Pre-Existence Study: Did we Choose Our Parents?

[Fiannan]

I believe "familiar spirits" go well beyond parent/child relationships, as has been mentioned by others here.

Which is a rather interesting concept if we do not come into contact with others by chance but that the people we touch in this life had connection with us in a previous life.

[CV75]

do you think we chose our parents before we were born? Our families? The country or even what mission we wanted to have in life? When we made our choices, did we weigh in all the variables or did we make random, generic choices?

Consider Acts 17:26-29, "And [God] hath made of bone blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God..."

I think inasmuch we are all of the mortal family of Adam, our time and place of testing is a function of the combination of personal eligibility, Divine assignment and foreordination, and individual choice. The principle described in D&C 88:40 is eternal, and was in play before this life as well as it is in and will be after this life. Regardless, God has arranged for every mortal to be saved to the degree they want to be.

[Zakuska]

While this might not have to do with "Choosing our Parents" or "being valiant in the pre-existance so we are born in the church" etc. It is an intresting Pslam.

Pslams 87

1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.

5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

It seems that God will take account where and to whom we were Born when we are judged, I presume so that he can tell if we had a fair chance at being presented the Gospel. Or what gospel principles we did hear and live by.

[rockslider]

Which is a rather interesting concept if we do not come into contact with others by chance but that the people we touch in this life had connection with us in a previous life.

As Loap has referred to foreordination, I would go so far as to say, there are no coincidences in life, especially when it comes to dealings with relationships.

[handys003]

IMO I think we are quite aware of the parents we make a bond with to be from the premortal world. However there is no guarantee as certain probabilities occur that may interrupt the preferred plan. Also once a person is born it's a crap shoot. I don't subscribe to predestination. Our paths are constantly changed every single second we are down here. Random actions determine a new path each time, so it's all about adjusting and learning.

[Facsimile 3]

I do think there is something to be said about being born in the House of Israel and that it corresponds to commitments made on the other side. The House of Israel are like kids going to the same high school as everyone else born on this Earth, but in an advanced placement class with the benefits of the gift of the Holy Ghost when they have accepted the ordinances here in mortality.