Premortality
Overview
Premortality refers to our life before we were born on this earth. In our pre-earth life, we lived in the presence of our Heavenly Father as His spirit children. We did not have a physical body.
In this premortal existence, we attended a council with Heavenly Father’s other spirit children. At that council, Heavenly Father presented His great plan of happiness (see Abraham 3:22–26).
In harmony with the plan of happiness, the premortal Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son of the Father in the spirit, covenanted to be the Savior (see Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27). Those who followed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were permitted to come to the earth to experience mortality and progress toward eternal life. Lucifer, another spirit son of God, rebelled against the plan and “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). He became Satan, and he and his followers were cast out of heaven and denied the privileges of receiving a physical body and experiencing mortality (see Moses 4:4; Abraham 3:27–28).
Throughout our premortal life, we developed our identity and increased our spiritual capabilities. Blessed with the gift of agency, we made important decisions, such as the decision to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. These decisions affected our life then and now. We grew in intelligence and learned to love the truth, and we prepared to come to the earth, where we could continue to progress.
Related Topics
Scriptures
Scripture References
Scripture Study Resources
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Topical Guide, “Man, Antemortal Existence of”
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Index to the Triple Combination, “Premortal Existence”
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Guide to the Scriptures, “Premortal Life”
Messages from Church Leaders
Videos
“We Lived With God”
“Our Eternal Life”
Learning Resources
Church Magazines
Norman W. Gardner, “What We Know about Premortal Life,” New Era, February 2015
“The Gospel of Jesus Christ Teaches the Reality of Our Premortal Existence,” Ensign or Liahona, June 2008
“The Fulness of the Gospel: Life before Birth,” Ensign, February 2006
“Line upon Line: Before Birth,” Ensign or Liahona, February 2001