Joseph Smith and His teaching about wayward children

[bluebell]

First, here is the JS quote that I am speaking of--

Quote

The following quotation appears in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith during his service as Church historian and recorder: “When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother.”

I know that we've discussed this topic in the past but I've been listening to the Follow Him podcast for this week (which is an Easter topic that focuses on Adam and Eve receiving the Atonement of Christ, as taught by Elder and sister Hafen) and one of the doctrines that was spoken in passing was how Adam and Eve were sealed by God as a married couple.  Another topic for the podcast was the sorrow of the whole Cain and Abel affair, and Eve (and Adam) essentially losing both sons in that one act, one through murder and the other through a curse for committing murder.

This got me thinking....  How does JS's teachings on wayward children work with Cain?  Is he saved by virtue of the covenant of Adam and Eve?

[2BizE]

In all the teachings I’ve heard con Joseph Smith jr, I do not recall any parenting advice.  Did he ever provide any such teachings regarding parenting and parenting of wayward children?

[ksfisher]

17 minutes ago, bluebell said:

This got me thinking....  How does JS's teachings on wayward children work with Cain?  Is he saved by virtue of the covenant of Adam and Eve?

What is meant by saved?  From the context of the quote I can't tell if it's talking about being saved in one of the kingdoms of glory or in the highest kingdom. 

[CA Steve]

Interesting question and maybe needs to be expanded a bit. Didn't he promise Helen Mar Kimball that all of her father's household and kindred would be saved and exaltation?

Quote

The next morning Joseph visited the Kimball home.  "[He explained] the principle of Celestial marrage...After which he said to me, ‘If you will take this step, it will ensure your eternal salvation & exaltation and that of your father’s household & all of your kindred.[‘] This promise was so great that I willingly gave myself to purchase so glorious a reward. None but God & his angels could see my mother’s bleeding heart-when Joseph asked her if she was willing...She had witnessed the sufferings of others, who were older & who better understood the step they were taking, & to see her child, who had scarcely seen her fifteenth summer, following in the same thorny path, in her mind she saw the misery which was as sure to come...; but it was all hidden from me.” 

http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/26-HelenMarKimball.htm

 

[Metis_LDS]

Talk by President Russell M. Nelson as an Apostle.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1995/04/children-of-the-covenant?lang=eng

Quote from talk: 

The new and everlasting covenant of the gospel allows us to qualify for marriage in the temple and be blessed to “come forth in the first resurrection” and “inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, … to [our] exaltation and glory in all things.”²²

Children born to parents thus married are natural heirs to the blessings of the priesthood. They are born in the covenant. Hence, “they require no rite of adoption or sealing to insure them place in the posterity of promise.”

(What is referred to as Born in the Covenant)

Edited April 11, 2022 by Metis_LDS
addition

[bluebell]

10 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

What is meant by saved?  From the context of the quote I can't tell if it's talking about being saved in one of the kingdoms of glory or in the highest kingdom. 

I don't believe that JS ever really clarified, though he probably had an idea of which one he was referring to.  Later prophets and apostles have clarified, but not always in ways that people who find great comfort from this teaching agree with.

[bluebell]

16 minutes ago, 2BizE said:

In all the teachings I’ve heard con Joseph Smith jr, I do not recall any parenting advice.  Did he ever provide any such teachings regarding parenting and parenting of wayward children?

I'm not sure.  The Doctrine and covenants has teachings on parenting in it, and there is a chance that the prophet elaborated on those teachings at some point or another.  But I've never really looked.

[Calm]

13 minutes ago, CA Steve said:

Interesting question and maybe needs to be expanded a bit. Didn't he promise Helen Mar Kimball that all of her father's household and kindred would be saved and exaltation?

http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/26-HelenMarKimball.htm

 

Even an adult might misremember details.  I see it as possible he promised her eternal salvation and exaltation and her family eternal salvation.  In essence, the reverse of what he promised faithful parents who were sealed, he was promising to faithful children who lived the covenant…which makes sense to me.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Calm

[bluebell]

12 minutes ago, CA Steve said:

Interesting question and maybe needs to be expanded a bit. Didn't he promise Helen Mar Kimball that all of her father's household and kindred would be saved and exaltation?

http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/26-HelenMarKimball.htm

 

He might have.

[katherine the great]

1 hour ago, CA Steve said:

Interesting question and maybe needs to be expanded a bit. Didn't he promise Helen Mar Kimball that all of her father's household and kindred would be saved and exaltation?

http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/26-HelenMarKimball.htm

 

That is truly the mother of all bride-prices!

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

Even an adult might misremember details.  I see it as possible he promised her eternal salvation and exaltation and her family eternal salvation.  In essence, the reverse of what he promised faithful parents who were sealed, he was promising to faithful children who lived the covenant…which makes sense to me.

There is also the chance that she simply misunderstood him.  It's very easy to get salvation and exaltation confused, especially because we have a habit of using or interpreting salvation interchangeably.  

We don't even know what JS meant by using 'salvation' in the quote above and are still trying to figure it out all these years later.  And we have a lot more experience with the gospel than a 13 year old girl would.

I'm not saying this was definitely the case.  Only that it is possible, and if it's what happened it wouldn't be a very unique or unreasonable mistake to have made.

[SwedishLDS]

2 hours ago, bluebell said:

First, here is the JS quote that I am speaking of--

I know that we've discussed this topic in the past but I've been listening to the Follow Him podcast for this week (which is an Easter topic that focuses on Adam and Eve receiving the Atonement of Christ, as taught by Elder and sister Hafen) and one of the doctrines that was spoken in passing was how Adam and Eve were sealed by God as a married couple.  Another topic for the podcast was the sorrow of the whole Cain and Abel affair, and Eve (and Adam) essentially losing both sons in that one act, one through murder and the other through a curse for committing murder.

This got me thinking....  How does JS's teachings on wayward children work with Cain?  Is he saved by virtue of the covenant of Adam and Eve?

Bednar addresses this in a 2014 ensign talk that talks specifically about this topic. Please read it,

Faithful Parents and Wayward Children

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/03/faithful-parents-and-wayward-children-sustaining-hope-while-overcoming-misunderstanding?lang=eng

Edited April 11, 2022 by SwedishLDS

[rongo]

This is a tough one for me, because I believe (and take at their word) the teachings of the prophets on this (what Orson F. Whitney references when he says "Joseph Smith taught no more comforting doctrine . . ."). But, justice can't be robbed, and there is a strong sense of injustice if sealings "save" the wayward who have no interest or desire. 

Because I believe in progression between and within kingdoms, this is somewhat taken care of, because it leaves room for the sealing power to "search out" after the wayward, while also requiring them to "pay the uttermost farthing" and "suffer, even as" Jesus before that is realized. 

My code name in my raw notes for the Journal of Discourses index I put together for myself for this topic is my mother-in-law's name. She held firmly to this teaching, and when were married, my wife was in the minority of the eight children who were active in the Church or even on a trajectory to be active. Her mother stayed in an unhappy marriage because of firm faith in this teaching, and endured decades of unhappiness. After she passed away from cancer about ten years ago, all of her siblings who had strayed have come back --- often in miraculous ways. One, by one. I joked with her --- but it wasn't a joke, really. I believe that is actually a large part of what is behind this --- that her mother has been systematically working with her children from beyond the veil and "getting them back." I think there is great power and truth behind the promises, even while believing that people can't be saved against their will. 

In the coming years, I think more and more people are going to be clinging to these promises, as most families are being infected with apostasy and bad choices, despite many people's efforts to do everything they can to avert this. 

[bluebell]

15 minutes ago, SwedishLDS said:

Bednar addresses this in a 2014 ensign talk that talks specifically about this topic. Please read it,

Faithful Parents and Wayward Children

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/03/faithful-parents-and-wayward-children-sustaining-hope-while-overcoming-misunderstanding?lang=eng

I have.  Specifically this part-

Quote

The influence of parents who honor covenants and obey commandments indeed can have a decisive spiritual impact upon children who stray by activating the tentacles of divine Providence—in ways that have not been revealed fully and are not understood completely. However, righteous parental influence (1) does not replace in the life of an individual the need for the redeeming and strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, (2) does not overrule the consequences of the unrighteous exercise of moral agency, and (3) does not negate the responsibility of an individual as an agent “to act … and not to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:26).

I'm grateful for these further interpretations of JS's statement.  Pres. Faust has a really good one that I can put up later. 

But I don't know that these interpretations work with what JS said.  I believe they are the more correct way to look at the topic, but for those who disagree with them, (who believe that JS was teaching that such children will be exalted or something similar), how do they square JS's teaching with someone like Cain?

 

[SwedishLDS]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

I have.  Specifically this part-

I'm grateful for these further interpretations of JS's statement.  Pres. Faust has a really good one that I can put up later. 

ah apologies, I did not know.

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

But I don't know that these interpretations work with what JS said.  I believe they are the more correct way to look at the topic,

I would tend to agree, guaranteed salvation regardless of actions would seem against everything I know of unforgivable sins and the sons of perditions of which Cain is known to be one. 

Have you seen this collection that has a bunch of prophets and apostles quotes on this topic?: https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/larry_barkdull.pdf

Quote

Joseph Smith When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother.i

David A. Bednar clarified: “Joseph Smith is shown to have qualified his statement to make the promised blessings conditional upon the obedience of the children: ‘When a father and mother of a family have [been sealed]. Their children who have not transgressed are secured by the seal….’ii This clarification is more consistent doctrinally…the concept of unconditional salvation for disobedient children would contradict many foundational teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith…. [Church leaders] agree on the fact that parents who honor temple covenants are in a position to exert great spiritual influence over time on their children. Faithful members of the Church can find comfort in knowing that they can lay claim to the promises of divine guidance and power, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the privileges of the priesthood, in their efforts to help family members receive blessings of salvation and exaltation.”iii

Joseph Smith There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy.iv Our Heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in his mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive.v

Brigham Young Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang.vi

Wilford Woodruff I tell you when the prophets and apostles go to preach to those who are shut up in prison . . . thousands of them will there embrace the gospel. They know more in that world than they do here.vii

Lorenzo Snow When the gospel is preached to the spirits in prison, the success attending that preaching will be far greater than that attending the preaching of our elders in this life. I believe there will be very few indeed of those spirits who will not gladly receive the gospel when it is carried to them. The circumstances there will be a thousand times more favorable.viii God has fulfilled His promises to us, and our prospects are grand and glorious. Yes, in the next life we will have our wives, and our sons and daughters. If we do not get them all at once, we will have them some time. . . . You that are mourning about your children straying away will have your sons and your daughters. If you succeed in passing through these trials and afflictions . . . you will, by the power of the Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God has, until you get all your sons and daughters in the path of exaltation and glory. This is just as sure as that the sun rose this morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn not because all your sons and daughters do not follow in the path that you have marked out to them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, and as kings and priests to our God, we will save our posterity.ix

Joseph F. Smith We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission.x

Orson F. Whitney You parents of the wilful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours—long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend.xi The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.xii

James E. Faust I believe and accept the comforting statement of Elder Orson F. Whitney. . . . A principle in this statement that is often overlooked is that they must fully repent and “suffer for their sins” and “pay their debt to justice.” . . . “And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.” . . . Mercy will not rob justice, and the sealing power of faithful parents will only claim wayward children upon the condition of their repentance and Christ’s Atonement. Repentant wayward children will enjoy salvation and all the blessings that go with it, but exaltation is much more. It must be fully earned. The question as to who will be exalted must be left to the Lord in His mercy.xiii

James E. Talmage Alonzo A. Hinckley quoted Elder James E. Talmage: “I promise the Saints…of Zion that if their lives are such that they can look their sons and daughters in the face, and if any of them have gone astray, that the parents are able to say, ‘It is contrary to my instruction and my life’s example; it is against every effort of love, long suffering, faith, prayer and devotion that that boy or girl has gone,’—I promise you, fathers and mothers, that not one of them shall be lost unless they have sinned away the power to repent”.xiv

Gordon B. Hinckley I leave my blessing upon you. May there be . . . a sense of security and peace and love among your children, precious children every one of them, even those who may have strayed. I hope you don’t lose patience with them; I hope you go on praying for them, and I don’t hesitate to promise that if you do, the Lord will touch their hearts and bring them back to you with love and respect and appreciation.xv

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by SwedishLDS

[CV75]

3 hours ago, bluebell said:

First, here is the JS quote that I am speaking of--

I know that we've discussed this topic in the past but I've been listening to the Follow Him podcast for this week (which is an Easter topic that focuses on Adam and Eve receiving the Atonement of Christ, as taught by Elder and sister Hafen) and one of the doctrines that was spoken in passing was how Adam and Eve were sealed by God as a married couple.  Another topic for the podcast was the sorrow of the whole Cain and Abel affair, and Eve (and Adam) essentially losing both sons in that one act, one through murder and the other through a curse for committing murder.

This got me thinking....  How does JS's teachings on wayward children work with Cain?  Is he saved by virtue of the covenant of Adam and Eve?

I think that yes, Cain is saved to the degree he accepts the Lord's atonement for his sins. I think Moses 5:23-24 is interesting in that it seems to me to primarily pertain to Cain's mortal life and not resurrected kingdom of glory, though it could also be the latter (I don't know how it turns out). Cain was before the world (pre-mortal), came into the world to be tested, and since he did not well, he was delivered up to Satan and called Perdition. That remained the case until if and when he repents, here or in the spirit world.

All of us are or will be sealed to Christ by covenant through our generations back to Adam and Eve, who will turn their stewardship back to Christ. The covenant of the mothers and fathers include God or Christ. I believe that Adam and Eve kept this covenant through grace, so everyone born into mortality will be saved (resurrected, accounted for). If a couple fails to keep their covenant or seal, the posterity who wishes to keep it can claim it through another progenitor; conversely, unrepentant descendants who do not keep theirs will still be saved (individually and alone), but not lost to their parents. God will always know where Cain is, but an unrepentant Cain will not know where God is.

 

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, SwedishLDS said:

ah apologies, I did not know.

I would tend to agree, guaranteed salvation regardless of actions would seem against everything I know of unforgivable sins and the sons of perditions of which Cain is known to be one. 

Have you seen this collection that has a bunch of prophets and apostles quotes on this topic?: https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/larry_barkdull.pdf

 

Thank you for those further quotes.  Awesome.

Here is one more from Pres. Faust--

Quote

 

“We remember that the prodigal son wasted his inheritance, and when it was all gone he came back to his father’s house. There he was welcomed back into the family, but his inheritance was spent. [See Luke 15:11–32.] Mercy will not rob justice, and the sealing power of faithful parents will only claim wayward children upon the condition of their repentance and Christ’s Atonement. Repentant wayward children will enjoy salvation and all the blessings that go with it, but exaltation is much more. It must be fully earned. The question as to who will be exalted must be left to the Lord in His mercy. ”

 James E. Faust, “Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered,” Ensign, May 2003, 62.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by bluebell

[juliann]

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1992/04/our-moral-environment?lang=eng

Quote

 

The measure of our success as parents, however, will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that now is not possible.

It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should.

It is my conviction that those wicked influences one day will be overruled.

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught a more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” (Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, p. 110.)

We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them. President Brigham Young said:

“Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., 2:90–91.)

 

Unfortunately, Elder Bednar cannot overrule a succession of promises with one conference talk. 

[juliann]

5 hours ago, CA Steve said:

Interesting question and maybe needs to be expanded a bit. Didn't he promise Helen Mar Kimball that all of her father's household and kindred would be saved and exaltation?

http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/26-HelenMarKimball.htm

 

A website with undocumented quotes filled with elipses isn't a reliable source. This site is a horrible offender and shouldn't be trusted even if it does get a quote right....use valid sources.

[Tacenda]

50 minutes ago, juliann said:

A website with undocumented quotes filled with elipses isn't a reliable source. This site is a horrible offender and shouldn't be trusted even if it does get a quote right....use valid sources.

That website is the very one I stumbled on, never to be the same again. 

[bluebell]

58 minutes ago, juliann said:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1992/04/our-moral-environment?lang=eng

Unfortunately, Elder Bednar cannot overrule a succession of promises with one conference talk. 

But do the promises work with our doctrine?

According to the promises, sons of perdition won’t exist. 

[rongo]

7 minutes ago, bluebell said:

But do the promises work with our doctrine?

According to the promises, sons of perdition won’t exist. 

Brigham Young, who is the source for some of the promises, believed that sons of perdition have their intelligence stripped from their spirit matter, and start all over again. So, it worked within our doctrine as he understood it. 

I see it as akin to the Second Anointing. Neither are absolute --- people can't be saved against their will, and they can't be saved when they're still evil, regardless of what ordinances have been performed. But, the teachings offer a tremendous amount of hope --- especially through the lens of "eternal" eternal progression (progression between kingdoms and within kingdoms). 

[bluebell]

8 minutes ago, rongo said:

Brigham Young, who is the source for some of the promises, believed that sons of perdition have their intelligence stripped from their spirit matter, and start all over again. So, it worked within our doctrine as he understood it. 

I see it as akin to the Second Anointing. Neither are absolute --- people can't be saved against their will, and they can't be saved when they're still evil, regardless of what ordinances have been performed. But, the teachings offer a tremendous amount of hope --- especially through the lens of "eternal" eternal progression (progression between kingdoms and within kingdoms). 

Brigham Young certainly had some interesting ideas. 

[CV75]

34 minutes ago, bluebell said:

But do the promises work with our doctrine?

According to the promises, sons of perdition won’t exist. 

I think they will exist, because there are always exceptions. From D&C 76:

40 And this is the ^agospel, the glad ^btidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—

41 That he ^acame into the world, even Jesus, to be ^bcrucified for the world, and to ^cbear the sins of the ^dworld, and to ^esanctify the world, and to ^fcleanse it from all unrighteousness;

42 That through him all might be ^asaved whom the Father had put into his ^bpower and made by him;

43 Who ^aglorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of ^bperdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.

44 Wherefore, he saves all ^aexcept them—they shall go away into ^beverlasting ^cpunishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to ^dreign with the ^edevil and his angels in eternity, where their ^fworm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment—

45 And the ^aend thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows;

46 Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof;

47 Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by ^avision unto many, but straightway shut it up again;

48 Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the ^adepth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are ^bordained unto this ^ccondemnation.

Also, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/sons-of-perdition?lang=eng indicates that sons of perdition will be saved physically but not spiritually. This allows the covenant-keeping parents to see their "children of perdition" to the extent either is willing to undertake that sorrowful visit. But then again, if a son of perdition is such an exception as D&C 76 indicates, perhaps the parents want nothing to do with them and vice-versa. I'm sure God has a sorrowful relationship (to the extent any relationship remains) with Satan and the third part. Much of that has to do with the rebellious spirits; probably more.

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by CV75

[rongo]

1 hour ago, juliann said:

A website with undocumented quotes filled with elipses isn't a reliable source. This site is a horrible offender and shouldn't be trusted even if it does get a quote right....use valid sources.

Here are some others (typed up from my index):

Joseph F. Smith, April 11, 1878. Journal of Discourses19:264 Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead, although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that has or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission.

Joseph F. Smith, Sunday, June 18, 1882. Journal of Discourses 23:175 the mission of Jesus will be unfinished until he redeems the whole human family, except the sons of perdition, and also this earth from the curse that is upon it, and both the earth and its inhabitants can be presented to the Father redeemed, sanctified and glorious.

Brigham Young, October 8, 1859. Journal of Discourses 7:336  I know that parents are often much troubled about their children. I have heard many relate their troubles and sorrows in this respect, though they are comparatively trifling, unless your children disregard all your tender solicitude and wise counsels and examples, and, when arrived at maturity, forsake you and go headlong to destruction, when you will think that you never had any trouble until then. The want of bread for them in their infancy was no sorrow, when compared with such a trial. Parents---you who continue to live the life of true Christians, and are filled with faith, virtue, and good works, I promise you, in the name of Israel's God, that you will have your children, and no power can rob you of them; for all will be saved, except the sons of perdition. If they go to hell, you will have the privilege of dragging them from there, if you are faithful. That is the promise made to Abraham. You are aware that the children of Israel acted as badly as the Devil could make them, and the Lord afflicted them in this life, because of the promise he made to their father Abraham that he would save his seed.    

Brigham Young, April 6, 1860. Journal of Discourses 8:35 How many Gods there are, and how many places there are in their kingdoms, is not for me to say; but I can say this, which is a source of much comfort, consolation, and gratification to me: Behold the goodness, the long-suffering, the kindness, and the strong parental feeling of our Father and God in preparing the way and providing the means to save the children of men,---not alone the Latter-day Saints---not those alone who have the privilege of the first principles of the celestial law, but to save all. It is a universal salvation---a universal redemption. Do not conclude that I am a Universalist, as the term is generally understood, although that doctrine is true in part, like the doctrines or professions of all professing Christians. As was stated yesterday, by one of those who spoke, when he was a Methodist, he enjoyed a portion of the Spirit of the Lord. Hundreds of those now present have had a like experience in a greater or less degree, before they joined this Church. Then, when we inquire who will be saved, I answer, All will be saved, as Jesus said, when speaking to the Apostles, except the sons of perdition. They will be saved through the atonement and their own good works, according to the law that is given to them. Will the heathen be saved? Yes, so far as they have lived according to the best light and intelligence they had; but not in the celestial kingdom. Who will not be saved? Those who have received the truth, or had the privilege of receiving it, and then rejected it. They are the only ones who will become the sons of perdition, go into everlasting punishment, and become angels to the Devil.     

Orson Pratt, September 16, 1860. Journal of Discourses 8:311  We might mention the following in the revelation upon marriage, concerning sealing blessings upon persons, and sealing them up to eternal life---sealing upon them blessings for time and for all eternity, at the time when the man and woman go forth and are sealed unconditionally; at least, the revelation says, if such a one transgresses, he shall be destroyed in the flesh and suffer until the day of redemption; and then they shall come forth and inherit all that was placed upon their heads by the servants of God, on the condition that they have not committed the sin against the Holy Ghost or shed innocent blood. This would seem to be as near as unconditional promise as can well be made to mortals. But this is not altogether unconditional, for there are some exceptions; but it would come as near as anything we have ever read of. This ought to be a comfort to the Saints, and not a license for them to sin and commit all manner of blasphemies; but it should be a comfort and a consolation to those that may, in the hour of temptation, be overtaken in a fault, to encourage them to turn unto the Lord their God with all their hearts, minds, might, and strength. Then they can lay hold of these promises, and with them come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, and inherit all that was placed upon their heads. But when we reflect upon pain in this life, it is grievous to be borne and to think of. When we think that a man may be buffeted, not only in this life, but until the morning of the first resurrection, this ought to cause the heart of every Latter-day Saint to shrink from everything that is sinful. What! shall we offend God who has made these great and precious promises? Where is our life, if we should offend God, the giver of all these good things? If we should dare to sin upon such a promise, we should indeed be deserving of the severest punishment. Let no Latter-day Saint, then, try to claim these great and precious things, if they willfully commit sin, and because the Lord has promised that they should only be punished for a season. The time of their punishment is here in this life, and it is sure not to extend into the other for any great period. Yet there is far more satisfaction in being perfectly honest before God and men,---yes, far more satisfaction, joy, and consolation here in this life, to live without any threatening and punishment in this or in the next life.     

Brigham Young, April 29, 1866. Journal of Discourses 11:215  I could say something encouraging to parents, if they would heed. Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang.    

Brigham Young, August 11, 1872. Journal of Discourses 15:128 "Well," says one, if I am pretty sure to get a state of glory better than this, I guess I will not take the trouble to inherit anything more." Well, run the risk of it, every man on the earth has that privilege. The Gospel is preached, sin revives, some die and some contend against it---some receive it and some do not; but this is the sin of the people---truth is told them and they reject it. This is the sin of the world, "Light has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." So said Jesus in his day. We say, Here is the Gospel of life and salvation, and every one that will receive it, glory, honor, immortality and eternal life are theirs; if they reject it, they take their chance. I hope and pray that we may all be wise and receive the good part, that we may have the benefit thereof.     

Brigham Young, October 8, 1876. Journal of Discourses 18:263 A few words to the sisters---you mothers who are trifling with the ordinances of the house of God, and the blessings that are proffered to you, I will say that the time will come, if you persist in doing so, when you will mourn, and will be willing to give worlds, if you possessed them, for the privilege of living your lives over again. Some of you are treating with contempt the oracles of the kingdom of God upon the earth, and in commission of this sin you trifle with your own salvation, as well as the salvation of your children. Repent, and turn unto God, and teach your children the importance of doing the same, and of the sacredness of the ordinances and the laws of God. It is the mother's influence that is most effective in molding the mind of the child for good or for evil. If she treat lightly the things of God; it is more than likely her children will be inclined to do the same, and the Lord will not hold her guiltless when he comes to make up his jewels; he will disown all such when he comes to claim his own, and will say, Go hence, I never knew you.     

Brigham Young, October 9, 1859. Journal of Discourses 7:289 I will now tell you something that ought to comfort every man and woman on the face of the earth. Joseph Smith, junior, will again be on this earth dictating plans and calling forth his brethren to be baptized for the very characters who wish this was not so, in order to bring them into a kingdom to enjoy, perhaps, the presence of angels or the spirits of good men, if they cannot endure the presence of the Father and the Son; and he will never cease his operations, under the directions of the Son of God, until the last ones of the children of men are saved that can be, from Adam till now.

Orson Pratt, January 19, 1873. Journal of Discourses 15:318 I will here ask, will many of these individuals who have sinned against God come forth and inherit that high degree of exaltation in the celestial world? This is a great question. Can they inherit the same glory that will be enjoyed by the Saints who have lived in different ages of the world and endured faithful to the end? Can they receive that full exaltation and shine forth in the kingdom of God? No. Why not? Because they are not prepared for it. I do not say but what they may in some future age, according to the purposes of God, be led along from one step to another, until, finally, some of them attain to celestial glory.  

ETA: @bluebell  They were very particular to exempt the sons of perdition from this otherwise seemingly universal "reaching" of the covenants. I found that interesting going back to look for these. 

Edited April 12, 2022 by rongo