Disclaimer: This is not an argument to convince anyone. This is a personal opinion.
Imagine looking at a clear night sky and feeling a sense of nostalgia rather than just awe. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) believes in the Premortal Existence—that we lived with Heavenly Parents as spirit children, often referred to in scripture as “morning stars” (Job 38:7) or “stars in heaven”. Before gaining a physical body, your spirit existed and possessed a distinct personality and agency. The Pre-existence was a time of learning and preparation for “mortality” (Life on Earth), which is seen as the next step in eternal progression.
We Were Not Just Stars, We Were “Leaders”
Based on Abraham 3, premortal spirits are compared to stars, symbolizing that each person possessed unique levels of light, intelligence, and glory before birth. We were active leaders in the Council of Heaven, spirits who actively chose to follow the Plan of Salvation. A central takeaway is that life on Earth is more than just a test; it is the fulfillment of a specific mission that individuals personally agreed to in the premortal life. We didn’t just happen to be there; we chose to fulfill a purpose we already accepted.
The Noble and Great Premortal Identity
The individual worth of our identity did not begin at birth. According to Abraham 3:22-23, God “organized” and knew individuals as spirits before the world was created, implying a deep, personal connection and inherent value. The belief that individuals were “chosen” or assigned specific missions for their earthly lives based on the exceeding faith and good works they demonstrated in the premortal spirit world. This view shifts one’s self-worth. By viewing yourself as a child of “Heavenly Parents” who chose to follow Christ before coming to Earth, you are encouraged to see your value as eternal rather than just defined by mortal “limitations” or flaws.
The Veil and the Journey
The transition involves leaving the immediate presence of God to gain a physical body. The primary goals are to experience mortality and learn to “walk by faith”. The Veil refers to the intentional forgetting of a pre-mortal existence. This loss of memory is necessary to allow for “true agency”. The “stars in heaven” theory removes the terror from mortality. It’s not a punishment; it is a vital step toward returning to God. True spiritual growth is the crucible of struggle, the weight of moral dilemmas, and the clash between light and dark. The Veil shields us from being forced into virtue by the allure of heaven or the fear of divine judgment. By obscuring the obvious, it compels us to trade outward sight for inward strength, building genuine character through the power of faith.
Back to the Light
Humans are not just dust, but fundamentally “stars” currently experiencing a different form of existence. Difficulties are framed not as random events, but as essential compounds of eternal development. By “letting our light shine” now, we are merely mimicking the light we once had and preparing for the light we will receive again in the Celestial Kingdom.