Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Thirty-One
The Post-Mortal Spirit World
Where is the post-mortal spirit world and who lives there? - We know more detail about the post mortal spirit world than about the pre-mortal spirit world. "The spirits of those who have departed are not far from us…the post-mortal spirit world is on the earth, around us….All spirits are in adult form. They were adults before their mortal existence, and they are in adult form after death, even if they die as infants or children” (Gospel Principles Manual, (GPM), p. 241-43). The bodies of infants and children grow to maturity after the resurrection.
In the spirit world an awful gulf separates the wicked and righteous (1 Nephi 15:28-30) – At death the spirits of all people go to the spirit world where the "righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise" and "the spirits of the wicked" are "cast out into outer darkness" ( Alma 40:11-14) Joseph Smith further explained: “The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith….The great misery of departed spirits (of the wicked) in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers” (Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS) p. 310-11, 326).
Just as in this life individual conditions vary in the spirit world and people live in varying degrees of happiness or unhappiness -Spirits have the same appetites and desires that they had when they lived on earth. (See Alma 34:34) In the spirit world people are blessed according to their obedience to the light and knowledge they had while on earth and the light and knowledge they are willing to accept when it is offered to them in the spirit world.
1 Peter 3:19 refers to "the spirits in prison" - While "spirits in prison" includes those who have not yet received the gospel this does not mean that people who lived according to the light they had while on the earth are miserable in the spirit world. For them spirit prison can best be understood as a limitation because they do not yet enjoy all the blessings of the gospel. Joseph Smith, referring to the temple and the redemption of the dead wrote: “Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free” (D&C 128:22).
In the spirit world people are received into paradise when they become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints "If they accept the gospel and the ordinance performed for them in the temples, spirits may leave the spirit prison and dwell in paradise" (GPM, p. 244). Spirits are vicariously baptized, confirmed members of the Church, and given the gift of the Holy Ghost in temple ordinances we are able to perform in their behalf. As in mortality "spirits may progress as they learn gospel principles and live in accordance with them" (GPM, p. 243, see also D&C 138:28-37). I believe a vast majority of the many good people who did not have the gospel in this life will receive it with joy in the spirit world where their circumstances for learning will be greatly increased. Furthermore, in the spirit world The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints “has an even more perfect and effective organization among the righteous dead” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Funeral Services for Richard L. Evans, Ensign, December 1971) than it has in the world we now live in.
Testimony – As we serve in the temple we can see with “the eye of faith” (Ether 12:19) the great joy of those for whom we serve have as they receive the saving ordinances of the gospel. This is especially true as they are sealed as a family. This gives us a greater understanding of how anxious they have been for us to do our part so that they can have all the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ as soon as possible. There is no more Christ-like service than that of the temple which enables those who have passed on to enjoy the full redemptive power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and live as an eternal family.