David If some of the circumstances in which I find myself are based upon my conduct before, where did I begin? When did I start?

John Well, first of all, there is an eternity of spirit matter.

"Our spirit matter was eternal and co-existent with God, but it was organized into spirit bodies by our Heavenly Father." (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness,p. 5.) "All men were first born in pre-existence as the literal spirit offspring of God our Heavenly Father.

This birth constituted the beginning of the human ego as a conscious identity. By the ordained procreative process our exalted and immortal Father begat his spirit progeny in pre-existence." (McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, p. 84.) "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity." (The First Presidency [Joseph Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund], "The Origin of Man,"Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, p. 78.)

David If I was born in the premortal world, what experiences did I go through there that provided God with a basis to favor or restrict me in this world?

John We lived there in the home of our Father in heaven.
"He is a resurrected and holy and perfected man, and we are his offspring. We are his spirit children. He lives in the family unit. We are members of his family. We lived in this premortal life with him for aninfinite period of time. We were on probation; we were being schooled and tested and examined; we were given the laws and the circumstances so that we could progress and advance. . . .

"This system was given to us, and for an infinite period of time, we advanced and progressed and did things that enabled us to go along the course leading to exaltation and dominion and godhood. . . .

"In this prior life, this premortal existence, this pre-existence, we developed various capacities and talents. Some developed them in one field and some in another. The most important of all fields was the field of spirituality, the ability, the talent, the capacity to recognize truth." (Bruce R. McConkie, as cited in When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren, A Study Guide for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums of the Church, 197475, pp. 89.)

"Our spirit bodies went through a long period of growth and development and training and, having passed the test successfully, were finally admitted to this earth and to mortality." (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 5.)

"Preexistence is not some remote and mysterious place. All of us are but a few years removed from the Eternal Presence, from him whose children we are and in whose house we dwelt. . . .

". . . We know we had friends and associates there. We know we were schooled and trained and taught in the most perfect educational system ever devised, and that by obedience to his eternal laws we developed infinite varieties and degrees of talents. . . .

". . . When we come into mortality, we bring the talents, capacities, and abilities acquired by obedience to law in our prior existence." (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Apr. 1974, pp. 1013.)

David I am to understand, then, that I was born as the spirit son of God in heaven, that I lived there with my Father and mother in heaven and with my spirit brothers and sisters, and that I had opportunities to learn, to be tested, and to develop talents and abilities?

John That is right. Some accounts that we have of the premortal life teach that we "were on the same standing" (Alma 13:5), and that we were "innocent" in the beginning (D&C 93:38).

We were given laws and agency, and commandments to have faith and repent from the wrongs that we could do there. ". . .

Man could and did in many instances, sin before he was born. . . ." (Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 44.)

"God gave his children their agency even in the spirit world, by which the individual spirits had the privilege, just as men have here, of choosing the good and rejecting the evil, or partaking of the evil to suffer the consequences of their sins. . . . some even there were more faithful than others in keeping the commandments of the Lord. . . .

"The spirits of men . . . had an equal start, and we know they were all innocent in the beginning; but the right of free agency which was given to them enabled some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal existence, to become more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against it." (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:5859.)

Many responded to the spirit of God there. They were favored and foreordained to receive privileges.

". . . And it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish; therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb." (Alma 13:10, 11; compare McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, p. 477.)

"Now this is the doctrine of foreordination; this is the doctrine of election. This is the reason why the Lord has a chosen and favored and peculiar people on earth; and this is why he said: 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.'"(Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Apr. 1974, p. 103.)

David But what of those in premortality who rejected the Spirit of God and did not exercise exceeding great faith and repentance and righteousness before God? (See Alma 13:4, 10.)

John They were not able to enjoy the great privileges that
others were foreordained to receive. (See Alma 13:4.) They "did not show the loyalty to their Redeemer that they should." (Smith, Way to Perfection, p. 43.)

David But weren't they allowed to come into the world innocent, too?

John Yes. They were innocent at the time of their mortal
birth. (See D&C 93:38.) Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said this:
"Their sin was not one that merited the extreme punishment which was inflicted on the devil and his angels. They were not denied the privilege of receiving the second estate, but were permitted to come to the earth-life with some restrictions placed upon them. . . . Yet, like all other spirits who come into this world, they come innocent before God so far as mortal existence is concerned, and here, under certain restrictions, they may work out their second estate." (Way to Perfection, pp. 43, 44. Emphasis added.)

Hence, some in this world receive great privileges and opportunities to receive the gospel because they chose to do good in preexistence. Others are limited here because they were not as "noble and great" there. (See Abraham 3:22.)