In 1995, the Church of Jesus Christ published The Family Proclamation. In this document some very important truths were brought to light. One of these eternal principles is that gender is an eternal characteristic of our spirits.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
It has been 30 years since this proclamation was published. I accepted it immediately. I love the fact that I am eternally a woman and, that fact alone, makes me very curious about the spiritual journey of other women.
Through the Pearl of Great Price we know that Eve was the “Mother of all Living” before she even stepped through the veil of mortality. We also know that Satan was in the garden of Eden to ensure that Adam and Eve had a choice to make – remain in the garden forever or embark on mortality. Eve and Adam chose to have a mortal experience, and we all share in that wonderful blessing of mortality. We are all their children.
This is just one truth restored to us in this great and last dispensation, and what an amazing blessing it is to know that Adam and Eve were meant to take of the fruit! Their choice of mortality ushered in death, sickness, and pain, but it also ushered in joy, love, faith and children. Eve and Adam did what was right and good when they chose to eat of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil.
This great and last dispensation is a time when all previous gospel blessings will be restored to the earth. We have the same organization that existed in the primitive church, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,) but the prejudices of our current culture did slow down the restoration of priesthood blessings to all races and people. Only as the saints grew in faith and goodness were priesthood ordinances offered to ALL of God’s children with the Revelation on the Priesthood that came in 1977.
It is true that God will not give us more blessings and truth than we, as a people, can bear.
President Nelson said in 2018 –
“We’re witnesses to a process of restoration… “If you think the Church has been fully restored, you’re just seeing the beginning. There is much more to come. … Wait till next year. And then the next year. Eat your vitamin pills. Get your rest. It’s going to be exciting.”
Ongoing revelation, The Pearl of Great Price, and the Book of Mormon have restored much truth – especially concerning our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But if you remember from seminary, more than half of the plates that Moroni offered to Joseph Smith for translation were sealed up and unavailable to translate. This knowledge would come forth only when we, as a people, have faith enough to accept it.
Are we ready for that truth? Have we enough faith to live up to the truth we already have? Are we valiant in our testimonies? When we all can answer with a resounding “Yes!”, we will receive more.
What an exciting time to be a Christian!
krhofhiens.com 