Question
Dear Gramps,
Let me ask this question again please,
Is there a reference for a comment supposedly made by Joesph Smith that goes something like this, “If man had a glimpse of the telestial kingdom, they may be tempted to end their own lifes to get there,” ??? I thought I read it somewhere but for the life of me cannot find it. I am temporally out of state and did not bring all my books etc. with me. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.
Bill
Answer
Dear Bill,
I’m sorry, I thought that I had answered your question. The Prophet’s statement about the Telestial Kingdom that you referred to was reported by Partriarch Eldred G. Smith at a devotional on the BYU campus in 1964. I have not been able to find the original source. Patriarch Smith said the following:
The Lord has told us of three degrees of glory. There are three “heavens,” as it is often referred to. We call them the telestial, terrestrial, and the celestial. I cannot for a minute conceive the telestial being hell, either, because it is considered a heaven, a glory. The Prophet Joseph Smith told us that if we could get one little glimpse into the telestial glory even, the glory is so great that we would be tempted to commit suicide to get there (Eldred G. Smith, BYU Speeches, March 10, 1964, p. 4).
Gramps