Chapter 3 Tue DoctTRINE OF EXALTATION, or BECOMING A GoD The Prophet Joseph Smith approached the stand in the grove behind the Nauvoo Temple—it was 3:15 Pam. on Sunday, April 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois. He would be addressing the largest gath- livered by the Prophet during his ministry.’ What was unique about the talk was not the novelty of the doctrines presented; in fact, the key points had all been taught at various times previous to ering ever of the Church of Jests Christ of Latter day Saints.' The general conference talk he gave that Sunday afternoon has become known as the “King Follett Discourse”? and is universally be lieved to be the most significant sermon ever de- 1844. Instead, the significance of the King Follett Discourse lies in the fact that in it the Prophet Joseph provided a systematic overview of doctrines touching upon God, human nature, and the hu- man potential for exaltation—godhood. The 1, Van Hale,"“The King Follett Discourse: Textual History and Criticism Sunstone 8 (Sept/Oct 1983): 5 This General Conference talk became known as the “King Follett Discourse” because its immediate aim ‘was to memorialize a particular Mormon elder, King Follet, who had died in Nauvoo on March 9, 1844. ‘The Prophet Joseph Smith developed the doctrinal themes contained within the sermon as a way of ex: plaining the ultimate potential of King Follett and all other members of the human family. Donald Q. Cannon, “The King Follett Discourse: Joseph Smith's Greatest Sermon in Historical Perspective,” Brigham Young University Studies 18 (winter 1978): 179-80. 3. Thomas G. Alexander, “A New and Everlasting Covenant’: An Approach to the Theology of Joseph Smith,” in New Views of Mormon History: A Collection of Essays in Honor of Leonard J. Arrington, ed. Davis Bitton and Maureen Ursenbach Beecher (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1987), 58; M. Gerald Bradford and Larry E, Dahl, “Doctrine: Meaning, Source, and History of Doctrine.’ in Jesus Christ and His Gospel Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994), 125; Donald Cannon, “The King Follett Discourse 179; Van Hale, ‘The Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse” Brigham Young University Studies 18 (winter 1978); 211; idem, “The King Follett Discourse’.28 + “Partakers of the Divine Nature” mented the four key principles contained in the discourse: 1. Men can become gods. ‘There exist many gods. 3. The gods exist one above another innumerably. 4, God was once as man now is LDS researcher Van Hale has doct that without knowledge of the nature of God, hu- ‘man persons will not accurately understand their own identities? God, most commonly referred to in LDS discourse as “our Heavenly Father,” is an exalted or divinized man¢ In the Discourse the Prophet Joseph had this to say: God Himself who sits enthroned in yonder heavens isa Man like unto one of yourselves— that is the great secret! ... For I am going to tell you how God came to be God and what sort of a being He is. For we have imagined that God was God from the beginning of all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil so you may see... The first principle of truth and of the Gospel is to know for a certainty the character of God, and that... He conce was a mam like one of us and that God Himself, the Father of us all, once dvelled on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did in the flesh and like us” The Prophet Joseph structured his presentation of these principles by describing first the nature and personality of God, then human origins and destiny, and finally the person of Christ and his role in making possible the exaltation of human persons. This methodology for ordering content will also be used in this chapter to present an overview of the doctrine of exaltation as taught by the LDS Church, a doctrine which teaches of the divine potential of the human person. The Nature of God What kind of being is God? The Prophet Joseph opens the King Follett discourse by posing this question and parenthetically remarks, fore- shadowing his later comments in the address, In other words, God attained the perfections of divinity through a process of progression; He is of the same species as human persons 4, Hale, “Doctrinal Impact of the King Follett Discourse,” 212. 5. Stan Larson, “The King Follett Discourse: A Newly Amalgamated Text,” Brigham Young University Studies 18 (winter 1978): 199. 6. Bradford and Dabl, “Doctrine,” 125; Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), 300 7. Larson, “King Follett Discourse,” 200-1, emphasis in original 8. Alexander,"A New and Everlasting Covenant,” 58; Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 1997), 825 Gospel Principles (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1992), 305; Robert L. Millet, The Mormon Faith: A New Look At Christianity (Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 1998), 34; Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, Offenders for a Word: How Anti-Mormons Play Word Games to Attack the Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Aspen Books, 1992), 88-89, Given that God and humans are ‘members of the same species, this gives rise to the semantic issue of how to convey the distinction between God and humans. To speak of a divine nature in contrast to human nature can imply that there is an on: tological distinction between the divine and the human—a distinction which LDS doctrine clearly rejects I would propose that both God and human be referred to as possessing an intelligent nature. Thus human and divine would indicate different levels of progression of intelligent nature. In other words, at one point an intelligent nature can be described as human but the same intelligent nature, at a later time, can be de- scribed as divine.As does Christ, God possesses a resurrected and glorified body of flesh and bones. He is not extratemporal or -spatial; God does not exist out- side of space and time, but, like us, lives within the ‘The Doctrine of Exaltation, or Becoming a Gad + 29 ‘Thus, prior to the existence of this universe as we know it, God produced spirit children. The Nature of the Human Person : space-time continuum. As an exalted being, God possesses all perfections; he is omnipotent and omniscient." The last point needs to be em- phasized. The belief that God is an exalted man, that at some point eons ago he was as human as wwe are today, in no way implies that now he is less than fully divine. God and the Heavenly Mother, God's eternal companion, bore spirit children in their own image and likeness.” Thus, these children are gendered—male and female—in the likeness of their divine parents, But to understand fully this teaching, one first has to take into account the revelations of the Prophet Joseph which speak of Joseph Smith’s teachings about the Deity in no Ee o y and describe the nature of matter and intelligence. ‘way suggest that God isa finite being. Eloheim (God the Father] is an exalted man, but he possesses their fulness the attributes of God- head... . Simply because God has not always been God, it need not follow that he is not now a possessor of that fulness of light, truth, and glory that constitute him as infinite." Intelligence, the essential core or essence of the human person, is eternal and uncreated." The following is from the King Follett Discourse: ‘The mind of man—the intelligent part—is as. immortal as, and is coequal with, God himself, I know my testimony is true... Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent prin ciple... there is no creation about it. Because of the infinite nature of God's love, he desired to share his love and divine life with others. 9. Doctrine and Covenants 130:22. 10, Kent Robson, “Time and Eternity” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mor- ‘monism, 458-61 passim, 11, Gospel Principles, 9; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 239; David L. Paulson, “Omnipotence of God; Om- nipresence of God; Omniscience of God,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospek Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 368-69; David H. Yarn, Jr, “God,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Ency- clopedia of Mormonism, 192. 12, Robert L. Millet, “Joseph Smith and Modern Mormonism: Orthodoxy, Neoorthodoxy, Tension, and Tra dition,” Brigham Young University Studies 29 (summer 1989): 56, 57 13, Elaine Anderson Cannon, “Mother in Heaven,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclo- pedia of Mormonism, 359-61 passim; Jerry C. Giles, “Jesus Christ: Firstborn in the Spirit.” in Jesus Christ ‘and His Gospel: elections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 263-64; Gospel Principles, 11; Jay E. Jensen, “Spirit” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 438; Gerald N. Lund, “Plan of Salvation, Plan of Redemption,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclo- pedia of Mormonism, 384. 14, Alexander, “A New and Everlasting Covenant,’ 58-59; Bradford and Dab, “Doctrine,” 126; Alma P. Bur: ton, “Doctrine: Distinctive Teachings,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 128; Doctrine and Covenants 93:29; Paul Nolan Hyde, “Intelligences,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 249-51 passim McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 387; Dennis J. Packard, “Intelligence,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mor rmonism, 248; Yarn, “God,” 193, 15, Larson, “King Follett Discourse,” 203-4.30 + *Partakers of the Divine Nature” Likewise, matter, the material substrate of the uni- verse, is eternal and uncreated."* Matter, though, exists in one of two forms: spirit matter, which is invisible to the unaided human eye, and physical, or tangible, matter, which is visible to the un- aided human eye. ‘There is no such thing as immaterial matter. Al spirit is matter, but itis more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see i but when our bodies are puri- fied we shall see that itis all matter.” What occurred, then, when these Heavenly Par- ents produced spirit children, is that they pro- vided spirit bodies for intelligences by organizing preexistent matter.” These bodies are material re- alities but, insofar as they are spirit bodies, com- posed of spirit matter, they would not be visible to unaided human vision. This event, whereby in- telligences are clothed with spirit bodies and be- come conscious personalities, can be referred to asa spirit birth.” All human persons who have ever been born on this earth, or who will be born, were first born of divine parents as described above and lived with them prior to their life on earth. This of course means that all human persons—past, present, and future—are literally brothers and sisters to one another because they are all the spirit children of God and his eternal companion. The firstborn of these Heavenly Parents is Jesus Christ, known prior to his life on earth as Jehovah. And thus, Jesus Christ is literally the elder brother to all human persons.” Just as children born to earthly parents have the inborn potential to grow up and develop into the image and likeness of their human parents, so too all human persons, because of their divine heritage, have the inborn potential to grow and be- come as their Heavenly Parents: divine, perfected, exalted persons, or in other words, gods.” The Heavenly Parents of all humanity knew, however, that their spirit children could not continue their progression and attain exaltation—godhood—if, they remained where and as they were;? and so God called a “grand council” and presented to his spirit offspring a plan whereby they could even- tually become as he is, an exalted being.” The Grand Council God presented to his children, gathered to- gether with him and his eternal companion, a plan of salvation for their consideration. This plan was to be the means by which God’s spirit children could continue their growth and development and thus attain exaltation. A world would be created—this earth—where they would be born 16, Burton, “Doctrine: Distinctive Teachings” 128; Doctrine and Covenants 93:33; McConkie, Mormon Doc- trine, 218. 17. Doctrine and Covenants 131:7-8, 18, Spencer W. Kimball, “Our Great Potential,” Ensign, May 1977, 50. 19. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 750, 20. Jesus Christ Firstborn in the Spirit,” 263; Gospel Principles, 11~13 passim; Gordon B. Hinckley, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988), 4, 7-8; Robert L. Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview. in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 255. 21. Gospel Principle, 11; T. Edgar Lyon, “Doctrinal Development of the Church During the Nauvoo Sojourn,” Brigham Young University Studies 15 (summer 1975): 439. 22. The firstborn spirit child of God, Jesus Christ is the exception. As will be noted in the subsequent section of this chapter, he attained exaltation—godhood—prior to his mortal birth, 23. Gospel Principles, 13-14,‘of mortal, human parents and receive a body of flesh and bones. A veil of forgetfulness would come ‘over them and they would not remember their premortal lives with their Heavenly Parents. All this would occur so that their obedience could be tested while in mortality. Mortal life would be a probationary state where through free choices and character development they could demonstrate their worthiness to return to the presence of their Heavenly Parents and continue their progression a progression which has as its goal exaltation, be coming exalted personages like their Heavenly Parents." In this grand council God also told his spirit children that the first mortal parents (Adam and Eve) would transgress; sin and mortality would enter the world, and hence a redeemer would be necessary. Two of God's children volunteered to serve as the world’s redeemer: Jesus Christ, the first-born and eldest of all, and Lucifer, another spirit-child. Although Lucifer proposed to redeem all of God’s children it would have come about through the removal of free will; Lucifer also wanted to get glory for himself in the process. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, sought only to glorify God and to be obedient to the designs of his Heavenly Parents, Ultimately, God chose Jesus Christ to serve as the savior and redeemer of the world. One third of all God’s spirit children, however, took the side ‘The Doctrine of Exaltation, or Becoming a God * 31 of Lucifer and rebelled against God. A war in heaven ensued; Lucifer and the rebellious spirits were finally cast out of their Heavenly Parents’ celestial home to a place utterly lacking in glory or light—outer darkness. In punishment for their disobedience their progression towards exalta- tion was stopped short, They will not have the privilege of receiving a mortal body and experi- encing life on earth.” When the universe and this earth were brought into being it was at the command of God, under the direction of Jesus Christ. He organized the eternal and preexisting elements and fashioned all that is visible in the cosmos." A key point to keep in mind is that prior to this creative activity Jesus Christ had attained exaltation and become a god.” At this point it will be helpful to describe the doctrine of the Godhead—that divine presi- dency which governs our universe. The Godhead ‘The Godhead is composed of three separate and distinct persons: God, the Eternal Father; Jesus Christ (called Jehovah prior to his mortal min- istry); and the Holy Ghost. Each of these persons is a god.” While both God and Jesus Christ have res- urrected and glorified bodies of flesh and bone, the Holy Ghost is a male personage and possesses a spirit body.” The Godhead is spoken of as the ‘one God because they are perfectly united in will 24. Gospel Principles, 13-15, 192, 301; Lund, “Plan of Salvation,” 383-85 passim; John H. Lund, “Council in Heaven,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 83-85 passim. 25. Gospel Principles, 15, 17-19 passim; Larson, “King Follett Discourse,” 206; Lund, “Plan of Salvation,” 384-85. 26. Gospel Principles, 27-8; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 168. 27. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 128, 323; Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview,” 255-56, 28. Paul E. Dahl, “Godhead,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 203-5. 29. Doctrine and Covenants 130:20; Gospel Principles, 37, 137; Hinckley, The Father, Som, and Holy Ghost, 10-11; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 358-59; Joseph Fielding McConkie, “Holy Ghost,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 231-35 passim.32 + "Partakers of the Divine Nature” Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are called the Godhead. They are uni fied in purpose, Each has an important as- signment in the plan of salvation. Our Heav- enly Father is our Father and ruler. Jesus Christ is our Savior. The Holy Ghost is the revealer and testifies ofall truth." Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages called God the First, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator.” It is perfect unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that binds these three into the oneness of the divine Godhead.” On June 16, 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith, in the last sermon he gave prior to his martyrdom, spoke of the Godhead: Thave always declared God to be a distinct per- sonage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct Personage from God the Father and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit and these three constitute three distinct per- sonages and three Gods.” Thus, while the three divine persons who make up the Godhead are separate and ontologically dis- tinct, and can be described as three Gods, because of their perfect unity of purpose they are the one God, the one Godhead. In practice, LDS are strict monotheists: they worship God the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 30. Gospel Principles, 37, emphasis in original. The Centrality of Christ The very heart of the LDS doctrine of exalta- tion centers on the person of Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saints believe that complete salva- tion is possible only through the life, death, resurrection, doctrines, and ordinances of Jesus Christ and in no other way. Through the infinite atonement which he ac- complished at the close of his mortal ministry Christ made it possible for all the spirit sons and daughters of God to continue to progress and re- ceive the blessings of exaltation, But before ex- amining more closely the sacrificial work of Christ, the question needs to be answered, from what ‘was Christ redeeming humanity? In other words, what occurred that blocked human progression towards exaltation? Quite simply, physical death and spiritual death. ‘The mortal parents ofall humanity, Adam and Eve, transgressed God's command while in the Garden of Eden and so incurred the penalty of death—both spiritual and physical. Spiritual death refers to separation from God while physical death refers to the separation of body and spirit.” Physical death, and all that is associated with it, such as the possibility for illness and suffering, was transmitted to all human persons.” All per- sons born into this world eventually suffer the separation of their bodies from their spirits. And since exaltation involves becoming like God, who possesses a glorified body, to end up in a state of separation from one’s body is an obstacle to 31. Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., Teachings ofthe Prophet Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976), 190. 32. Hinckley, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 13 33. Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 370. 34. Gospel Principles, 9,41, 43. 35, Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview? 255. 36. Gospel Principles, 71-72, 37. Ibid., 33; Millet, “Joseph Smith and Modern Mormonism,” 59, 61progression that a person is helpless to overcome, This first barrier to exaltation is further com- pounded by the reality of sin Personal sin involves the willful disobedience of aperson towards the commands and person of God; the natural consequence of sin is thus sepa- ration from God. Because of our sins we cannot return to the presence of God, who is all holy and cannot tolerate sin to the least degree. As with physical death, this spiritual death, or separation from God, short-circuits our ability to progress towards exaltation. Essentially, what occurs in sinning is that we shape our characters in ways that are incompatible with living the kind of life that God lives." And the bad news of sin is that we are helpless to make reparation for our evil choices, to make the kind of infinite atonement necessary to return to God's presence.” However, when speaking on the subject of sin, it needs to be emphasized that according to LDS doctrine the descendents of Adam and Eve do not inherit their guilt or sin; the original transgression of Adam and Eve is imputed to them alone. Human persons are only guilty for their own personal sins. In view of the foreseen merits of Christ, Adam and Eve were forgiven af- ter they had repented of their original transgres sion. Furthermore, because of the merits of Christ’s atonement, all persons born into the world are born in a saved state, In other words, through the grace of Christ's atoning sacrifice the spel Principles, 33, 122-23, 39, Ibid., 73. ‘The Doctrine of Exaltation, or Becoming a God * 33 “original sin” of Adam and Eve does not touch or affect any other person. Sin only becomes a re- ality in a child’s life when it has reached the age of accountability (age 8) and can freely choose for itself between good and evil; prior to reaching this age of accountability little children are natu- ral heirs of exaltation." Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, and it hath no power wherefore, little over them, ... But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world." Every spirit of man was innocent in the be ginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God.” Thus, LDS doctrine rejects any notion of “origi- nal sin” which imputes spiritual death—separation from God—to infants and children for acts which are not their own.” It is Christ, then, who is the Savior and the one who redeems humanity from sin and death. As was noted above, Christ was ordained and cho- sen by God before the world existed to serve as its redeemer. And Christ was able to make an infinite atonement to God because he is the only person born into mortality who was both human and divine. As was also noted previously, Christ 40. Doctrine and Covenants 137:10; Gospel Principles, 132-33; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 63. 41. Moroni 8:8, 12 42, Doctrine and Covenants 93:38. 43. Articles of Faith 2; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 153-54; Byron R. Merrill,“Original Sin,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 372, 44, Hansen, “Only Begotten in the Flesh.” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of ‘Mormonism, 264-65; Lund, “Plan of Salvation,” 387; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 129 Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview," 256-57,34 + “Partakers of the Divine Nature” attained godhood prior to his mortal birth, Moreover, he is the only begotten of the Father in the flesh Latter-day Saint scripture affirms unequivo- cally that the birth of Jesus Christ was the mortal advent on earth of an actual God, a second distinct member of the Godhead.® God the Father became the literal father of Je- sus Christ, Jesus is the only person on earth to be born of a mortal mother and an immor- tal father. That is why he is called the Only Begotten Son. From mortality and was subject to hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, and death, He inherited divine powers from his Father. No one could take the Savior’ life from him unless He willed it He had power to lay it down and power to take up his body again after dying. is mother he inherited The actual atoning sacrifice of Christ began in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ suf- fered to the point of sweating blood, and was completed on Calvary, when Christ sacrificed his life for the redemption of humanity.” Thus, Christ’s suffering and death overcomes the bar- rier of sin while his glorious bodily resurrection ensures that all persons will have their bodies re- stored to them in a glorified, perfected state." The question now becomes, how does this atone- ‘ment, accomplished by Christ, become effective in the lives of human persons? To answer this ‘Mormonism, 265. 46. Gospel Principles, 64 47. Tbid., 73; Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview," 257. question, which deals with the means whereby human persons can continue on the path of pro- gression towards exaltation, one must turn to an examination of the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ The Ordinances of Exaltation ‘The ordinances (or sacraments) of the gospel are sacted rites or ceremonies.” Some can be cat- egorized as ordinances of exaltation, insofar as they are necessary means whereby the grace of Christ is communicated to human persons so that they can attain exaltation, while others can be described as ordinances of healing or comfort, insofar as they are not essential to a person's pro- gression and attainment of exaltation.” What is of interest here are the former, those ordinances required for exaltation: baptism, confirmation, the endowment, and marriage for time and eternity." After a person has come to faith in the re- stored gospel of Jesus Christ and has repented of all wrongdoing, baptism by immersion, by one possessing valid priesthood authority, can be ad- ministered. It should be noted that the ordinance of baptism is only given to persons who have reached the age of accountability (age 8). Through baptism all sins are forgiven and a person be- ‘comes a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.® Because it is the first ordinance 45. Andrew Skinner, “Birth of Jesus Chris,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of 48. Gospel Principles, 7475; Millet, “Jesus Christ: Overview,” 257, 259. 49. Gospel Principles, 380; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 548-49, 50, McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 549. 51. Gospel Principles, 98-99, 303. 52. The restored gospel: The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is to be found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 53. Gospel Principles, 129-35 passim; Carl S. Hawkins, “Baptism, in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 31-34 passim; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 6972 passim.that can be received, baptism is often described as the gateway to the celestial kingdom, that is, the highest kingdom of heaven wherein one’s pro: gression towards exaltation can take place." Soon after baptism, oftentimes immediately after baptism, a person will receive the ordinance of confirmation. Confirmation is administered by the laying on of hands by men possessing valid priesthood authority. Two things occur asa result of confirmation: a person has his or her mem- bership in the LDS Church “confirmed” and he or she is given the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift entitles a person who lives a worthy life to the right to receive “guidance and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.”* ‘The final two ordinances necessary for exal- tation, the endowment and marriage for time and eternity, can only be performed in “houses of the Lord,” that is, temples of the LDS Church.” Only adults—baptized and confirmed members of the LDS Church—who are morally worthy can gain admission to a temple to receive their endowment or be married.” The exact content of the endow- ment is never talked about or discussed outside of a temple because of the sacred nature of this ordinance. However, Elder James E. Talmage, an apostle of the LDS Church, has published an au thoritative overview of the endowment which, 54, 55, Rulon G. Craven, ‘The Doctrine of Exaltation, or Becoming a God + 35 although a bit lengthy, provides the basic infor- mation needed to appreciate its significance. ‘The temple endowment, as administered in modern temples, comprises instruction relat ing to the significance and sequence of past dispensations, and the importance ofthe pres- entas the greatest and grandest era in human history. This course of instruction includes a recital of the most prominent events of the creative period, the condition of our first par ents in the Garden of Eden, their disobedience and consequent expulsion from that blissful abode, their condition in the lone and dreary world when doomed to live by labor and sweat, the plan of redemption by which the ‘great transgression may be atoned, the pe- riod of the great apostasy, the restoration of the gospel with all its ancient powers and privilege, the absolute and indispensable con- ditions of personal purity and devotion to the right in the present life, and a strict com- pliance with gospel requirements. dinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law ‘The or- of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the race; to maintain Gospel Principles, 131; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 70, 118. ‘Confirmation? in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mor: ‘monism, 74-76 passim; Gospel Principles, 137-40 passim; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 156. sp ip 56, Gospel Principles, 137 57, Alexander, “A New and Everlasting Covenant,” 56-57; Burton, “Doctrine: Distinctive Teachings,” 30-31; Burton, “Salvation,” in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 431; Gospel Principles, 255-56; Margaret McConkie Pope, “Exaltation,”in Jesus Christ and His Gospel: Selections {from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 159. Young adults who are called to serve a full-time mission for the LDS Church (for men, typically at age 19 for 24 months of service, for women, typically at age 21 for 18 months of service) will receive their en- dowment prior to entering the Missionary Training Center. Those to be married in a temple if they have not already received their endowment, receive it within a short period of time prior to their scheduled wedding date. However, mature adults, even if marriage is not imminent, may receive their endowment if approved to do so by their local priesthood leaders.