Illegal Immigration and the Book of Mormon

I've been thinking about this topic for some time now and just came across an article written by someone who has been thinking exactly what I have.  My main thought has been that the Lord promised this land unconditionally to Lehi's posterity - it's theirs!  We (the Gentiles) were also given rights to this land but our rights are conditional - based upon our righteousness.  The Lord Himself, while speaking in person upon this land, declared that if the Gentiles did not repent and serve Him, Lehi's posterity would "go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.” (3 Nephi 20:14–17).  

The following article says it better than I have.  Please read as the author lays out his (and my) reasoning better than I have.

    Illegal Immigration and the Fulfillment of Book of Mormon Prophecy

POSTED ON APRIL 30, 2010 BY GREG WEST

My intent is to explore the territory between left and right and provoke discussion among my fellow latter-day saints about what is just and correct, not what is politically expedient. The human aspect of the issue goes beyond politics. That issue is illegal immigration, particularly illegal immigration from Mexico and other nations south of the US border. Although I have respect to the opinions of non-LDS people regarding immigration, it is my conviction that their rejection of the gospel does more to exacerbate the problem than any other single factor. I’ll explain this perception later in the article.

As is often the case, the issue has been distorted by the false dichotomy between right and left. One side declares that undocumented aliens are lawbreakers and should be deported. The other side points to the problems with deporting millions of people who live among us and contribute to life in the United States in some fashion. They claim it would be inhuman to potentially divide families and forcibly dislocate people from homes and schools. They demand amnesty and a path to citizenship for these people because it would benefit their party politically. The other side, seeing the potential gain for the opposition, hunkers down and calls for fences on the border and increased funding for immigration enforcement. The left calls the right racist. The right sees the left as undermining the borders, language, and culture of the United States. There appears to be no middle ground.

The recent signing of a controversial immigration law in Arizona has generated a lot of media attention. While passions run high and the two sides trade epithets, protests are being organized that have the potential to turn violent and further polarize the nation. Meanwhile, attention is diverted from other progressive moves to change banking regulations, force socialized health care on us, and pass “cap and trade” legislation that will drive our energy costs sky high. If you see where this is going, it’s time to look for a different way to address and solve the issues at hand. Media coverage of this hot-button issue is intended as a smokescreen to the progress of other progressive agenda items.

The scriptures of latter-day saints and the teachings of its founder give us a unique perspective of America and its role in the world. The Lord has told us in a modern revelation, given in 1833, that America was raised up for his own purposes. It was our Creator who raised up the Founders of this land and inspired them.

“And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:80)

The Book of Mormon relates the account of a Jewish family that migrated to the Americas around 600 B.C. One of their prophets, Nephi, was shown the future of this land (North, South, and Central America). He foresaw the demise of his own people, the arrival of Gentile nations, and how the land would be a land of liberty to them. Nephi wrote:

“But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. And I will fortify this land against all other nations.” (2 Nephi 10:10–12)

Another Book of Mormon prophet, known as the “brother of Jared” led a group that came to the Americas more than 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. He was given to know regarding this land that it “…is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.”

Latter-day saints regard the lands of North, South, and Central America as this choice land. It has been foreordained by God to be a land of freedom. In 2 Nephi chapter 1, we read the words of Nephi, where he rejoiced that God had given his posterity this land by covenant.

“…[W]e have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

Not only were Nephi’s descendants the benefactors of this covenant, but all who the Lord would lead to America from other nations. Nephi goes on to explain that his posterity would be blessed with great knowledge of the Lord, yet they would ultimately reject those teachings and fall away. They would “dwindle in unbelief.” The Lord would bring Gentile nations to the “land of promise” and they would prosper for a time. He said the Lord would do a “marvelous work and a wonder” among them. He would bring forth the Book of Mormon–the record of his own people, and that it would be a blessing to the Gentiles who would accept it. This process would lead the remainder of those who dwindled in unbelief–his descendants who intermarried with the indigenous peoples of the land–would begin to believe the gospel and it would bless them.

The growth of the Church in Mexico, Central, and South America has been miraculous–so much that more members of the Church speak Spanish than English as their primary language. This is the fulfillment of prophecy. Yet there are other prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. Regarding the remnant of the Nephites and Lamanites that would blend in with the indigenous peoples of the land, Nephi wrote:

“And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father.” (2 Nephi 5:25)

The Lord Jesus, when he appeared to his “other sheep” (see John 10:16) on this continent, foretold of the coming forth of the record of the Nephites to the Gentiles in the last days. If they would reject the fullness of the gospel that would be contained in the Book of Mormon, the Lord would bring chastening judgments against them.

“And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father.” (3 Nephi 20:28)

The “scourge” or judgment that is promised to come upon those Gentiles who reject the restored gospel is linked to the “remnant of the house of Jacob”–the descendants of the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi and his sons. Perhaps it is the case that the “scourge” is the social, political, and cultural perplexity caused by massive, uncontrolled migrations of that “remnant of Jacob.” It is an issue that very much resembles the divisions in the Middle East. Every man-derived solution has only made the problem worse. The solution requires God’s intervention.

Referring to this remnant of Lehi’s seed, Jesus said in 3rd Nephi 20:

“And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you [the Nephites and Lamanites] this land, for your inheritance. And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive [the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel], after they have scattered my people—Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, [people from Mexico, Central, and South America] go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.” (3 Nephi 20:14–17)

During the 2008 presidential race, there was an enormous spike in anti-Mormon activity due to the presence of Mitt Romney in the race. Rejection of Romney as a candidate because of his politics was certainly fair game. (I didn’t support him and many other LDS members did not as well.) However, much of the opposition to him was the result of anti-Mormon bigotry. Many polls showed that nearly half of Americans would not vote for Romney simply because he was Mormon. I would venture to say that, if a person would not vote for a Mormon to become president, the chances of their accepting the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel is almost zero. America’s rejection of Romney led to the election of a progressive Democrat who has surrounded himself with Maoists, Marxists, and other radicals

The policies of this and previous administrations have placed America on a path towards decline. Amidst the current efforts to “fundamentally transform” America into a corporatist system, we risk total financial collapse from the unsustainable deficits. This is the very purpose of the Cloward-Piven strategy that has been employed. In addition to a climate of government corruption, another factor of which the world is ignorant is the failure to failure to give redress to the losses the Church sustained in Missouri in the 19th Century. Joseph Smith gave prophecies on several occasions to that effect. America is in decline and Zion will emerge in the vacuum of power left by the collapse. The ascendancy of Zion will lead to the construction of the Great Temple in that city. According to the words of the Savior to the Nephites, the “Lamanites” that are coming here will play the major role in building the Temple in Zion. It is we “Gentiles” who join the Church who will assist them, as stated in 3 Nephi Chapter 21.

“And they [the Gentiles] shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob [Lehi's posterity], and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. (3 Nephi 21:23)

Illegal immigration is a contentious issue because it brings into conflict those with racial prejudices, constitutionalist loyalties, social justice and humanitarian activists, new world order proponents, liberals, progressives, conservatives, labor unions, you name it. One controversial set of headlines that emerged (and has since gone onto the back burner for the time being) is what was called the “NAFTA highway.” Congress approved funding for a free trade “corridor” to be built from Mexican container ports to an internal U.S. distribution hub. There would be an open border for trucks coming from these container ports to a the hub. Where was that hub to be built? In Jackson County, Missouri, not far from Independence. The hub would be sovereign Mexican territory–in Jackson County, Missouri. That should set some alarm bells off for latter-day saints. We already know where that Great Temple is to be built. Prophecy tells us who will build it and who will assist.

Illegal immigration will remain a hot-button issue for the foreseeable future. It assists those who wish to transform America and subvert it into a transnational federal government to keep the populace polarized and incapable of resisting their machinations. Meanwhile, in my opinion, in light of the Book of Mormon’s statements, anyone who invests their energies to confront and fight against illegal immigration misspends his energies. This is part of the Lord’s plan that will chasten the wicked Gentiles in America and ultimately establish Zion in Jackson County, Missouri. God himself has placed this problem among us to bring to pass his own purposes and fulfill covenants made to ancient and modern prophets. The descendants of Lehi were given the land by covenant. The rest of us are just tenants and squatters. Only those Gentiles who repent and accept the fullness of the restored gospel will find an ultimate solution to the problem of illegal immigration. That solution will be realized only when we are “no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:19)




About Greg West
Greg is a self-professed "opinionated blowhard," Mormon activist, teacher, author, blogger, husband, father of five, grandfather, musician, judo black belt, and computer geek. He is a former national LDS examiner for Examiner.com. He is the author of four LDS-oriented books. His current mission in life is to conquer the achievement gap in an inner-city school as a 2012 Teach For America corps member. His books and blog posts are available on his website, the Society for the Prevention of Anti-Mormonism.

Making Our Calling and Election Sure

                                              
 This is a conference talk given by Apostle Marion G. Romney in October 1965.  Every member of the Church should read and reread this talk until its contents are written in his/her heart.  Your testimony of the Gospel is not complete until you can believe what is written here, as spoken by an Apostle of the Lord in General Conference.

                            Making Our Calling and Election Sure

Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, October 1965, 20-23l

"Brethren and sisters: I stand before you today in deep humility. The words I intend to speak will have little meaning unless they are impressed upon our souls by the power of the Holy Spirit. I sincerely invite you to join with me in praying that they will be so impressed.

"The theme I have in mind to discuss is "Making One's Calling and Election Sure." To do this one must receive a divine witness that he will inherit eternal life. The supreme objective of men who understand God, their relationship to him, and his designs for them is to gain eternal life. This is as it should be, for eternal life "... is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7.) To bring men to eternal life is God's "work and glory." To this end he conceives, brings into being, directs, and uses all his creations. (Moses 1:38-39.)

"Eternal life is the quality of life which God himself enjoys. The gospel plan, authored by the Father and put into operation by the atonement of Jesus Christ, brings eternal life within the reach of every man. The Lord gave this assurance when he said "... if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life...." (D&C 14:7.)

"The fulness of eternal life is not attainable in mortality, but the peace which is its harbinger and which comes as a result of making one's calling and election sure is attainable in this life. The Lord has promised that "... he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come." (D&C 59:23.)

"I think the peace here referred to is implicit in the Prophet's statement: "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men." (HC 6:555.)

"I also think it is implicit in this statement of the late Apostle Alonzo A. Hinckley which he wrote in a letter to the First Presidency after he had been advised by his physician that his illness would be fatal: 'I assure you I am not deeply disturbed over the final results. I am reconciled and I reach my hands to take what my Father has for me, be it life or death...

"'As to the future, I have no misgivings. It is inviting and glorious, and I sense rather clearly what it means to be saved by the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ and to be exalted by his power and be with him ever more.' (The Deseret News Church Section, March 27, 1949, 24.)

"Now I come directly to my theme:

"I take my text from Second Peter, and as he did, I direct my remarks "... to them that have obtained like precious faith with us...." (2 Pet 1:1.)

"Peter, after having put the Saints in remembrance of gospel fundamentals, admonished them to "... give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:" (2 Pet 1:10.)

"By making their calling and election sure, the Saints were to gain entrance "... into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." To this fact Peter bore powerful witness. He reviewed his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration with James and John, where he says, they heard the voice of "... God the Father ..." declare of Jesus, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then by way of instruction that such an experience did not of itself make one's calling and election sure, he added, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy;..." (2 Pet 1:11, 17, 19.)

"Speaking on Sunday, the 14th of May, 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith took this statement of Peter for his text. From the Prophet's sermon I quote:

"'Notwithstanding the apostle exhorts them to add to their faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, etc., yet he exhorts them to make their calling and election sure. And though they had heard an audible voice from heaven bearing testimony that Jesus was the Son of God, yet he says we have a more sure word of prophecy.... Now wherein could they have a more sure word of prophecy than to hear the voice of God saying, This is my beloved Son, etc." Answering his own question, the Prophet continued, "Though they might hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were joint heirs with Him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation.'

"Then speaking directly to his listeners, the Prophet continued:

"'... I would exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy,...' (HC 5:388 389.)

"A week later, May 21, 1843, the Prophet preached another sermon on the same text, from which I quote:

"'We have no claim in our eternal compact, in relation to eternal things, unless our actions and contracts and all things tend to this end. But after all this, you have got to make your calling and election sure. If this injunction would lie largely on those to whom it was spoken," he said, "how much more those of the present generation!" And then in conclusion, "It is one thing to be on the mount and hear the excellent voice, etc., and another to hear the voice declare to you, You have a part and lot in that kingdom.' (HC 5:403.)

"These two sermons were given by the Prophet just thirteen months before his martyrdom. Four years earlier, however, he had thus instructed the Twelve: 'After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter ...' (HC 3:380.)

"In the 88th section of the Doctrine and Covenants is recorded a revelation in which the Lord, addressing some of the early Saints in Ohio, said: '... I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.

"'This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;' (D&C 88:3-4.)

"I should think that every faithful Latter-day Saint '... would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God.' (HC 5:388.)

"As I read the sacred records, I find recorded experiences of men in all dispensations who have had this sure anchor to their souls, this peace in their hearts.

"Lehi's grandson Enos so hungered after righteousness that he cried unto the Lord until '... there came a voice unto [him from heaven] saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.' Years later he revealed the nature of this promised blessing when he wrote:

"'... I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father.' (Enos 1:5, 27.)

"To Alma the Lord said: 'Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life;...' (Mosiah 26:20.)

"To his twelve Nephite disciples the Master said: 'What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?

"'And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.

"'And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest.' (3 Ne 28:1-3.)

"As Moroni labored in solitude, abridging the Jaredite record, he received from the Lord this comforting assurance: '... thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.' (Eth 12:37.)

"Paul in his second epistle to Timothy wrote: '... I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

"'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:...' (2 Tim 4:6 8.)

"In this dispensation many have received like assurances. In the spring of 1839, while the Prophet Joseph and his associates were languishing in Liberty Jail, Heber C. Kimball labored against great odds caring for the Saints and striving to free the brethren. On the 6th of April he wrote:

"'My family having been gone about two months, during which time I heard nothing from them; our brethren being in prison; death and destruction following us everywhere we went; I felt very sorrowful and lonely. The following words came to my mind, and the spirit said unto me, 'write,' which I did by taking a piece of paper and writing on my knee as follows:...'

This is what he wrote as dictated by the Lord:

"'Verily I say unto my servant Heber, thou art my son, in whom I am well pleased; for thou art careful to hearken to my words, and not transgress my law, nor rebel against my servant Joseph Smith, for thou hast a respect to the words of mine anointed, even from the least to the greatest of them; therefore thy name is written in heaven, no more to be blotted out for ever....' (Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, 1888 ed., p. 253. Italics added.)

"To the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord said: '... I am the Lord thy God and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.' (D&C 132:49. Italics added.)

"Now in conclusion, I give you my own witness. I know that God our Father lives, that we are, as Paul said, his offspring. I know that we dwelt in his presence in pre-earth life and that we shall continue to live beyond the grave. I know that we may return into his presence, if we meet his terms. I know that while we are here in mortality there is a means of communication between him and us. I know it is possible for men to so live that they may hear his voice and know his words and that to receive 'the Holy Spirit of promise' while here in mortality is possible. And so, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, '... I ... exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until (by the more sure word of prophecy) you make your calling and election sure for yourselves,...' (HC 5:389.) In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Apostle Orson F. Whitney’s Witness of the Savior

This is an excerpt from an address delivered at the Sunday evening session of the MIA Jubilee Conference held on 7 June 1925.

"May I add my mite to the mass of evidence upon this all-important theme? Fifty years ago, or something less, I was a young missionary in the state of Pennsylvania. I had been praying for a testimony of the truth but beyond that had not displayed much zeal in missionary labor. My companion, a veteran in the cause, chided me for my lack of diligence in this direction. “You ought to be studying the books of the Church,” said he; “you were sent out to preach the gospel, not to write for the newspapers”—for that was what I was doing at the time.

"I knew he was right, but I still kept on, fascinated by the discovery that I could wield a pen and preferring that to any other occupation except the [theater], my early ambition, which I had laid upon the altar when, as a youth of 21, I accepted a call to the mission field.

"One night I dreamed—if dream it may be called—that I was in the Garden of Gethsemane, a witness of the Savior’s agony. I saw Him as plainly as I see this congregation. I stood behind a tree in the foreground, where I could see without being seen. Jesus, with Peter, James, and John, came through a little wicket gate at my right. Leaving the three Apostles there, after telling them to kneel and pray, He passed over to the other side, where He also knelt and prayed. It was the same prayer with which we are all familiar: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” ([see] Matthew 26:36–44 [Matt. 26:36–44]; Mark 14:32–41; Luke 22:42).

"As He prayed the tears streamed down His face, which was toward me. I was so moved at the sight that I wept also, out of pure sympathy with His great sorrow. My whole heart went out to Him. I loved Him with all my soul and longed to be with Him as I longed for nothing else.

"Presently He arose and walked to where the Apostles were kneeling—fast asleep! He shook them gently, awoke them, and in a tone of tender reproach, untinctured by the least suggestion of anger or scolding, asked them if they could not watch with Him one hour. There He was, with the weight of the world’s sin upon His shoulders, with the pangs of every man, woman, and child shooting through His sensitive soul—and they could not watch with Him one poor hour!

"Returning to His place, He prayed again and then went back and found them again sleeping. Again He awoke them, admonished them, and returned and prayed as before. Three times this happened, until I was perfectly familiar with His appearance—face, form, and movements. He was of noble stature and of majestic mien—not at all the weak, effeminate being that some painters have portrayed—a very God among men, yet as meek and lowly as a little child.

"All at once the circumstance seemed to change, the scene remaining just the same. Instead of before, it was after the Crucifixion, and the Savior, with those three Apostles, now stood together in a group at my left. They were about to depart and ascend into heaven. I could endure it no longer. I ran out from behind the tree, fell at His feet, clasped Him around the knees, and begged Him to take me with Him.

"I shall never forget the kind and gentle manner in which He stooped and raised me up and embraced me. It was so vivid, so real, that I felt the very warmth of His bosom against which I rested. Then He said: “No, my son; these have finished their work, and they may go with me, but you must stay and finish yours.” Still I clung to Him. Gazing up into His face—for He was taller than I—I besought Him most earnestly: “Well, promise me that I will come to You at the last.” He smiled sweetly and tenderly and replied: “That will depend entirely upon yourself.” I awoke with a sob in my throat, and it was morning.

“That’s from God,” said my companion (Elder A. M. Musser), when I had related it to him. “I don’t need to be told that,” was my reply. I saw the moral clearly. I had never thought that I would be an Apostle or hold any other office in the Church; and it did not occur to me even then. Yet I knew that those sleeping Apostles meant me. I was asleep at my post—as any man is, or any woman, who, having been divinely appointed to do one thing, does another.

"But from that hour all was changed—I was a different man. I did not give up writing, for President Brigham Young [1801–77], having noticed some of my contributions in the home papers, wrote advising me to cultivate what he called my “gift for writing” so that I might use it in future years “for the establishment of truth and righteousness upon the earth.” This was his last word of counsel to me. He died the same year, while I was still in the mission field, though laboring then in the state of Ohio. I continued to write, but it was for the Church and kingdom of God. I held that first and foremost; all else was secondary.

"Then came the divine illumination, which is greater than all dreams, visions, and other manifestations combined. By the light of God’s candle—the gift of the Holy Ghost—I saw what till then I had never seen, I learned what till then I had never known, I loved the Lord as I had never loved Him before. My soul was satisfied, my joy was full, for I had a testimony of the truth, and it has remained with me to this day.

"I know that my Redeemer liveth. Not even Job knew it better. I have evidence that I cannot doubt; and this is why I am found among those who tonight unfurl the slogan for which we stand, possessing and proclaiming an individual testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ."

The Pre-existence

I’m thinking that there was probably a lot more to the pre-existence than the basics we usually teach concerning it.  I’m not sure we appreciate how important the pre-existence was in the plan, and its place in our progression and this earth life.

We all know the basics about the pre-existence - we were spirit children there; a plan for our progression was presented; we were taught the reasons for the plan and what would be involved. And we know basically how people reacted to the plan: Most accepted it but some rejected it, went to battle and were cast out.  The general perception is that a third rejected the plan and the rest of us accepted it more or less unequivocally.

What is not generally understood, though, is that this is quite a simplified version of what actually happened.  The reality is that among those who were not cast out there were many varying degrees of acceptance of the plan. There were many, for example, who accepted the plan but weren’t convinced it would work.  Others accepted the plan but were afraid that they would fail in it; still others simply went along with the crowd and accepted it because their associates did.

Some of our brothers and sisters didn’t care for the plan at all, but weren’t excited about Lucifer’s plan either, so they really didn’t actively take sides.

And then, of course, there were some who loved Lucifer’s plan and hated the Father’s plan, who actively advocated for Lucifer’s plan.  But when it came to a pitched battle they, at the last minute, decided not to risk outer darkness and stayed out of the battle.  These were a few who really should have gone with Lucifer but didn’t, and so technically kept their first estate and thus qualified to have a second estate.

I’m convinced that some of these who should have gone with Lucifer have become the dictators and despots of the world.

All of this is but a precursor to  what I really want to talk about.  I want to talk about you.  You as a Latter-day Saint, and the 14 million just like you, and all who have had the Gospel before you, and those who will have it in the future, including those whom our missionaries are seeking in the world - You are special.

You are special in that you did much more in the pre-existence than simply accept the Gospel.  You accepted it wholeheartedly.  You loved the plan.  You loved the central figure in the plan, Jehovah.  You loved the presenter of the plan, our Father.

You loved it so much that you became an active advocate for it.  You reached out to those who weren’t sure.  You taught, you encouraged, you brought people to it - in short, you were Missionaries for the plan, and allies of the Lord, and did everything in your power to make the plan successful.  You were valiant in the plan, and accomplished much good and helped the Father in all the ways you could.

Now I come to what I really want to talk about.  This doctrine is not generally understood, and I am going to declare it to you because it is so important to understand.

Because of your valiance, you qualified in the pre-existence for some wonderful blessings that most Spirits didn’t qualify for.  In fact, you qualified for the greatest gift that God could give you - Eternal Life.  Your valiancy was so great that the Lord promised you, before you even came here, that you would inherit exaltation.  Abraham saw you, that you were noble and great, and that you and your eternal companion would become rulers in the eternities.  And thus you were declared by God Himself to be sealed up unto eternal life before you ever even entered mortality.  Now, it's important to note that this sealing was conditioned upon your faithfulness in mortality, but it was a true sealing and qualified you to receive certain blessings in mortality, which we will discuss in a moment.

So you were, unlike most of your fellows, given the greatest blessings the Lord has to offer, having proved yourselves so completely in the pre-existence.  Now, in our LDS parlance, this is known as having been ‘called’.  Let me state it again, in our parlance: everyone in this Church, or who has had the Gospel at any time in the history of the world, was ‘called’ before they came to this earth, having qualified for it under very special circumstances in the pre-existence.

I remind you that many did not qualify for these blessings.  You did.

Now, there was another great and marvelous gift given to you.  You were to be placed in a situation where you could either find the Gospel, or you would be born right into it, thereby ensuring that the knowledge of how to be exalted would be available to you.  And you would have access to the Priesthood, which contains the keys of making exaltation possible.  In short, you were given the great blessing of having achieving exaltation made as easy as it could possibly be made.  You were sealed up unto eternal life, conditionally, before you came here, and you would have or would be able to find all the tools necessary to make it a final reality.

Now, what all this means is that you received the marvelous blessing of entering the great marathon of life at the 23 or 24 mile mark, with only 2 or 3 miles left to finish the race.  Many miles ahead of most others who enter mortality. All of this was made possible for you because of what you accomplished in the pre-existence.  Don't ever forget who you were - you were choice and noble and great in the eyes of the Lord, even if you think otherwise about yourself.  The mere fact that you are a Latter-day Saint, or have the opportunity to become one, is evidence.  That great blessing had to be earned, and you certainly did.  Now, you Called, take your great blessing and move forward toward the greatest of all blessings, that of Election.