YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED BY JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH, president of the council of the twelve
DIFFERENCES IN BODIES IN THE RESURRECTION
Question: "The Lord has revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith that there will be no marriage outside of the celestial kingdom, and even there, only among those who have been faithful to all covenants in mortal life and have been married according to divine law in the temple of the Lord. The question was raised in our class in regard to men and women who are assigned to other kingdoms, also those who are in the celestial kingdom and who are unmarried; what will prevent them from living together outside of the marriage covenant? We assume it to be a fact that females, as well as males, in great numbers will inherit places in these other kingdoms. ''Will you kindly discuss this problem for us?"
Answer: We may well believe that our Eternal Father has fully considered this point and made ample provision to meet the situation. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 88, we are informed that there will be differences in the bodies of inhabitants of the several kingdoms to meet every need and restriction.
"And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
"For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
"And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
"And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory." (D&C 88:22-24.)
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We are informed in this revelation that those who cannot abide any of these kingdoms will also be quickened, that is they will receive the resurrection, but they shall go to their own place, ". . . to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received." (Ibid., 88:32.)
Since bodies will be raised in the resurrection to suit the condition of each individual, the Lord will assign each man and woman to the place which each has earned. We are fully justified in believing that provision has been made to cover every emergency and condition peculiar to each kingdom. Our own judgment should reveal to us that our Father in heaven would not overlook a matter as vital as this
fact that men and women are to be assigned to the several kingdoms which their mortal lives entitle them to obtain. Divine justice will be meted out to each, whether male or female, according to their opportunities to hear and receive his gospel, and based on their free agency to act independently of the commandments and blessing of the Lord. As simple a matter as marriage for eternity and the union of the sexes in eternity has been determined according to the mercy and justice of our Eternal Father. We may conclude that the matter of the sexes was fully considered and the decree entered long before the Garden of Eden or the time when this earth was formed.
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Elder Orson Pratt in a wonderful discourse on the resurrection has given this key to the situation, which must be true, for it seems clear and logical:
"In all the works of God, we behold a resemblance among classes; but a variety among individuals belonging to each class. All the planets of our system resemble each other more or less in form; but in magnitude and many other respects, there is a great variety. In every species of animals and plants, there are many resemblances in the general outlines, and many specific differences characterizing the individuals of each species. So in the resurrection: there will be several classes of resurrected bodies; some celestial, some terrestrial, some telestial, and some sons of perdition. Each of these classes will differ from the others by prominent and marked distinctions; yet in each, considered by itself, there will be found many resemblances as well as distinctions. There will be some physical peculiarity by which each individual in every class can be identified." (The Seer, p. 274.)
Our own sober judgment teaches us that the Lord in his infinite wisdom and justice, would see to it that the privileges of increase or cohabitation between men and women in these kingdoms would be impossible because of peculiar conditions pertaining to these glories. Is not the sectarian world justified in their doctrine generally proclaimed, that after the resurrection there will be neither male or female sex? It is a logical conclusion for them to reach and apparently is in full harmony with what the Lord has revealed regarding the kingdoms into which evidently the vast majority of mankind is likely to go. However, if members of the Church are faithful and true to the covenants and commandments of the gospel, there is no reason for them to worry about the condition which will prevail in these several kingdoms.
This is the article that Booth is referring to (all images are the same; not enough room for alt text. most alt text in the last image) #mormonstudies
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