GP, p.279: The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil [died] before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 268).I love this principle because it teaches individual progress. It teaches that what ever stage we are at in life there is always the opportunity to take a small step forwards. Our ladder of progress started in spirit, before we were born and will continue after we move to the next life. It may be that this brief life, these "threescore years and ten," are designed for climbing one rung or ten rungs.
In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma expressed his wish to be able to be like an angel and preach his message to every person in the whole world. While reflecting on this, he appreciated that this was not needed because God provides messengers to every people in every culture to help them climb from where-ever they are on the ladder of life to the next rung:
Alma 29:7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.
God reaches each of his children with the message they most need to hear in order to step up the ladder of life or continue progressing along the path to godliness in the way they are best personally able to.
GP, p.275: When we lived with our Heavenly Father, He explained a plan for our progression. We could become like Him, an exalted being. The plan required that we be separated from Him and come to earth. This separation was necessary to prove whether we would obey our Father’s commandments even though we were no longer in His presence. The plan provided that when earth life ended, we would be judged and rewarded according to the degree of our faith and obedience.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, in March 1993, described how God is able to reach out to the whole human family as part of his plan:
“In the message of the gospel, the entire human race is one family descended from a single God. …“Every person is a spiritual child of God.“In this gospel view there is no room for a contracted, narrow, or prejudicial view. …“There is no underlying excuse for smugness, arrogance, or pride. …
And with a similar message, in October 1991 General Conference, President Howard W. Hunter said:
"We believe there is a spiritual influence that emanates from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space. (See D&C 88:12.) All men share an inheritance of divine light. God operates among his children in all nations, and those who seek God are entitled to further light and knowledge, regardless of their race, nationality, or cultural traditions."
What is exaltation?
GP, p.275-6: Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation.
If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, to live with our Heavenly Father in eternal families. Exaltation is the greatest gift that Heavenly Father can give His children (see D&C 14:7).
GP, p.275-6: Our Heavenly Father is perfect, and He glories in the fact that it is possible for His children to become like Him. His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).Elder Uchtdorf taught, in a January 2013 fireside, that each of us should find courage and strength in the Saviour's message and love to continue walking the path today, with hope for the opportunities to come.
"If we will only have enough courage and faith to walk in His path, it will lead us to peace of heart and mind, to lasting meaning in life, to happiness in this world, and to joy in the world to come. The Savior is “not far from every one of us.” We have His promise that if we seek Him diligently, we will find Him."
This gospel message should give us encouragement and inspiration. The June 1994 Ensign included a report of a speech Joseph Smith gave while visiting Washington D.C. A member of the audience wrote a letter to his wife with his reaction to the speech. He also sent a copy of the letter to the church which they added to the History of the Church publication. It shows the impact and impression left on people when they hear the restored gospel message:
"He said very little of rewards and punishments; but one conclusion, from what he did say, was irresistible—he contended throughout, that everything which had a beginning must have an ending; and consequently if the punishment of man commenced in the next world, it must, according to his logic and belief have an end... and he again repeated that all who would follow the precepts of the Bible, whether Mormon or not, would assuredly be saved.
There was much in his precepts, if they were followed, that would soften the asperities of man towards man, and that would tend to make him a more rational being than he is generally found to be. There was no violence, no fury, no denunciation. His religion appears to be the religion of meekness, lowliness, and mild persuasion.”
Each of us are on the ladder, or travelling the path, towards being more like God. He knows best how far we have come and how far we could progress in this life. With this knowledge of a long-term journey we should, like Elder Wirthlin taught, avoid any smugness or pride at apparent differences in personal progress. God has a personalised curriculum for each of us, so let us trust in that as we continue on our journey while supporting and helping each other to make the best next step towards being more like Him.
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