The Veil of Forgetfulness
Teacher – I want to talk about something else for a minute.
Student – Ok.
Teacher – The veil of forgetfulness was placed over us causing us to forget what we knew and understood before this life. Have you ever thought about why this was done?
Student – No, I just accepted the fact that I couldn’t remember anything before this life and so I must be under the veil of forgetfulness.
Teacher – Well, you’re just like most people. J I want to tell you a secret… are you listening closely?
Student – Yeah, I’m listening…
Teacher – If you can learn and understand why the veil was put there, then you will know why and how to remove it.
Student – Really!?!
Teacher – Yep. Do you know why it was put there?
Student – No, why!
Teacher – It was put there for our protection.
Student – What?
Teacher – It protects us.
Student – From what?
Teacher – From knowledge.
Student – What knowledge?
Teacher – The knowledge we had before we were born.
Student – How can that hurt us?
Teacher – (smiling) let me give you the big picture…
We are accountable for what we know, right?
Student – Yes.
Teacher – Well, if you had all that knowledge, then you would be accountable to it, right?
Student – Yeah, but if I had the knowledge, then I would know and being accountable to it would be easy.
Teacher – You would think so, wouldn’t you… But, we came here to get bodies and bodies have things we weren’t familiar with like urges, addictions and desires.
Student – Yeah.
Teacher – As spirits we had already mastered our spirit bodies but we didn’t know how to handle the physical bodies we would get. And the physical body is pretty loud and demanding. It would take time and experience to figure out how to control our body and the urges we have. We didn’t just come down here to get a body, but to learn how to use it correctly.
Student – Yeah…
Teacher – Even when it seems to have a mind of its own and wants to do something we don’t want it to do. There are some things that we do or learn to do that aren’t easy to stop. For example, we know that we should love our enemy, but sometimes that is hard to do that.
Student – Oh, yeah… I guess that it isn’t always easy to do what we know we should be doing.
Teacher – Right.
Student – So we have the veil to keep us from knowing everything that we should be doing to protect us from being accountable to that knowledge?
Teacher – That’s right. Alma taught this principle saying,
“And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?” - Alma 32:19
Teacher – The veil of forgetfulness is a blessing. It was placed over us to protect us from having perfect knowledge that we couldn’t live up to which would condemn us. Greater knowledge equals greater accountability.
The whole system allows us to learn and grow and take on one challenge at a time so that we aren’t overwhelmed. Think about it, when we are born, the only thing we have to learn is how to move, see, hear, etc. The basics of physical existence. Then we grow a little and around two years old, we start having preferences. When we don’t get what we want, we feel angry and frustrated and throw fits to express how we feel. That is an entirely new experience that we didn’t have when we were born. And it takes a year or so to learn to manage that new experience. Then we have other things show up in our lives that we need to master. A little here and a little there. When we become teenagers, all of the sudden we get hormones. That throws us back into crazy mode and we have to learn how to handle those.
Our entire life is learning to manage one new physical experience after another until we have learned to work with our body correctly. Imagine if we were born as full grown adults having everything thrown at us at the same time. We would be dealing with frustrations and anger and controlling our moods and hormones all at the same time. It would be overwhelming and we would be run by the body rather than running the body.
Then let’s say we removed the veil on top of that so we knew everything, but couldn’t control ourselves.
Student – Oh my gosh, that would be a mess!
Teacher – Tell me about it. Even with life giving us a little challenge at a time, we are still a mess. It is a really good thing we don’t know everything we used to.
Student – I can see that. But, how does that help us to know how to remove the veil?
Teacher – Good question. You see, when we realize that the veil is placed over us to protect us from having knowledge we can’t handle or be responsible for, then all we have to do to remove the veil is to act as if it wasn’t there and show that we are able to control our bodies enough to be accountable for that knowledge.
Student – Wow, that makes sense! How simple! But don’t we have to master everything before we can have the veil removed?
Teacher – No, the veil can be removed piece by piece so that we can see a little here and a little there based on what we are ready to receive. If you want to see more, then live according to the knowledge you have already received. Be the best you can be and realize that by mastering the physical, you gain access to the spiritual.
Student – By mastering the physical, we gain access to the spiritual, and the veil is removed in proportion to how well we are able live with the information without condemning ourselves.
Teacher – Yes. And how well you are able to listen to, believe and follow the spirit. You could have complete mastery over your body, but if you are not connected to God through the spirit, then you won’t learn much. The veil is removed by revelation. Revelation means to reveal which is the opposite of re-veil. It means to have the veil removed, and only the spirit can do that.
Student – Wow, that’s so cool. I feel like I have direction or at least an idea as to what I am trying to accomplish. I was just kind of bouncing along through life not really understanding what I was trying to do more than I already have done. Now, I see a little more clearly what my goals or focus should be. I need to live the best I believe how now to show that I am capable of learning more. And I need to be close to the spirit so that it can reveal to me what I used to know… I just remembered a scripture that didn’t make sense to me before… it says,
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” - John 14:26
Teacher – Sounds like you just received a revelation…
The End of Our Probation
Teacher – When do you think our probation ends?
Student – I guess the obvious answer is that the probation ends at death.
Teacher – Again, it would seem to be almost an obvious answer, but again it is not.
If death were the end of the probation, then God would not be Just. This is because some souls reach death and would end their probation only minutes after they arrived, others might die just after turning eight, some die at 30 something and still others live to over 100 years old. What if the person who died at 30 would have repented and had a better life by the time he was 100? I have known of people who were in their 90's that were converted and baptized. (I felt bad for them as the whole under water thing was so difficult, but they wanted to do it...)
Where is the justice in that when compared with the nineteen-year-old that died in a car wreck? Or even better, what about the guy that lives in the Australian bush who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel preached, to repent or to become like God? What if he would have changed during his probation had he received the same opportunity as you or I?
As you know, the probation period is the "time to prepare to meet God". Specifically, the probationary period is a time to "Repent" and prepare for the "Endless State" which comes after the resurrection of the dead.
"And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead." - Alma 12: 24
This “Endless State” happens after the individual’s judgment which takes place immediately before the person is resurrected into their final state of glory. When we are resurrected, we receive a fullness of the glory by which we are quickened at the time of the judgment. That moment is the end of our probation because we have just entered the "Endless State" which is after the resurrection of the dead.
“27. For notwithstanding they die, they also shall arise again, a spiritual body.
28. They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
29. Ye who ARE quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
30. And they who ARE quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
31. And also they who ARE quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
32. And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they ARE willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.” – D&C 88:27-32
Proceeding onward, remember again Adam and Eve in the Garden… After they took the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and had fallen, and now knowing good from evil, they are sent out of God’s presence to enter their probationary state. Then, God placed a cherubim and a flaming sword before the tree of life to prevent Adam and Eve from taking the Fruit. If they were permitted to take the fruit of the tree of life, they would have entered into their “Endless State” having not had a time to prepare or repent. The result is that they would have “lived forever in their sins”. Alma explains how preventing them from taking this fruit of life gave them the opportunity to "prepare" for the Judgment which is "the end".
"26. And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the word of God would have been void, taking none effect.
27. But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end." - Alma 12:26-27
We are to "Endure to the end". This literally means that we are to endure to the judgment. When the Judgment has been passed, we have ended our probation and determined our Eternal State. God wants to give us all the maximum possibility to repent and progress before the judgment. But he still has limits. For those who have not yet repented, he will extend the judgment to the very last possible opportunity. This means that those few who refuse to repent during their extended probation, (even after the thousand years of the millennium), who have been given every opportunity will finally be judged and resurrected into their endless state.
"101. And these are the rest of the dead; and they live not again until the thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth.
102. And another trump shall sound, which is the fourth trump, saying: There are found among those who are to remain until that great and last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still." - D&C 88:101-102
For these souls, the end of there probation is the "great and last day" at the end of the millennium just before "the resurrection of the unjust".
Death must happen before we can be raised to immortality which begins our eternal state. But Death is not the end of our probation, judgment is, followed by our resurrection to eternal life or eternal damnation.
"43. And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe;
44. And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not;" - D&C 29:43-44
Now, going back to those who died but did not receive the gospel in life. Has their probation period ended such that they cannot change their eternal state or endless state? No, Post Mortal spirits can repent, and even become "celestial spirits". This is why the gospel was preached to the spirits in prison. If their probation had ended and they could not repent and change their eternal state, then such preaching would have been useless. But they can repent because their preparatory or probationary state continues until judgment and the resurrection of the dead. And so the spirits can be "judged according to men in the flesh" meaning that just as men in the flesh are judged according to what they do in their probationary period, so too are men in the spirit able to be judged according to their probationary period in the spirit world.
“10. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Peter 4:6.)
19. And there he preached to them the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the resurrection and the redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual sins on conditions of repentance.
30. But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.
31. And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel.
32. Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
33. These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
34. And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." - D&C 138:10, 19, 30-34
The Duration of Our Probation
Teacher – Is the probation period the same length for everyone?
Student – No, but how can that be fair or even just?
Teacher – As shown above, if our probation were contingent on the end of our mortal existence, then God would be unjust.
One might then change their answer to make it contingent on mortal birth by saying that if the probation period extends until the end of the thousand years, then a person born 2000 years ago has more time than a person born today. This may be the case; however, if a person has not repented after 1000 years of lessons and opportunities, they will not repent in this creation cycle. In other words, 1000 years is more than enough to prepare for your Endless State.
However, have we forgotten to mention those who are resurrected during the resurrection of the just? Or those who are “Twinkled” meaning changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality? They did not have to wait until the end of the millennium to be judged and enter into their Eternal State. So their probation is shortened. They have “Endured to the End” of their probation and enter into their eternal glory. This has happened for many who have already been resurrected at the time Christ was resurrected and a select few since that time.
“52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53. and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” - Matt. 27:52-53, (See also 3Ne. 23:7-14)
There is still one more group to consider, namely those who have passed the probationary tests and trials and have received the promise of exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. The promise is commonly known as Calling and Election Made Sure and those who have received the promise have passed their probation and been judged in advance of receiving their immortal bodies. Bruce R. McConkie addresses this situation in a modern institute manual;
“What is meant by having one's calling and election made sure?
"To have one's calling and election made sure is to be sealed up unto eternal life; it is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the Father's kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into the divine presence to sit with Christ in his throne, even as he is "set down" with his "Father in his throne." (Rev 3:21.)" - Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:325-353.
Those who “Endure to the End” have endured to the end of the Probation and received the promise of God. This is what the term, “Endure to the End” means. It does not mean endure to the end of your life because your probation may extend into the next life. If you read the scriptures that use the phrase “Endure to the End”, you will see that they are not and cannot be referencing the end of one’s life because death does not bring a promise of blessings that has not been received in life.
One of the most common examples of this promise being receive is that of Abraham who having endured to the end received his promise.
“13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
15. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:” – Heb. 6:13, 15,17
The implications of this promise are astounding to say the least! When we have received our Calling and Election Made Sure, we are literally promised by God himself that our exaltation is certain as long as we still desire it. (There are those, like Cain, who after having been offered exaltation knowingly reject it and become Son’s of Perdition.) Understand that this gift and promise are not given lightly. When God gives his promise, he is certain and makes a vow on his own name that cannot be broken because God cannot lie and remain God.
“13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” - Heb. 6:13, 17-19
Now, we see at this point that those who have received this promise have completed their probationary state. They have Endured to the End of their probation.