time,—I saw the glory and felt the power, but did not see the vision. . . .

“Joseph would, at intervals, say: ‘What do I see?’ as one might say while looking out the window and beholding what all in the room could not see. Then he would relate what he had seen or what he was looking at. Then Sidney replied, ‘I see the same.’ Presently Sidney would say ‘what do I see?’ and would repeat what he had seen or was seeing, and Joseph would reply, ‘I see the same.’

“This manner of conversation was repeated at short intervals to the end of the vision, and during the whole time not a word was spoken by any other person. Not a sound nor motion made by anyone but Joseph and Sidney, and it seemed to me that they never moved a joint or limb during the time I was there, which I think was over an hour, and to the end of the vision.

“Joseph sat firmly and calmly all the time in the midst of a magnificent glory, but Sidney sat limp and pale, apparently as limber as a rag, observing which, Joseph remarked, smilingly, ‘Sidney is not used to it as I am.’” (“Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” The Juvenile Instructor, May15, 1892, 303–4).

I love that. Apparently, having a vision can take a lot of you. Joseph had a bit more experience with that kind of thing. But how amazing is that! This incredibly theologically profound document was not pored over and revised and debated. It was received all at once, line by line, with an audience watching. Again, my faith in Joseph Smith's divine prophetic calling is strengthened by this. These men described feeling a glory and power within that room as it was received. I personally can testify that a portion of that glory and power still remains in that place if you are sensitive to it.

TRANSITION

Today we're going to examine some of those profound and remarkable truths revealed to Joseph and Sidney in that small room. Now we can't cover it all in depth. We're going to have to choose what we share, what we summarize, and what we leave out. It's hard to believe, but even Joseph didn't share all that he knew and had revealed to him. He said:

“I could explain a hundredfold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive it." (in Manuscript History of the Church, vol. D-1, page 1556, josephsmithpapers.org; spelling, capitalization, and punctuation standardized).

So we didn't even get the full vision. Now I imagine that we do get more of that hundredfold later in the Doctrine and Covenants. More of it is going to come in section 88, and 128, and 131, 137, and 138, but it just goes to show how much depth and breadth the Plan of Salvation has. Case in point, even Joseph didn't cover it all. So, we too are going to have to decide where to focus our time. I hope to give you some ideas and insights that will edify you and deepen your grasp of the Great Plan of Happiness. And as you prepare to teach yourself, use the Spirit, and consider the needs of your students as you decide what you will cover. But let's begin with the first portion of section 76 where we're going to be introduced to two of the key players in the plan.

SEARCH

In many of the great visions given to the prophets of God throughout time, I’ve noticed that the Lord often opens the vision with what I call “The Great Contrast". He often gives the individual a "dark experience" before they ultimately have the "light experience". He does it with Joseph Smith in the First Vision. He allows him to be overcome by the powers of darkness for a time, so much so that Joseph says it gets to the point that he was "ready to sink into despair and abandon [himself] to destruction", before the Father ultimately shines the pillar of light above him. With Lehi and the vision of the tree of life, he has him walk for the space of many hours through a dark and dreary waste before showing him the tree of life. In Moses chapter 1, God leaves Moses and allows Satan to make an appearance and tempt him to worship him in a fairly terrifying display of rage before the Lord finally comes and rescues Moses and reveals his work and glory to him. The writings of Isaiah follow this pattern, the Book of Revelation is like this--always contrasting and showing those two sides. Section 76 is no exception, the Lord is going to commence this vision by setting up the two sides of the chess board. The hero and the villain. The two team captains. The opposing generals. Who are they? Here they're both given titles that begin with S. One is found in verse 1 and the other is in verse 28. What are they?

You've got the Savior, and the Serpent, or you could say, Satan. Either of those will work. Section 76 will now introduce you to these two. I like to teach this section with a handout that looks like this. It's fairly simple. You have two circles with our contrasting captains in the middle accompanied by a group of verses. I want you to read those verses looking for all the things you learn about those two beings. When you discover something, draw a line extending from that central circle and put that detail in a new circle connected to it. When you're finished, you'll have two flower looking diagrams with all that you've learned about these two beings radiating from the middle.

For the Savior

1-5

20-25

39-42

And for the Serpent

25-29

So now let's take a look at these verses a little closer to examine some of the things that you might find. For the Savior

:1 Besides him there is no Savior. As Jesus said himself, HE is the way, the truth, and the life. no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. When I ask my students to draw a picture of the Plan of Salvation and explain it to me, in most cases they start drawing circles and begin by talking about the premortal, mortal, and post mortal stages of existence. Which is good! And helpful. And true. However, they often miss the most important part of the entire plan. The individual and power that makes it all even possible. Whenever you talk about the Plan of Salvation, please don't leave the Savior out of it. He is the central figure. Beside him, there is no Savior. Jesus was not just a great moral teacher. He is the Messiah. Without him, the plan simply falls apart.

:2 He is all knowing. Great is his wisdom. One of the things that sets Christ apart is his intelligence and understanding. As we discussed last week. It's also the thing that he most likes to reward his Saints with.

:2 Marvelous are his ways. The ways of Christ truly are marvelous. Marvelous things cause us to marvel like Joseph and Sidney do in verse 18. What things about his character cause you to marvel? To me, his ability to forgive and forget is marvelous. His obedience to his Father's will is marvelous. His willingness to suffer pain and persecution even though he was perfect is marvelous. His love for all mankind is marvelous. There is so much to marvel at in the Savior.

:2 The extent of his doings none can find out. He's done a lot. We can't even begin to fathom all of his doings. That's pretty deep. Joseph is going to hint at some of that extent a little later in the section.

:3 His purposes fail not. Jesus doesn't fail. He did and does what he says he is going to do. He is a reliable Savior. One that is worthy of our trust and confidence.

:3 He is all powerful. There aren't any who can stay his hand. No unhallowed hand can stop his work from progressing.

:4 He is eternal. From eternity to eternity he is the same and his years never fail. He is unchanging and constant. A North Star upon which we can fix our faith and guidance. Simply put. You can rely on Christ. He is the rock of our Redeemer upon which if men build, they will never fall or fail.

:5 He is merciful and gracious. We've pointed that out over and over again this year. It comes up in almost every section of the D&C. Section 76 is going to establish just HOW merciful and gracious he is. Even you might be surprised.

Skipping to verse 20

:20 he is glorious, he sits on the right hand of the Father, and has a fulness. A fulness of glory, of power, of knowledge, of light, and of joy.

Then we get these very famous verses. One of the most beautiful and deep testimonies of the Savior Jesus Christ in all of scripture.

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

Now I don't think that "last of all" is a doctrinal statement saying that their testimony is the last that is going to be given. Or the last important testimony that will be given. I just think that means that up to that point, theirs will be the most recent testimony given. I think it's almost just a figure of speech expressing emphasis of the depth and power of their testimony of Christ as they have this vision. They are going to add their car of testimony to the long train of witnesses that have come before. Theirs will be the most recent addition. But it's not a caboose. Many more testimonies of Christ are still to come.

23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father

24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

:22 Well what did we learn about him there? That he lives! Jesus Christ's power and life and authority did not end on the cross. He is not just a historical figure of the past. His influence was not buried forever in the tomb. He lives! He continues to live until now. He is aware of us. He continues to work with his Saints. His power continues to be exercised on our behalf. He is among us and is a very real and palpable force to this very day.

:23 He is the Only Begotten of the Father. That just means that the nature of Christ's mortal body was a little different. Christ is the only mortal being whose earthly Father was also Heavenly Father. We are all half divine and half mortal. Our Spirits being the divine half created by our Heavenly parents, and our bodies being created by our earthly parents. But Christ was, and I hate to put it this way, but he was 3/4 divine. This is what gave Jesus Christ the ability to perform the Atonement on our behalf.

:24 is a really deep one. If you don't stop to ponder it, you might miss its significance. We learn here that not only is he the creator of our world, but of other worlds as well. By him, and through him, and of him the worlds (plural) are and were created (present and past). Woah. Now that's deep when you stop to think about it. I won't speculate, but that's saying something.

:25 One more quick one in verse 25, we know that he is loved by the Father and was in his bosom. What is usually the first thing the Father says when he introduces his Son to people? "This is my Beloved Son".

Jumping to verse 39

:39 His resurrection is what makes our resurrection possible. Christ overcame death for all mankind.

But that's not all, verse 41 . . .

:41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; So in the last verse, it was "He overcame death. In this verse, it's "He overcame sin".

:42 and he did this so that all might be saved through him, from both death and sin, by his power.

Well, that's quite the resume, isn't it? God has given us a very detailed portrait of his Son for us to consider.

Now let's take a look at the alternative. What do we learn about the Serpent?

THE SERPENT

:25 was an angel of God, which is just another way of saying that he, like Jesus Christ, and like you and I, is a spiritual son of our Heavenly parents. He wasn't some fundamental source of evil created in opposition to God. He started like us. This is where we get the sometimes mocked belief that Satan is a brother of Christ and all of us. He was also created before the world was.

:25 This verse also teaches that he was in authority in the presence of God. So, apparently there were individuals that had authority in the pre-mortal world. There were individual souls who through their pre-mortal agency, had set themselves apart as leaders. We know from Abraham 3 that there were noble and great ones. Lucifer was one of those who was in authority. And based on what happens next, we can assume that he certainly had a lot of influence and respect in that realm. I mean, a third part of the hosts of heaven are going to give up their chance for mortality and exaltation just to follow him.

:25 Because we also learn from this verse that he rebelled against Christ and for that rebellion was thrust down from the presence of God.

:26 Now this next verse is what surprises a lot of people. How did God and all of us react to this rebellion and subsequent casting out? Did we cheer it on? Were we angry? Did we say, "good riddance"? No. We wept. We couldn't believe it. We couldn't believe that Lucifer, a son of the morning (whatever that means, and I'm not going to offer any speculation on that) but a son of the morning had rebelled. We wept. The disbelief and tragedy of this situation is reflected in the exclamation points of verse 27: And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning! And so his name was changed--from Lucifer to Perdition. We can learn something by examining those titles. Lucifer means light carrier or the light bearer. That surprises people sometimes. It's a very positive title and name. I'm sure it reflects something about the nature of Satan before his rebellion. He was a being that carried light, that we looked up to. But after his rebellion, he became Perdition, with a capital P. Perdition means one who is lost. Lucifer certainly lost everything when he decided to rebel. And that loss was tragic to us. And is there a lesson in that? I think so. Even the great can fall. No one is immune to pride and rebellion. If a soul like Lucifer could fall, then maybe we could too. Which means we always need to be on our guard. This is a good reason to stay humble because pride was eventually his undoing.

:28 He has some other titles in verse 28. Each one can shed light on his character. If you look up the word Satan in the Bible Dictionary it tells us that it means "the slanderer". That may help us understand some of the nature of Satan's rebellion. He slandered someone. To slander is to make false or accusatory statements to damage a person's reputation. Who was Satan slandering? I don't know. Could it have been the Father? For choosing Christ instead of Him? For setting up the plan the way he did. Was he slandering all of us? That we wouldn't be able to live up to the commandments. That we would fail? Perhaps. But I think that the most likely person he was slandering was Jesus Christ. Perhaps accusing him of not being able to perform the atonement. That we were all fools to put our trust in him--to hang our salvation on his willingness to perform the atonement. Whichever it was, his slander was egregious and memorable enough to forever label him as Satan, the great slanderer. He's also referred to as that old serpent. I sometimes like to ask my classes why a snake is a good symbol for Satan. That's a fun discussion to have. He's sneaky. Hard to detect. Poisonous. He speaks with a forked tongue. He's subtle. And there are many many others that we could mention. Then you have the word devil. What does that mean? The Hebrew form of that word means spoiler. Another great word to describe him. Satan is the great spoiler. He spoils lives, marriages, friendships, innocence, and love. He loves to watch good things turn bad and spoil them. Therefore, he is a devil. One that spoils good things for others.

:27 Again in this verse, he rebelled against God and sought to take the kingdom. We know that was part of his plan. He felt he had a better plan than the Father's and therefore demanded his glory. Well. He didn't get his way. So he rebelled and he encourages all of us to do the same. Satan is always anti-authority. It's his battle cry. Don't let anyone tell you what to do. Whether that's prophets, or parents, or teachers, or even law enforcement. Freedom from restraint above all else. That's one of his great lies. And like most great lies, it's based on a kernel of truth. Freedom is a good thing. But without restraint, and without respect for loving authority, it becomes a great vice and proves the downfall of many. And so what does he do now?

:29 He makes war with the saints of God. Ever since then. He's been bent on making as many of God's children miserable like he is. He's on the attack to turn others against God as well. He was successful with a third part of the hosts of heaven in that pre-mortal war, and now that war in heaven has become war on earth. And it’s the same issue being fought over--the same question. Will we rebel? Will we refuse to obey his commandments because we don't like his plan. We don't agree with the way he's running this world. We think we have a better idea of how things should be. And when we do that, we fall. Satan wins us. Now Satan knows that he can't win the war. He's known that ever since the beginning. So why does he continue to fight? Well, because although he can't win the overall battle, he can win individuals. He seeketh that all men might be made miserable like unto himself. It's the selfish mass shooter mentality. Well, since I'm miserable and want to end my life, I'm going to destroy as many other lives as I can in the process. That is truly evil.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

As you look at those two diagrams, we have a bit of a decision to make. In who would you like to place your trust? That's a bit of a rhetorical question that you probably just need to ask and not really look for a response. But we should consider it. Whose side are you going to be on? The Savior or the serpent. Repent or rebel. Light or dark.

CONCLUSION

As you look at those two sides, I think it helps us to understand why God often begins visions in this way--with that stark contrast. Why do you think he does that? I believe that he wanted these prophets to know the stark difference between the two sides. Because the world always wants to confuse the line between good and evil--to make all things relative--to go so far as to make evil appear good, and good, evil. God clarifies the difference here and makes it simple. It's not that hard of a choice. Do you want light or darkness? Choose. Satan or the serpent? Choose. Perhaps also he wants his prophets and all of us to understand what we're up against. To not underestimate the enemy. Satan does have a measure of power. The dark side is real and it's seductive. But, ultimately, God's power is greater. The light always wins out over darkness in these visions. Satan does have power to bruise our heels, but we can crush his head. We mustn't forget that as we go through life. The choice is ours. Hopefully, we choose wisely.

ICEBREAKER

Now to move on to a bit of a different theme in Section 76. Now that we've been introduced to the two powers, he's going to switch to the theme of destinations. What destinations can these two leaders, lead us to?

So for an icebreaker I like to share the following story:

“[A man} got on a bus with the intention and desire of going to Detroit. But when he arrived at the end of a long trip, he found himself in Kansas City. At first, he would not believe it. When he asked for Woodward Avenue and was told there was no Woodward Avenue, he was indignant—he knew there was. It was some time before he could face the fact that in spite of his good intentions and his earnest desire, he was not in Detroit at all but in Kansas City. Everything was fine except for one little detail; he had just caught the wrong bus.” Sterling W. Sill (“On the Wrong Bus,” New Era, Jul 1983, 4)

Well, using that story as a backdrop. What to do you think is the moral of the story? I think it’s that if you want to arrive at a specific destination, you have to take the path that will lead you there. You can't take the path to Kansas City and expect to end up in Detroit. There is a specific direction you need to travel in order to arrive at a specific destination. I may even invite my students to pull out their cell phones and go to their maps app. Then, enter a destination they would love to be at right now and you could let them share. Some will put Disneyland, or their grandparents house, or their favorite fishing hole or camping area, or even their home because they'd rather be in bed sleeping right then. I then ask them to hit the "Directions" button. Now what would happen if you decided to ignore the directions. To decide that you would rather go South when the directions indicate to go North. To go right instead of left? Would you ever arrive at your destination? Of course not. You've got to follow the directions. You've got to get on the right bus.

TRANSITION

Well, in the remaining portion of section 76, the Lord is going to reveal four specific destinations that we could possibly arrive at in the next life. Those destinations are outer darkness, the Celestial kingdom, the Terrestrial kingdom, or the Telestial kingdom. Each one of these destination is very different and has different qualities about them. Just as Orlando is different from New York City, there are differences between the kingdoms. Why is he revealing this to us? So that we can make an informed decision on which path to choose--which directions to follow. So that we ultimately end up at the destination we truly desire to be at. So the question is, which destination would you prefer to find yourself in? Section 76 is going to help you make that choice.

So we've got two things for each destination we could study. A description of the destinations themselves, and a description of the paths that lead to them. Remember, we can't cover everything in detail. So in summary, I will usually display the following chart to help them see the destination descriptions, or give it to them as a handout, so that they could mark it later. And I may even display how their scriptures would look if they decided to mark all these things. I choose four different colors to represent the four destinations. But, to differentiate between path and destination, while still using the same color, I'll mark the destination phrases with a filled in box, and the path phrases with a just an outlined circle in that same color. That seems to make it a bit easier to pick these ideas out. As a teacher you'll have to decide which of the two you want to focus on. But to have them search for and mark both in class just takes way too much time. So choose one or the other, and then summarize the other side. In this lesson, I tend to think that the time is better spent examining the path rather than the destination, but you could just as easily choose to do the opposite. I'll make a number of different options available for you to download. A chart with nothing filled in, a chart with just the destinations filled in, a chart with just the pathway filled in, and a chart that has everything filled in. That should give you freedom to approach it however you feel is best. Whatever you decide to do, it's important to give them some time to ponder and evaluate which location they would most like to arrive at. Perhaps a few minutes of silent skimming. Which one sounds the best to them? That will need to be the first decision that they make. Where am I going? Once they've decided that, they can then set about looking for the directions on how to get there.

SEARCH

Now to examine the four pathways. You could do this in one of two ways. You could break up your class into groups of four and assign one individual in each to search for descriptions of the path that leads to that place and then fill those in on their handout. For each place you ask: What are the directions to get here? Then, once all are done, they can share what they found with the other members of their group or with the class. You could also just give a set amount of study time and assign everyone to examine all of the paths on their own and fill in as much as they can in the allotted time and then discuss it together as a class.

Quick note. Sometimes I have students who want to know where I think certain individuals are going to end up in the next life. What about murderers? What about evil leaders of the past? What about this person who committed suicide, or left the church, or committed this crime? I have the same answer to every question. I don't know. Gratefully, I don't have to judge that person. I don't have a perfect understanding of their situation and desires and background. I don't have a foreknowledge of what their actions in the Spirit World are going to be either. Luckily, we get to just leave the judgment to Christ and trust that his judgment will be the perfect balance of justice and mercy. What section 76 does for us is give generalities. It's going to show us what types of people are going to be found in these destinations. He gives us these descriptions to help us, as individuals, make informed decisions about our actions--not to give us justification in deciding where we think others are going to go. Keep that in mind as you study here.

DESTINATION #1 OUTER DARKNESS

But let's go through each of these together. If I were to say to you "I've got some good news and some bad news." What kind of a person are you? Do you like to hear the bad news first or the good news first? I think the vast majority like to hear the bad news first. And then the good news. That seems to be the way that God approaches the four destinations. He starts with the bad news. The bad news is that not all of his children are going to inherit a kingdom of glory. There's this place called outer darkness, and that's where he begins. What must one do in order to reach that destination?

This is a bit of a depressing portion of the section, and yet, there is a beautiful truth that lends it a silver lining. What must one do in order to go to outer darkness? This is the realm of what we call the sons of perdition. It's the final resting place designated for those that Satan overcame in the pre-mortal world, in the pre-mortal war in heaven. That third part that lost the war before Adam and Eve were ever born. Also, we do know that it is possible to still become a son or daughter of perdition in this life or the next. There will be others that choose to join that third part by the time of the final judgment. What must they do?

:31 They suffer themselves to be overcome by the devil.

:31 They deny the truth

:31 and they defy the Lord's power. These are the deniers and the defiers.

:35 They deny the Holy Spirit after receiving it.

:35 They deny the Only Begotten Son, crucifying him unto themselves. Ooo, that doesn't sound good. It's as if they are saying, "I would have joined those people who crucified Christ had I been there. Even when I know, with a surety, that he is the Son of God. Even when I know he is innocent. Even though I know the atonement is real". That's what makes someone a son or daughter of perdition. It's not leaving the church, or going inactive, or even sinning deeply. It's denying or defying something that you know, not just believe, is true. Like the third part in the pre-mortal world. They knew the reality of God, they knew the truthfulness of the plan and the gospel, they knew that Christ was our chosen Redeemer. They knew the truth and chose to rebel against it. There are those who choose to do the same.

Therefore, maybe to touch a little on the destination itself.

:36 They shall "go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels.

:44 "they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment".

What is their torment? I don't believe their torment is actual eternal fire and brimstone and torture and pain in the sense that we sometimes view hell in the way it's often depicted in cartoons with little devils poking people with pitchforks, or people burning forever. What is the worm that doesn't die and what is the fire that is not quenched? I believe the worm and the fire are hatred, guilt, pride, regret, anger, and a total focus on self are the eternal punishment of the sons of perdition. These are the emotions that these individuals are filled with, and they wallow in them for eternity. I don't believe that God has to punish them. They punish themselves by filling themselves with these emotions and refusing to let them go. In verse 47 the Lord says that he shows this in vision unto many, but straightway shuts it up again. He doesn't let them dwell on it for too long. Why? Probably because it is too painful to watch. Too disturbing to consider for very long. It sounds like a truly horrible existence.

But, here's the beautiful truth that grows out of this horribly depressing scene. The Lord emphasizes a certain fact about these lost souls. And this truth will be truly groundbreaking in Joseph Smith's time. Remember that Joseph is living in a very puritanical, mostly Calvinistic tradition which says that all mankind are basically elected to be damned, yet God decides to save a few. Section 76 is going to turn that right on its head.

37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;

38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.

39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.

40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us

41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;

43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.

44 Wherefore, he saves all except them--they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment

Wow, he really wants us to understand that. These are the only ones that won't be saved. The only ones on who death will have ANY power. So in the gospel of Jesus Christ, it's not that all are damned and a few are saved, but that the vast majority are saved and only a few are damned or end up in what we would call eternal hell. And is it God that sends them there? Is it that they can't be redeemed? No. It's that they refuse to be redeemed. They defy and deny the power of the Son. What is the power of the Son? It's the power of the Atonement. They can't be redeemed because they refuse to repent. Why do they refuse to repent?

Let's go to Doctrine and Covenants 88:32-35 for some more detail about them.

32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.

34 And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.

35 That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.

So it's not that God sends them to outer darkness. They go to their own place, to enjoy (ironic word choice there) that which they are willing to receive. Because they're not willing to enjoy that which they might have received. They refuse the gift of repentance and forgiveness. I think Christ is up there saying, "I would redeem even them! But they refuse to be redeemed! I won't force my mercy on anyone". Because there is something that the Lord honors above all else, and that is agency. He is not going to take that away.

It's hard to believe that anybody would actually choose hell, and yet, it shouldn't surprise us that much. Do you know of people here on earth who choose to do things that they know will make them miserable? Do you know of people who develop self-destructive habits knowingly destroying their own happiness and peace of mind? Are there people out there that are so full of pride and hatred and anger that they don't even care if they blow up their own lives in pursuit of some evil enterprise or revenge? Unfortunately, yes.

So their fate? They send themselves to hell, with the self-destructive worm of pride and anger burning deep in their hearts. They know that they are going to a place of eternal darkness and misery, but they say "At least it's my choice. At least I've done it my way. I'm not going to bow my knee or lower my head to anyone." Milton captures their attitude fairly well when he writes "Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven".

So they thumb their noses at God as they walk away. The torment described in 44-48 is a self-inflicted one. And as we saw earlier, God weeps over them. He wept over the loss of their leader "Perdition" with a capital P in the premortal world, and now he weeps over the sons of perdition with a lower-case p at the judgment. He's not a gloating, vengeful, angry God, but a weeping, lamenting God.

CS Lewis had something to say about this group of miserable people. He said,

"Never fear. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, `Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, `Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened."

C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, p. 72.

And in another place:

"I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside."

C.S.Lewis, The Problem of Pain, p. 127

For each of the destinations that we talk about today, I would like to simplify the description of the types of people we find in each with one word that I feel captures the essence of their character. For Outer Darkness, the word is DEFIANT. Outer darkness is the destination of the DEFIANT.

But God and Christ's intention all along was to save everybody. To save all that would be willing to accept his atonement. And he does. That's why, the vast majority of his children will be saved in a kingdom of glory. Calvin was wrong. The majority of God's children are elected to be saved! And only a minority will not be. Only those who actively choose not to be saved. All the rest of the destinations are places of light. They are kingdoms of glory. Even the Telestial, the lowest of the kingdoms, and we'll talk more about that later. Now in Joseph Smith's day, there is another trend that is gaining ground that stands in opposition to the Calvinistic tradition. Universalism, which basically said that everyone would end up in heaven at the end. That everyone would be saved, eventually, regardless of their choices in this life. We're going to see that the truth, like most things, lies in the middle. It's not that everyone receives the same reward at the end. It's not that all roads lead to exaltation. There are still at least three other destinations we can receive, and their glories are very different.

CELESTIAL

So now the good news. Now that the Lord has gotten that ugly part out of the way, he can turn to the positive and uplifting. Starting with the Celestial Kingdom. Exaltation. Eternal life. What must one do in order to attain this greatest of all the gifts of God?

What did you find?

:51 They received the testimony of Jesus

:51 They believed on his name

:51 They were baptized

:52 They received the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands

:53 They overcame by faith and were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. We'll go into more depth on what that means when we get to section 130 but it basically means that not only did they make the covenants and receive the ordinances of salvation, but they were true to them throughout their lives. They endured to the end. Just being baptized or receiving your endowment doesn't guarantee exaltation. We must remain true to those things. Then the Holy Spirit of Promise sanctifies those acts and makes them valid in both heaven and earth.

:54 they were a part of the Church of the Firstborn, another name for Christ. And that's not to say that only members of the Church will go to the Celestial Kingdom. I'm certain there will be many people who were never members of the Church in this life, that will be exalted. And I'm also certain that there will be those who were members of the Church in this life who will not be exalted. That's another amazing thing about God's plan. Most members of other faiths are not allowed by their doctrine to have any hope for members of other faiths. But we, by our official doctrine even, are allowed to have hope for them. That truth will be explained in more depth later in sections 128, 137 and 138.

:69 Then we're going to get another very important word that describes those found in the Celestial Kingdom. And I often like to introduce this verse by asking if we have to be perfect to go to heaven or to inherit Celestial glory? My students are often surprised when I tell them the answer to that question is: Yes, we do need to be perfect to go to the Celestial kingdom. No unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God. (By the way, I think as members of the church we sometimes make a little too much out of the word perfect) But I tell them to hang on and not despair quite yet. I say that I really should have asked the question in a different way. Do you have to be perfect in this life in order to be exalted? The answer to that is, of course, no. But I do have to be something else. What must I be according to verse 69 in order to obtain Celestial glory?

69 These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.

So what do I have to be? I have to be just. And then, I can be made perfect through Jesus Christ. By the power of his perfect atonement, I can be perfected in him. It's not us that are perfect, it's Christ's atonement that is. But in order to qualify for that blessing, we need to be just. We just have to be just. Just, means righteous.

Well now you're probably wondering, what does it mean to be just? I think that probably the best place to go to see what that means is the Sermon on the Mount, or the Sermon at Bountiful, where Christ explains the higher law. Those that are just are those that STRIVE to live that higher law. You know what I'm talking about here? They not only don't kill people, but they seek to control their anger. Not only do they not commit adultery, but they seek to control lustful thoughts. They not only seek to love their neighbor, but they seek to love their enemies. And we could go on and on. That's the higher law we are striving to obtain. Not that they ever attain those ideals perfectly in this life, but that they have a desire and make an effort to live that way. They hunger and thirst after righteousness. The attitude of the celestial person is that they want to come as close to the character of Christ as possible. They set their sights high and strive to become. Therefore, Christ's atonement will eventually "make them perfect" and worthy of Celestial glory.

My one simple word to describe those we find in the Celestial Kingdom? You guessed it. JUST. They are the JUST people of the earth. Not perfect, just JUST.

TERRESTRIAL

Now for the Terrestrial Kingdom. This one is usually the hardest one to define. It's easy to recognize the F students and the A students, and it's not even that hard to tell the delineation of the C students which I would compare to the Telestial. But what about the B students? OR what is it that delineates Celestial people from Terrestrial people. That's a bit of a tougher line to draw, and ultimately it will be Christ that makes that call. But let's see what we can find. What's the path to the Terrestrial Kingdom?

These are those that

:72 Died without law

:72 many are those kept in Spirit Prison

:74 Received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.

Now I have to admit that these verses confuse me just a little and I'm not sure I've totally wrapped my head around them. They seem to be suggesting that people who didn't join the church in mortality or who were ignorant of it, can only hope to obtain a Terrestrial kingdom at best. Now we know that's not completely the case and later revelation is going to confirm this, as we learn about baptisms for the dead and as we receive a greater understanding of the Spirit World and the measure of agency that is granted there. So perhaps this is just a steppingstone truth, or line upon line kind of thing here? Or, I'm just misinterpreting it. But I think it's these next two phrases that really help me to grasp the definition of a Terrestrial person. One in 75 and the other in 79.

:75 These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. So Terrestrial people were good people. They weren't out there killing, or stealing, or hating, or deliberately hurting people.

:79 BUT, they weren't valiant in the testimony of Jesus. So that kind of gives us another word that could describe Celestial people. They are VALIANT in their testimony. Terrestrial people, on the other hand are, honorable but not valiant.

Again, I turn to the Sermon on the Mount for clarification. The Terrestrial attitude is, hey, I'm satisfied just living the law of Moses type laws. I'll basically be a good person, but I'm not going to strive to be anything more. I'm satisfied being honorable, but see no need to be valiant. I'll try hard not to be bad, but I'm not going to really exert myself to be better, either.

So my word for the Terrestrial Kingdom? HONORABLE (good, but not valiant).

TELESTIAL

Now for the Telestial kingdom. What sets them apart?

:82 Received not the gospel nor the testimony of Jesus.

:83 They deny not the Holy Spirit. (We'll come back to that in a second)

Jump all the way to

:101 where he reiterates that they received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant. So these are people who never even bothered with religion or Jesus or covenants or scripture or ordinances or prophets. They just let all that stuff go. But not only that:

We really get to the meat of it in verse

:103 These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.

The Telestial Kingdom is for the wicked, really. My students are sometimes surprised at this. They say, I thought those kinds of people go to outer darkness? And I say, "Some might", if they choose to take that path we spoke of earlier with the sons of perdition. But what sets this group apart? Why do they still receive a kingdom of glory? Because they are at least willing to do what is described in verse 110

:110 These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;

What are they willing to do? They do what the sons of perdition are not willing to do. They accept Christ's grace and mercy and the power of his Atonement. They won't deny the Only Begotten Son and they don't crucify him unto themselves. They are willing to accept Christ as their Savior. They deny not the Holy Spirit. They're like the prodigal son. They see the error of their ways and recognize God's glory. They finally are convinced that wickedness never was happiness. They are willing to let go of their lust, and their pride, and their hatred, and their anger. At the end of all things, they bow the knee and confess with the tongue.

My summary word here then is Wicked. The Telestial kingdom is for those who chose wickedness on this earth more often than not. Who at least, though, are willing to accept Christ as their Savior.

Therefore, even they (verse 88) shall be heirs of salvation.

and will receive

:91 a measure of glory, and power, and might, and dominion

and

:112 they shall be servants of the Most High. Now that's a positive thing! Not a punishment. A privilege. They still get to be servants of God, just like those in the Terrestrial and Celestial.

Isn't that an amazing thing! That our Heavenly Father will grant even those that were disobedient to him in mortality, salvation, and purpose, and a kingdom of glory. And how glorious is it?

:89 And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;

Its glory surpasses our current mortal understanding.

Therefore what?

Here is a good place to ask a discussion question: As you look at our filled in chart here. What does this teach you about our Heavenly Father or his plan?

TRUTH

To me, this teaches me just how wonderful and gracious and loving he really is. AND it teaches me just how fair our Heavenly Father is also. God is a very loving and gracious God that desires to save ALL his children. The plan, from the beginning, really was to save all in the end. The cartoonish hell of tortured souls burning for eternity is a myth. That's not what our Heavenly Father desires for any of his children. The only ones that will truly be miserable for eternity are those that choose it and refuse his outstretched hand. God loves his children. And the Savior loves his brothers and sisters. However, let's not go too far out of balance here either. The kingdoms of glory are also a demonstration of God's justice. Not all receive the same reward. This isn't Universalism either. Yes, the vast majority of his children are saved, but they're not all exalted.

THE WRONG CONCLUSION

Now, there is an issue that we need to discuss here. When I teach the previous principle, there is a very dangerous conclusion that somebody might reach. Can you guess what it is? See if you can finish the statement. It's goes something like this. So if the Telestial Kingdom is so great, and all I need to do to get there is accept Christ's atonement at the judgment, then ___________________________________. And how might you finish that statement? Then why should I strive for a Celestial? I guess I might as well just live my life the way my natural man wants me to. I'll sow my wild oats on this earth, live for pleasure, think only of myself and party. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. And then I'll live in a Telestial glory which surpasses all understanding. Why go through all the trouble of the sacrifice, obedience, and effort of discipleship? I'll get the best of both worlds. THAT, I'm afraid is one of the most foolish and dangerous conclusions that we can come to. And I've got five reasons why, that all come from section 76. I'll just share them with you here, but you could allow your students to search for them on their own using the following references. Quick side note. Another thing that sometimes concerns people when they understand the glory of the Telestial kingdom is they wonder if justice will really be served. So all these wicked people get away with it? They get glory too? Often these are people who have been deeply hurt or scarred by the agency of others. Do the wicked ever get their due justice? These verses could also help resolve those concerns.

5 REASONS WHY

• 76:84, 105-106

• 76:85

• 76:104

• 76:112

• 76:91:96-98

:84, 105-106

In speaking of those in the Telestial glory, these verses tell us that

84 These are they who are thrust down to hell.

105 These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.

106 These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;

Something that people who come to our aforementioned conclusion forget about is the existence of Spirit Prison. Remember, there is a holding place for the souls of people between death and resurrection. The righteous are taken to Spirit Paradise, while the wicked go to Spirit Prison. Spirit prison is not a pleasant place to be. Another name for it, is hell. It is a place of suffering and regret and paying the price for their sins. What that suffering exactly entails, I don't know. I don't believe it's physical suffering. They have no bodies. But it must be a mental, emotional, or spiritual anguish. A pain that Jesus described by saying: how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, how hard to bear you know not (Doctrine and Covenants 19:15). We don't want to focus so much on the destination that we forget about the path that leads to it. The destination of the Telestial Kingdom is one of glory, but the path to it is anything but glorious. The path to the Telestial Kingdom passes straight through hell.

Another reason

:85

85 These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.

Those that inherit a Telestial glory miss a very significant event. They aren’t resurrected until after the millennium. So they don't get to enjoy those 1000 years of peace and happiness and rest before the final judgment. Celestial and Terrestrial people will have that privilege. But not Telestial. They remain in Spirit Prison for the duration of it. They will be resurrected just in time for the final judgment at the end of the millennium.

Another reason

:104 There is a fundamental error that the people who come to this kind of conclusion are making. When they say they'll just live it up on earth, seek pleasure, and party, they are assuming something about those actions. They believe that those things will make them happy. That those are desirable things. Satan has fooled them with his great lie. They have not yet been convinced of one of the most important truths we can ever discover in this life. Alma 41:10--Wickedness never was happiness. Verse 104 These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. It's not just that they are going to have to endure the pains of sin in the Spirit World, but they also suffer here. Wickedness and disobedience always naturally lead to pain and suffering here. The pleasures of sin are fleeting.

Another reason

:112 And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.

Those in the Telestial Kingdom will not have the opportunity to meet their Heavenly parents of their older brother Jesus Christ. They miss out on that awesome blessing. With the veil over our minds right now, that may not seem like such a significant thing. But when that veil is taken away, and we remember our previous life and parents, I imagine we will long and wish to be reunited with them. Telestial people will not have that chance.

Another reason

:91, :96-98

91 And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial which excels in all things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in might, and in dominion.

And that would lead us to conclude that the glory of the Celestial excels in all things the glory of the Terrestrial.

In fact, to help us understand this truth, the Lord gave us a visual to help us understand the differences in glory between the kingdoms.

96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

97 And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

God didn't choose the sun, the moon, and the stars to represent his kingdoms because those are the locations we will actually, physically end up in after the judgment. In fact, we know that this earth eventually becomes the Celestial Kingdom. Terrestrial people don't actually go live on the moon. But the Lord is trying to teach us something.

Picture this. Have you ever been in a cave with all the lights turned out? With absolutely no light. You can't even see the hand in front of your face. That's what outer darkness is like or what it's comparable to. No light, no glory, no happiness, no reward.

Now, have you ever been outside at night in the wilderness when there was no moon? Do the stars provide some light? Yes. They do. You can't see very well, but there is some light, and glory and beauty in the stars. That's what Telestial glory is compared to.

Now, have you ever been outside at night in the wilderness when there's a full moon? How much better can you see? You can actually see quite a bit. It's very light and clear on the night of the full moon. You can certainly see a whole lot better than with just the light of the stars. That's how much more glorious the Terrestrial kingdom is compared to the Telestial. If you wanted to get technical, the light of the moon is 25,000 times brighter than the light of the brightest star.

Now how much brighter is the sun compared to the moon? Wow! Now there's a difference. It like night and day. Pun intended. The Celestial kingdom is far more glorious than anything a Telestial mind could ever grasp. Technically speaking, the sun is 398,000 times brighter than the light of the moon.

What does that imagery tell you about these kingdoms? Does it help clarify the destination you want to arrive at? I'm certain that Celestial glory will be worth any effort or any sacrifice that is required in order to obtain it. Do we really want to miss out on the blessings of Celestial glory? Exaltation is a glory worth striving for.

As you look at those five reasons. Hopefully we never come to that foolish Telestial conclusion. Let's set our sights higher and we will never regret that decision.

TRUTH

So in conclusion. What have we learned here? The final destination of our lives is dependent on the path we choose to walk. If we wish to obtain a Celestial glory, then we must live a Celestial law. If we wish to obtain a Terrestrial glory, then we must live a Terrestrial law. If we wish to obtain a Telestial glory, then we must live a Telestial law. If we wish to obtain outer darkness, then we must become a law unto ourselves. Choose accordingly.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

Look at your chart or look at your scriptures.

To which destination are your thoughts, words, and deeds leading you towards?

Are you satisfied with that destination?

If so, what will you do to remain on that path?

If not, what will you do to get on that path?

CONCLUSION

Well, you know what. We just scratched the surface here. Section 76 has so much more to offer. I hope that you will take the time to study it even more deeply on your own. It is one of the most eye-opening and faith deepening sections of scripture anywhere. This is one of those sections that, if you ever find yourself in doubt over the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, just read section 76. It will fill your heart with faith, squash those doubts and rekindle the light of your testimony. There is a reason it is called "THE" Vision. It's one of the greatest outpourings of Godly wisdom ever bestowed upon man.

Joseph said the following about section 76:

“Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the kingdom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the [Doctrine and Covenants 76] vision. . .The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness, and the punishments for sins, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to exclaim: ‘It came from God.’ ”

History of the Church, 1:252–53.

Well I would like to bear my personal witness of the truths taught in this section and also exclaim, "It came from God". I am so grateful for the outpouring of truth that came in that small unassuming looking room in Hiram Ohio. I am so grateful for what we know about the Plan of Salvation because of it. Please, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, don't take this for granted. I know I did for years. I guess I just figured that everybody knew this stuff. It wasn't until I served a mission that I discovered that there were so many out there that did not grasp the answers to some of the most critical questions we can ask. Where did we come from? Why are we here? And where are we going when we die? It was humbling and moving to see the light come on in people's eyes as we taught these truths. The Lord answered these fundamental questions through Joseph Smith in Section 76. I don't think that anyone can ever look at God, at life, the judgment, or Christ in the same way after studying this section. It is no exaggeration to call it life changing. And I want to know that I believe it's true. I pray that you will take its message to heart and choose the right destination and the right path that leads to it.

TO HAPPIFY THERE

There is one final thought I would like to share before we conclude. There is a common concern and question that people often ask as they consider the different kingdoms of glory. What if there is someone that I love, or a family member that ends up in one of the other kingdoms? What if I end up in the celestial, but they end up in the Telestial? Will I ever see them again?

Well, there is something in this section that I believe offers hope to those with that question.

Look at verses 86-88. This is describing those in the Telestial kingdom.

86 These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial;

87 And the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial.

88 And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them; for they shall be heirs of salvation.

Now what these verses tell us is that there are beings from higher kingdoms that minister to the lower ones. There are people who are appointed for the purpose of going to down and ministering to those other souls in the Terrestrial and Telestial realms. That we know for sure. It's taught right here.

In addition to this, a lot of people don't know that section 76 was also written out as a poem by the prophet. The poetic version of section 76 is really worth your time to read, and I encourage you to do so. It can really add to your understanding of some of these doctrines. I like the way these verses are interpreted in the poem. When it talks about these ministering angels, Joseph makes up a wonderful word to describe what these ministers do for those in the lower kingdoms. See if you can catch it.

62. These are they that receive not a fulness of light,

From Christ, in eternity's world, where they are,

The terrestrial sends them the Comforter, though;

And minist'ring angels, to happify there.

63. And so the telestial is minister'd to,

By ministers from the terrestrial one,

As terrestrial is, from the celestial throne;

And the great, greater, greatest, seem's stars, moon, and sun.

Did you catch the word? They happify there. They are sent to minister and make them happy. Which is how things always work in God's gospel and is the opposite of how the world does things. In the world it's those that are in the lower positions that serve the higher. The servants serve the king. The employees serve the boss. But in God's kingdom, it's those that are greater who do the serving. That's what Jesus was trying to teach his apostles when he washed their feet. This is true of the eternal world as well. Those from higher kingdoms serve those in the lower, not the other way around.

So here is where I make a little bit of a jump, so I won't claim that this is official church doctrine. But it's an easy jump to make, a logical and rational one to make, and fits with everything I know about the character of my Heavenly Father. Let's say there is a soul down in the Telestial kingdom that needs to be ministered to. That needs happifying. So the Lord stands up and says, "So-and-so down in the Telestial kingdom needs to be happified and we need someone who is willing to go and do that." Who would it make sense to appoint to that calling? Who would be the first people to volunteer to go down and minister? In fact, who do you think would be the people that would have the greatest ability to happify them? Who would they most like to see that would make them happy? Family members. Brothers and sisters. Parents. Friends. That makes so much sense to me. Who else would do it? or who else could do it better?

I know of parents who often worry about wayward children or siblings who worry about wayward brothers or sisters. When they wonder about the fate of these beloved people in their lives, I always take them to these verses. They have every reason to hope for them. One, people can change, and who knows what the future holds. Two, even if they die unchanged, we never know what opportunities and decisions they will have in the Spirit World. Three, even if they do end up in a Terrestrial or Telestial glory, there will most likely be the opportunity for you to minister to and happify them. And remember, that even the Telestial kingdom is a kingdom of glory, and that they are heirs of salvation, and will still be servants of the Most High. There is no need to despair. God's plan is a plan of happiness.