Can a soul advance in the next life?

A long time ago when I used to think about the final judgment, I had this image of Jesus standing there with the scales of justice, a giant Willy Wonka type golden goose (bad egg/ good egg) lever, a floor hatch, and poor me getting ready to take a long ride down into a giant burning fire. That pretty much sums up what I thought for years.

Only within the past 10 or so years have I come to realize how much God loves me and how much that scene is not going to be a reality, like not at all. I’m convinced that God doesn’t love us because we are good, but because He is good. And that because He loves us there are certain Universal laws that even He is governed by. Love being the highest. And we must abide that higher law of love (like all the time) in order to abide that particular glory.

Now this next part I only invite people to read that have a curiosity in the degrees of glory and kingdoms of heaven… (See Bible verses 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 and 2 Cor. 12:2)

Before I get into it I want to make clear that what I’m about to share is not official doctrine. I do not claim this is truth one way or the other. I came across this idea years ago and have saved it in a file and shared with only a few people. I believe it will make for a good discussion and even more than that, I believe it could be an answer to someone’s long time prayer about God’s love, especially for someone who is wayward. My church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) does not teach this doctrine in classes (That I know of) today, however, it is something that many people have wondered about, including myself. So here is the idea..

The question is…. Can a soul advance from glory to glory, kingdom to kingdom, even after this life? Well, In 1952 and again in 1965 the church put out a statement…

“The brethren direct me to say that the Church has never announced a definite doctrine upon this point. Some of the brethren have held the view that it was possible in the course of progression to advance from one glory to another, invoking the principle of eternal progression; others of the brethren have taken the opposite view. But as stated, the Church has never announced a definite doctrine on this point. -, Joseph L Anderson, Secretary of the First Presidency”

Clearly from these words there have been prophets and apostles that have taken different stances on this issue. For example Elder Bruce R. MConkie made this one of his Seven Deadly Heresies, saying that it’s not possible that a soul could advance from one kingdom to another. Joseph F. Smith taught that “Once a person enters these glories there will be eternal progress in the line of each of these particular glories, but the privilege of passing from one to another (though this may be possible for especially gifted and faithful characters) is not provided for.” (Improvement ERA 14:87 Nov 1910)

However, many church leaders have clearly taken clearly opposite and very (to me) hopeful viewpoints. For example J. Reuben Clark once said..

“I am not a strict constructionist, believing that we seal our eternal progress by what we do here. It is my belief that God will save all of His children that he can: and while, if we live unrighteously here, we shall not go to the other side in the same status, so to speak, as those who lived righteously; nevertheless, the unrighteous will have their chance, and in the eons of the eternities that are to follow, they, too, may climb to the destinies to which they who are righteous and serve God, have climbed to those eternities that are to come.”- Church News, 23 April 1960, p. 3)

James E. Talmage, who wrote Jesus the Christ, once said..

“It is reasonable to believe, in the absence of direct revelation by which alone absolute knowledge of the matter could be acquired, that, in accordance with God’s plan of eternal progression, advancement from grade to grade within any kingdom, and from kingdom to kingdom, will be provided for. But if the recipients of a lower glory be enabled to advance, surely the intelligences of higher rank will not be stopped in their progress; and thus we may conclude, that degrees and grades will ever characterize the kingdoms of our God. Eternity is progressive; perfection is relative; the essential feature of God’s living purpose is its associated power of eternal increase.”
(James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith [1899 edition] pp. 420-421)

Another beauty comes from Lorenzo Snow..

“You that are mourning about your children straying away will have your sons and your daughters. If you succeed in passing through these trials and afflictions and receive a resurrection, you will, by the power of the Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God has, until you get all your sons and daughters in the path of exaltation and glory. This is just as sure as that the sun rose this morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn not because all your sons and daughters do not follow in the path that you have marked out to them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, and as kings and priests to our God, we will save our posterity. When Jesus went through that terrible torture on the cross, He saw what would be accomplished by it; He saw that His brethren and sisters the sons and daughters of God would be gathered in, with but few exceptions those who committed the unpardonable sin. That sacrifice of the divine Being was effectual to destroy the powers of Satan. I believe that every man and woman who comes into this life and passes through it, that life will be a success in the end. It may not be in this life. It was not with the antedeluvians. They passed through troubles and afflictions; 2,500 years after that, when Jesus went to preach to them, the dead heard the voice of the Son of God and they lived. They found after all that it was a very good thing that they had conformed to the will of God in leaving the spiritual life and passing through this world. Lorenzo Snow, MS 56:49-53; Collected Discourses 3:364-65.”

And my favorite one from James E. Faust quoting the Prophet Joseph Smith himself…

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared–and he never taught more comforting doctrine–that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or laterthey will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.”- Pres Faust 6 April 2003 Gen Conf.

Regardless of what is true in the hereafter, I wanted to share many of these quotes to get people thinking, ultimately about Jesus. Living in the here and now is what I believe God wants us to do. Jesus’ first message once He started his ministry was to repent. And that’s what we should focus on. Also, loving our neighbor and treating them right in the moment we have been given. I also want to testify how much God loves us and wants us to succeed.

 

 

I share this story because I recently talked to a friend who’s son may not go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I told her not to fear, no matter what happens with him. Because there are missionary moments all around, all the time. Here’s one…

In or around 2011 I was on my police patrol bicycle with one of my patrol partners making sure the streets of Salt Lake City were safe and sound. A gentleman named Dale Lloyd approached us and started talking about our bikes. He knew more than I did about my own bike. For some I was in a bad mood that day and actually wanted to ride away from the conversation, but for some reason we kept talking to him.

During the conversation I had very distinct feeling that this man needed help, not the kind of 911 help you may be thinking, but spiritually. Yes we all need help spiritually, but this thought was like lightning to my mind. I remember I didn’t want to talk to him about anything like that when I was in my police uniform.

Against my fear, I started probing and asking him where is was from, where he lived, etc. The next thought came to my mind that I needed to invite him to watch a certain video that was playing just a few blocks away at Temple Square (downtown Salt Lake City). All of the sudden I found myself inviting this man to watch this video, and as I did, I could feel the Spirit of God start to surround our conversation. My partner (who had gone on an LDS mission) started sharing his testimony with this man as well. The feeling was intense. Undeniable, really. I ended with my testimony about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and as we rode away, I said “Don’t forget to go see that movie!” While peddling, “Can you believe we just did that?” I said to my partner.

Months and months past and I forgot about the encounter. I received a message from another officer in the department that said, “Call Dale Lloyd”(with a phone number). Apparently Dale had tracked down another cop to find me. I didn’t recognize the name at first but when called I knew exactly who it was. Dale expressed on the phone that he went to the movie and that he hasn’t been able to get our conversation on the corner of 1st South and Main Street and the way he felt.

I knew that I had to meet up with Dale and so I invited him to lunch. We met and he somewhat broke down to me and explained that he had once gone on an LDS mission over 30 years prior, and that he had never felt the way he felt when we (my partner and I) testified to him. That night I had an impression to get him a set of scriptures and deliver it to his house. I even got his name embossed on the front of the scriptures.

I invited Dale to church with my family the following week and he accepted my invitation. He came from Salt Lake to West Jordan, Utah. I was actually teaching a Gospel Principles class that day and it happened to be on Joseph Smith and The First Vision. The entire class I had a prayer in my heart that Dale would feel to know the truthfulness of the story, unquestionably. Later, we exited the church building and I walked him to his car. He burst out in tears and said “I know now that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God!” I started to cry with him. It was one of the most powerful moments of my life. Dale started to go back to church with his Mom and Dad.

It’s almost 2019 and Dale and I have been close friends since. Dale was recently diagnosed with several severe medical conditions that have threatened his life and put him down and out, and in the hospital for many days in a row. I hope he pulls out of it. But one thing I do know is that he now knows God on a deeper level. So do I. It’s a connection and moment in space that can never be taken away.

Sometimes I think back at moments like this and wonder if maybe this is why God called me to be a cop for 7 years of my life. I have a lot of stories like this when I look back, spiritual stories, too many to count and write about. But these are the most precious to me.

I didn’t serve a full-time mission and I used beat myself up for so many years that I came home early from it. I wasn’t mentally ready at the time. But I’m here to testify that we are missionaries EVERYWHERE we go and that God will put us in the path of so many, if we will just be willing to open up our mouth when He asks. It’s souls that are on the line. It’s a war for souls. And when we help find one and bring them to God, everyone’s souls are healed. I thank God that I crossed paths with Dale. I think he did more for me than I did for him. I need more moments like that.