Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God (D&C 88:119).
I would like to offer a unique perspective relative to the final judgment as applicable to the telestial, terrestrial and celestial kingdoms. Oftentimes I feel that we as members view the aforementioned kingdoms as individually distinct and exclusive. I have heard and have read the kingdoms being compared to the stars, moon and sun relative to degrees of glory. To me, this perspective is indicative of a rudimentary mindset that perhaps does not see the big picture. The plan of salvation as doctrinally accepted provides the framework for perspective. The importance of the sun, moon and stars, although inherently unique, are unified in purpose. The divine purpose of the sun, moon and stars are in servitude to the earth. The earth, a creation of God, was created for His children. Therefore, relative to final judgement presuming that the sun compares to the celestial, the moon the terrestrial and stars the telestial–we may agree that although different in brightness and glory they are unified in purpose whose purpose is God’s purpose.
What I am proposing is that I imagine a heaven that is not stratified but one in which we will be able to co-mingle with others despite their choices. It helps me to visualize the kingdoms as the sun, moon and stars unified in divine purpose to watch over the earth and its inhabitants inducing change relative to progress, guided by the desire of God. We have been taught that the temple is the gateway to heaven. We are also taught that our bodies are a temple. We are taught to have Christ centered homes that are sanctuaries like a temple. Furthermore, as recommended members we have access to temples, which are literally houses of God. Despite the distinct differences in each person’s perspective, the individual, the family, and House of God are each fundamentally important within a macrocosmic view within the plan of salvation; with an emphasis on the importance of chastity, we keep our individual chapels clean that we may enter into the house of God as individuals, that we may walk out as families that are forever. Although our capacity to see beyond our own selves we are limited by tunnel vision. Some see success based on individual merit, others see success from a perspective as a couple, and finally others will see success as a family. I am merely suggesting that the segmented view of life through these individual lenses are helpful but a view which values the importance of all three occurring simultaneously is a more realistic perspective within life. Our focus shifts from ourselves to our spouses and to our children constantly. Basically, what I am saying is that you don’t look at the stars in the sky and not think about the moon or sun. We are important to God regardless of our status after final judgment. Rhetorically, what would the heavens be like without the stars moon or sun? Likewise God loves all of his children, whether telestial, terrestrial or celestial. We are all of equal importance and value to our Heavenly father who knows each star, each moon and each sun by name. In short, love yourself, love your spouse, love your children…
…love thy neighbor as thyself.