Perfection is a hard word among those of us who know ourselves to be imperfect beings. Has there ever been a time that you haven’t wished that you were a little smarter, better looking, stronger, more ‘perfect’ in one way or another. The word perfect is used many times in the scriptures, usually in ways that make us cringe. For example when we stand before the bar of God we will have a perfect knowledge of our guilt, we will have a perfect remembrance of all our indiscretions. Christ admonished us to be perfect even as the Father is perfect. That statement has been elaborated on by modern-day prophets to mean that sometime in the eternities we may become perfect even as the Father is now. Thankfully, we do not have to expect to become perfect while struggling in mortal trappings. However, that does not take us off the hook, for we are supposed to be experiencing this world God created for us. Learning and growing and all the intelligence that we can accumulate for ourselves will rise with us in the resur- rection. That means that if we don’t accumulate any we won’t be taking any with us.
Though we may not have perfect knowledge, or be totally perfect as the Father and the Son, the scriptures do say that in the resurrection the spirit and body will be reunited in perfect form. (Alma11:43-44) In perfect form to continue our quest for perfection through eternity. From mortal to immortal, no longer subject to corruption. Our goal will be to eventually become as is the Father to be perfect and to even create spirit children and one day provide an opportunity to organize an earth wherein they may dwell and learn as we did.
I can hear the unbeliever saying, “What a mythical vision of grandeur, he thinks he can become as a god. When we think of eternity, everlasting, immortality and life without end, then maybe, it is not so far fetched. For God was as man is now and man may become as God is now. To look upon a puny mortal and to envision something so much greater is a hard thing but at the same time to think that way is to mock God. For He has said that; “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39). He is our Father and this world was patterned after the world where he dwells. It is not a hodge podge of last minute ideas. It is a beautifully planned and organized creation like unto the other worlds He has previously created or organized.
As immortal and perfect resurrected beings we will enjoy family and marital relations through all eternity. Why am I so bold as to say that—because God has made that promise to every couple married according to His pattern, married for time and all eternity in His Holy temple.
The question is then asked, Well what about the injured and the maimed, the blind etc. The answer is the same they will be resurrected in perfect form. What about individuals who wanted to marry but were not blessed with a companion while on earth? We are told by priesthood authority that they will have that opportunity, an opportunity to marry during the millennial reign of 1,000 years on earth. What about couples who wanted but were not blessed with children? If they were married for time and all eternity and have lived worthily they will come forth in the first resurrection with perfect and immortal bodies. Remember, this life is patterned after our pre-earth life and therefore couples, man and wife procreate. Yes, there are mothers and fathers in Celestial realms. You may think that is hard to believe. If we seriously think about this Telestial planet we now live on, it’s beauty, it’s accommodating features making it possible for us to live and to breath. Is that not a wonder and a little unbelievable, it is to me. Yes! To think of a Celestial planet is hard but as mortals we keep underestimating the Father, He is ‘just’ and because He is just, all intelligent matter honors and obeys Him. He is therefore all powerful— is there anything that the Father cannot do? We know that He will do what He has said He will do and we can count on that. We just have to love the Father as He loves us and as we do, our faith will speak to us, and it will say, “Yes! It is true!”