June Visiting Teaching Lesson

The Gospel of Jesus Chirst Teaches the Reality of our Premortal Existence

What a great topic for discussion for our visits this month. As a convert to the gospel when the missionaries taught me about my our premortal life bells went off. Of course we lived before with a Father who loved us and wanted only the best for us. We had friends, maybe family (?), other spirits we knew and loved. So the purpose for this new life now makes prefect sense. Julie Beck (RS General President) states, "Women have distinct assignments given to them from before the foundation of the world. We know ... we sided with our Savior, Jesus Christ, to preserve our potential to belong to eternal families."

During our premortal life we knew this life would be difficult. It would be challenging. We would be frustrated. It would be really hard. And yet we made the choice to come. To be tested. To be tried. Why? We made the choice because during the premortal life we KNEW the pure joy of earning eternal life. Elder L. Tom Perry during this past conference stated, "...those who obey the fullness of the gospel law will inherit eternal life... It is 'the greatest of all the gifts of God'... for it is the kind, status, type, and quality of life that God himself enjoys." This is our potential and divine mission as s sisters to return not as individuals but in family units. Each of us has the potential to become a "join" heirs with Christ with our families. To have the will, desire and ability to overcome all things, have all power and receive the fullness of the Father. So yes this life is difficult... and challenging... and so hard... but, "No one said it would be easy, just worth it!"

Elder Perry also challenged us to try to picture in our mind and hearts what it would be like to inherit eternal life. He believes that if we could create in our minds a clear picture of that life we would behave differently. We would not have to be pushed and prodded to do many of the things involved with enduring to the end, like visiting teaching(!), attending the temple, saying our prayers or reading our scriptures. We would do all that is required and MORE because we would know that these things are preparing us for the pure joy of returning and living with Father again. That promise and challenge we accepted during our premortal life when we chose to follow Jesus.