When were these two sections of the D&C given?

What are they about?

What circumstances led to President Joseph F. Smiths receiving the vision of the redemption of the dead?

Read D&C 138:1-11

All this happened while he was pondering the scriptures, what is the purpose of pondering and how does it work?

How is the information that we have in the 138th section of the D&C important to our salvation?

What difference does it make to us to know about the premortal world?

Alma's story like yours and mine begins in the premortal world...Lets explore some of the issues that Alma raises in Alma 13 about premortal life...

Read Alma 13:3

phrases "from the foundation of the world" and "in the first place"...referring to premortal world...Then he speaks of those certain people who are called into the holy order.

What is the holy order that is spoken of here?

Read #1

President Benson said "To enter into the holy order of the son of God is the equivalent today of entering into the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which is only received in the house of the Lord. Because Adam and Eve had complied with these requirements, God said unto them �Thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternitity' (Moses 6:67)"

so we can see that out of all of our fathers children, a few distinguished themselves by exceeding faith in Jesus Christ by wanting to become involved in the work of redemption through the great atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You and I as members of the literal house of Israel and the Church of Jesus Christ were called in the premortal worl to this very work..everything else being trival.

Remember in the movie City Slickers where curly says "That one thing"...It would appear that he knew what most of us don't. You see Redemption is not just one of the things going on in the universe, IT IS THE THING.

Read #2

Bruce R. McConkie wrote "The work of the redemption is the work to which the premortal covenant people, the house of Israel were called, and it was to take precedence over all other work and to subordinate all other work to itself. Israel is an eternal people. She came into being as a chosen and separate congregation before the foundations of the earth were laid; she was a distinct and a peculiar people in the preexistence, even as she is in this shere. Her numbers were known before their mortal birth"

Paul teaches that those who in the premortal world elected to become gods elected to come to earth and learn the work of redemption for themselves in apprenticeship to the lord Jesus Christ.

Read Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Why did Alma in (Alma 13) think that knowledge of the premortal world was so important to teach that it was one of the first things that he taught to the people of Ammonihah? The fact is that the Nephites even though they were rebellious and hard hearted at this time-- they were like all the members of the house of Israel, foreordained in the premortal world and they had fallen very far from what they were forordained to do.

Elder David B. Haight explains the reason why the Lord has revealed the knowledge of the premortal world.

Read #3

"We should be acquainted with the truth that knowledge of the premortal life was restored that we might fulfill our responsibilities as children of God..."

John A Widtsoe provides additional insight into the contractual agreement that we made concerning the welfare of all the sons & daughters of our Eternal Father.

Read #4

"Since the plan is intended for all men, we [the covenant people] became parties to the salvation of every person under that plan. We agreed, right then and there, to be not only saviors for ourselves but...saviors for the whole human family. We went into a partnership with the Lord... The least of us, the humblest, is in a partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation"

Ended Last week wit ha statement from President Spencer Kimball who said

"Remember, in the world before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as those we sustain as prophets and apostles!" Ensign November 1979

In light of that statement do you know what you are foreordained to do here on earth?

What are you doing to find out?

What can you do to find out?

Will the lord really tell you, do you think that he really wants you to know?

Joseph Smith said "God is good & all his acts are for the benefit of inferior intelligences"

You see that even at that time we wanted to be like our Father in Heaven so bad that were where starting to be like him already. Our desire to became to bless the other intelligences just like our Father. THAT WAS THE PLAN the greater lights would bless the lesser lights. He knew that we would all progress at different rates and that was OK but we would all be eternal...

READ Abraham 3:18

Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.

How likely is it that we entered into covenants with those who would be our ancestors as well as those who would be our posterity?

Why does it go both ways? We became extensions of God during our mortal probation.

This principle is one of the foundational principles of admission into the House of Israel

READ D&C 101:39

"When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men;"

Read D&C 103:9-10

9 For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men;

10 And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

In light of those two scriptures how do we become saviors of men?

Fellowmen missionary work;
Posterity Teach correct principles,example;
Ancestors Work for the dead
It sounds very much like the threefold mission of the church which is?

In his vision of the spirit world D&C 138, what did President Smith learn about the leaders of the church in this dispensation?

Read D&C 138:53-57, Abraham 3:22-23

What does this teach us about the doctrine of foreordination?

Could we assume that if we are not born into a good family we were not diligent in the premortal world?

Carlfred Broderick teaches in the Ensign that

Read #6

"God actively intervenes in some destructive lineages, assigning a valiant spirit to break the chain of destructiveness in such families. Although these children may suffer innocently as victims of violence, neglect, and exploitation, through the grace of God some find the strength to "metabolize" the poison within themselves, refusing to pass it on to future generations. Before them were generations of destructive pain, after them the line flows clear and pure. Their children and children's children will call them blessed. In Suffering innocently that others might not suffer, such persons, in some degree, become as "saviors on Mount Zion"

Could we assume that if we have challenging children in our homes were we or they disobedient in the premortal world?

President Spencer W. Kimball quoted these lines:

Read #7

It is said that the very hairs are numbered; is it not to teach us that nothing , not the smallest things imaginable, happen to us by chance? But the smallest things we can conceive of are declared to be under the divine direction, need we, or can we, be more plainly taught that the greatest things of life, such as the manner of our comming into the world, our parents, the time, and other circumstances of our birth and condition, are all according to the eternal purposes, direction, and appointment of divine Providence?

What difference does it make to us to know about the postmortal world?

What teachings of Isiah and Ezekiel did President smith emphasize as he recorded his vision? D&C 138:42-43, Isiah 61:1, Ezekiel 37:1-14

What is Elijah's role in the work of the redemption of the dead? D&C 138:47-48, Malachi 4:5-6, JS-History 1:38-39

How do we as mortals receive these blessings? D&C 128:15-18

How have you been blessed as you have done family history and temple work?