Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Thirty-Two
Lifting the Veil of Forgetfulness
In mortality our memories are veiled – We should look forward to when this veil will be lifted.
For those who did not hear and/or receive the gospel in mortality their probationary or testing time continues in the spirit world. Therefore, a veil is still necessary. It seems likely the veil will begin to thin for people in the spirit world when they begin to exercise faith, repent, and accept and live the gospel.
For righteous people, in this life, the veil becomes thin, especially in the temple, as temple work is closely related to the spirit world. For people who have great faith the veil can be lifted while in mortality. “And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad” (Ether 12:19).
When righteous people die and go to the spirit world the veil of forgetfulness begins to be lifted – Elder Bruce R. McConkie, knowing that he would soon die, gave his last testimony:
“I am one of his witnesses and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way” (Ensign, May 1985).
President Benson told how righteous people would feel when they die and pass through the veil: “We once knew well our Elder Brother and His and our Father in Heaven. We rejoiced at the prospects of earth life that could make it possible for us to have a fulness of joy. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one.
“Now we are here. Our memories are veiled. We are showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us.
“God loves us. He is watching us. He wants us to succeed. We will know some day that He has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. If we only knew it, heavenly host are pulling for us – friends in heaven that we cannot now remember who yearn for our victory. This is our day to show what we can do – what life and sacrifice we can daily, hourly, instantly make for God. If we give our all, we will get His all from the greatest of all.” (Ezra Taft Benson, First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, December 7, 1986)
Testimony – Everyone will have their memories restored at the time of their resurrection and judgment appropriate to the inheritance they are worthy of. However, only those who are exalted in the celestial kingdom will “see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace. And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion” (D&C 76:94-95).
May each of us be worthy of this greatest of all blessings!