The Spirit World

My question is somewhat existential, somewhat theological, and purely speculative, I think. I believe in an existence prior to mortality—that individual "spirits" or "essences" (or whatever philosophical parlance you prefer) gathered knowledge and experience prior to their coming to earth. I have a friend in the Mormon church who believes the same thing; he even says that spirits were shown the life they would have on earth—trials, joys, and all—and that they chose to accept the course God had plotted for them. My question, then, is this: to what extent is such foreknowledge a negation of human agency? How can human beings rightly be said to have freedom of choice when, prior to their choices, they were shown the sum total of their future actions? Please enlighten me, oh high-flying, acrobatic one. s/Dana. [answer]

Dear Bro. Gorton, I read with interest your comments to Paul from Minnesota regarding the condition of spirits relative to the spirit’s ability to be taught the Gospel. In your comments you restated the doctrine related to the spirit having the same disposition as it did in mortality, and therefore if lusts and other desires of the flesh have not been conquered previous to death, it would be so much the worse for that spirit as it attempted to overcome those weaknesses in an effort to repent and conform with Gospel principles. I have trouble with that belief because faults such as alcohol or substance abuse, or a reliance on tobacco are matters of the physical body, not the spirit. Alcohol and tobacco alter the body's cell structure, especially in the brain, thus causing the dependency, and the spirit is not made of such cells and are, therefore, not subject to such alteration and subsequent dependence. To say that a person who is a slave to alcohol in mortality will remain so in the spirit world is to say that the spirit of that person is similarly enslaved, thus debunking the teaching that the spirit and the body are separate and distinct entities. If this is true, then the inevitable conclusion one comes to is that the spirit is equally capable of mortal pollution which is difficult to understand; how can that which is purely spirit be overcome by that which is purely physical? I will not be offended if my question is not posted on your web site, but your response will be appreciated. Thank you, Richard [answer]

Dear Gramps, If there was a council in heaven and all of God's children were there, and, using their free agency made the choice to follow Satan or Christ, where do the spirit children God has sired since that council fit in? Do they come under that council with no voting rights, so to speak, or . . . Judy & Elmer. [answer]

Dear Gramps, I have heard that the reason that polygamy was practiced was because the 1/3 who followed Satin were all men and that left more women than men on this earth. In order for all women to obtain eternal life they have to be sealed to someone. Is this true? This would mean that there were the same amount of men and women in the Great Council. Were we created in pairs? Lance [answer]

Dear Gramps, I read for the first time tonight your column. You seem to have a great insight. I have a question for you, but some explanation will have to be given first.

Since the age of two I have experienced many things that the ‘world’ would look at as ‘the paranormal.’ I have seen spirits many times and even heard a choir of spirits (angels?). My mother and sister also heard this. We were cleaning our ward building and went to find out who was there. When we opened the door to the Relief Society room the music stopped, we realized we had interrupted, excused ourselves and went about our business.

I have always been open to the fact that I have an ability to ‘see’ what others don’t. There has only been one time when the sprits had an evil feeling about them, and I was given a blessing. I have glimpses into the future, I knew the exact moment my father passed away, and the list goes on. The whole thing is getting very tiring, I am weary. I am physically ill at this time and dealing with my daily duties as a mother of three and wife and home and church, and being ill as well. It is getting to be a bit much. My Father had many experiences of this type, and there is a great aunt in our family history that was considered a healer. This comes from a family with roots back to the coming into the Utah valley, the first group with Brigham Young. I am very active in the church. I have a strong testimony. I guess all this leads up to the question, should I be concerned with this ‘ability’ to see what others can’t. Does this come under what is considered discernment? How open should I be with talking to others about this? I just recently told my husband of ten years. I had said bits and pieces and then one day I just let it all out. Giving instances that he could pin point so I had ‘proof’ for him. He told me I should consider it a gift. But to be careful, and prayerful. But I am getting very weary. ‘Knowing’ things before others is at times very difficult, because I don’t know if I should tell a person something I know of them, or just let it go. My mind gets tired with all the information constantly flowing in. I guess I am asking an impartial person to get another insight.

I would also appreciate it if no name was given if you put this in your column. A personal reply via email would be appreciated, as this is a sensitive subject to me. But I will understand if you cannot respond personally because of your commitments to your column. Thank you, K. [answer]

Dear Gramps, I note the following in your answer regarding the child with Down’s syndrome: “I suppose that we were not unaware in the pre-mortal spirit world of what life would be like in mortality. I could imagine that you had made a pact with your child who in that state would have volunteered to come into mortality in a disadvantaged condition to give you the opportunity to care for her and thus reap the rich blessings promised to those who sacrifice themselves in compassionate service to others.”

This is a precept that I find no scriptural reference to—that we were necessarily connected to or “chose” our parents in the life before, or our children chose us. It was the big objection I had to scenes in “Saturday's Warrior.” There was the whole family, in heaven, in order of birth, looking just like they did in the play, all promising certain things to one another. One of my children’s seminary teachers also put forth this concept as fact. I was married, had two children, and then he wandered afield. I then had a child with my second husband. All children were born under the covenant, although the first covenant was broken by the choice of my husband, and then temple divorce. Do you really believe that my first children said, “We want V. to be our father?” and that the child from the second marriage said, “Ah, but G. shall be my father?” Incredible to me. I just don’t believe it. I also am not convinced that we are told ahead of time that we are going to be sent to a drunken, druggie of a mother who will abuse us, and we say, “Oh, give me that chance to prove myself.”

I was sent to a loving, secure, warm and clean home and I’m grateful. But I think it was not through some choice of my own or my parents. Also, I’m grateful for the intelligence and relatively healthy (though aging) body I received. Not all people are so blessed. What’s your documentation for the idea that we made pacts with family members?

On the other hand, I firmly believe that my granddaughter who was born five days after her great-grandfather died probably had a chance to meet him before she came. Delsa [answer]

Gramps, A question was recently asked in a Relief Society discussion of a lesson I was teaching. I was wondering if you could answer this question. Were relations foreordained in the pre-mortal life? Donna [answer]

Dear Gramps, Thank you for your informative answers. I really enjoy reading them. My questions are to settle a difference between my mother and I. It is my understanding that our Heavenly Father had many spirit children in the pre-existence, enough to fill worlds without number, and we held a Grand Counsel where we all voted to follow Jesus Christ and He would be our Savior. Then Christ descended below all things and came to atone for our sins on this world because it was the most wicked. My mother suggested that “Mine Only Begotten Son” is a title that was given to Jehovah who was the Savior for these “Worlds without number” in which we live and a title given to other Saviors over previous “Worlds without number” which were created by our Father in Heaven. So my question is, of all the “Worlds without number” that our Father in Heaven has created, were there ever others that were referred to as “Only Begotten Son” or was Jesus Christ the only “Only Begotten Son” to all the “Worlds without number” mentioned in the scriptures. Which brings me to my next question, is, does or will our Heavenly Father have more spirit children which will then need a Savior for them or is he just our Heavenly Father? Thanks for taking the time to read and answer all of this. It will really clear up some differences. Sincerely, HH in Provo [answer]

Hi, My name is Ed and I was a little bit disturbed last week because my wife came home from a Relief Society function and told me that they had a speaker there that said in the Pre-mortal Life we had the choice of what sex we wanted to come on earth as. I do not believe that is true but maybe I missed something some place. Do you know the answer to this? I would like an opinion from someone there at your end. Thank You. Ed [answer]

Dear Gramps, 1.) Did we make commitments to our families in the pre-existence that we would be a family unit? Were we promised in heaven to be the mother, the child, or the sister to particular people? If so, WHERE is this found? 2.) If the above is true, what happened to the spirit of my 3 fetal month old child. His mortal body disintegrated and was reabsorbed by my body. Is he waiting for me to provide him another body so he can come to earth? I have been told conflicting things by my church leaders. This has caused great contention in my branch. Please help me. Victoria, from Arkansas [answer]

Gramps, When Satan and the 1/3 of heaven were led out from the presence of God after the war in heaven, were there any of the spirits called upon to escort Satan and his followers from the spirit world? Is it true that those spirits who escorted Satan out, when sent to this world to obtain a body that in some way they are protected from Satan’s grasp? C. from Connecticut [answer]

Hey gramps, I got thinking the other day. Before we came to earth we lived as spirits with our heavenly father. But do our spirits have an age? Or a better question is did God create our spirits or did we just always exist? Just curious. Thanks. Jeff, from Utah [answer]

Hi Gramps; Once again I come to you with a question....I am so glad you are here to ask, did Adam and Eve know of the plan, and eat of the fruit because of the plan, or was it a situation where they did not know and chose to? I had a gentleman from the Jehovah Witness challenge me to find the scripture that indicated one or the other,,, I enjoy searching, but do not know where to look, and I need to know too. Thanks. Patti @nwkansas.com [answer]

Dear Gramps, Some say it is somewhat more difficult to accept the Gospel in the spirit world while another school of thought says it would be much easier inasmuch as we would have more knowledge after we pass through the veil. I was wondering which is correct. Paul, Kentucky [answer]

Dear Gramps: My wife, older children and I had a discussion about mystics, channelers and psychics. There was a talk show on yesterday that showcased some people who could supposedly communicate with the other side. My wife and children believed that there are truly people with these abilities. I told them the Lord does not work this way -- these people have no authority to act in this capacity. It seems especially wrong to profit financially from such activities. Could you shed some light on this topic? Paul in CA [answer]

Dear Gramps, Funny writing to a grampa when I am a Grama myself. That's ok, I never had a grampa to talk to. My question is about my sweet husband. He died in September of 2000. He had cancer, and God took him very fast. I miss him, he is my best friend. Or was. Now there is no one to talk to. I was wondering, since I am his second wife, and he was sealed to his first wife also, how will that be in eternity, (if we make it that far!). I know our thoughts will not be the thoughts we have here, but I do have an insecurity there. He was sealed to my son one month after he died. I felt a commitment with the sealing. I would like some information on the subject. And if he can, indeed see me here, or know what I am thinking. Sometimes I feel him, but don't want to keep him from what the Lord took him home for. He was a missionary all his life, we did a three year stake mission, and he was called as a stake missionary right before he slipped away to the other side. I know he must be doing missionary work there. It would be nice to share with others who feel the same. Or have gone through similar experiences. It is a comfort Thank you Gramps. You're an angel. JN, from Newport, Washington [answer]

Gramps, Where is the spirit world located? Dale, from Sumrall, Mississippi [answer]

Hey gramps, I got both ask gramps books and I like them. Around Halloween we see on TV a lot of stories about all these haunted hotels, haunted houses, dungeons in England. What are ghosts exactly? Are they all evil spirits fooling us or are they some devils, some actual spirits trapped here. And what about these people that can say that they can actually see them and then they tell us that the entity is a trapped spirit and died a painful death and can’t let go of the earthly plane because they can’t see the light. Are all these things just Satan? What about the children spirits that they say play around the old mansions? Why would God let a child’s spirit stay here and suffer? Could you set me straight on this? I am confused. The stories on TV looks so real. Sincerely Valene Dubbelman [answer]