Question
Gramps,
How would it be heaven if our family members aren’t living with us? So I’ve been looking around for this question. I found somethings similar to it like “You are worrying about the wrong problem. You just live worthy of the celestial kingdom, and the family arrangements will be more wonderful than you can imagine.” says Eyring. But I would like a little more in depth like doctrine, your thoughts, and things that you have heard by our leaders in the church. Thank you.
Drew
Answer
Drew,
I can fully understand why you ask this question, and I can fully understand why Elder Eyring’s answer doesn’t fully satisfy; however, his answer does answer the question according to the knowledge we have been given regarding the afterlife. Any answer beyond Eyring’s quote will be speculation and personal feelings. There isn’t any doctrine, scripture, that we are able to read that answers your question according to the depth we would really like.
From my studies of the scriptures there is only one verse of scripture that provides further insight and that is found in Doctrine and Covenants 130:1-2, “When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves. And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.”
If we read this scripture we can see why Elder Eyring may have answered the way he did, and according to information that has been revealed. Let’s review this part of the scripture given, “that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there.” What “sociality” do we have here?
As a married man I haven’t lived with any of my siblings for many many years, and some of our brethren haven’t lived with their siblings in over 50 years. They are in their own unique household raising their own families. I would assume this sociality will exist in heaven after this life. We are informed that people who receive a celestial glory can visit any kingdom and minister unto them (visit). We will have our own unique families (husband and wife) and we will perform whatever work our Father in Heaven has given to us. I assume, just as we visit our loved ones now we will be able to visit them in the afterlife. I am purely interpreting the quoted phrase in that manner. I could be wrong, and we won’t know until we get there. So, I kinda expect not to be “living” in the same household with my family. I kinda expect to be able to visit them. I kinda expect they will be doing the same if they also have received celestial glory.
The main focus though for us is to make sure we are living and becoming like Christ so that we will be able to enjoy all the Father hath. It can be hard to think of loved ones who chose a path that doesn’t allow them to receive all the Father hath, but that was their choice. Think about siblings for example who are offered an opportunity to go to Hawaii, or some other tropical paradise. They are presented with the conditions of what they need to do to be able to go to Hawaii, or some other tropical paradise. One sibling makes every effort to honor the conditions, while the other sibling doesn’t take the conditions seriously (thinking being “good” is enough to override any conditions and laws set). When that times comes one of the siblings honored the conditions and the other did not. The one then goes to Hawaii, while the other — although not honoring the conditions to Hawaii — they have been able to go to some other nice place. I would definitely enjoy Hawaii, and I would be sad that my sibling wasn’t willing to honor the conditions to go to Hawaii. I am happy though that at least there was some other place he could go that is still better than staying home.
Overall, I take courage in the truth that we have a loving Father in heaven, a perfect Father in heaven who will handle all things perfectly and just.
Gramps
