President Heber J. Grant on the school of mortality

President Heber J. Grant (1856-1945) was ordained an apostle in 1882 when he was 25 years old.  He served as president of the Church from 1918 until his death in 1945 at age 88.  His tenure as president lasted over 26 years; only Brigham Young had a longer term (over 29 years).

"The Lord, knowing what is best for you and for me and for every individual, has given to us laws, which, if we obey, will make us more Godlike, will fit and qualify and prepare us to go back and dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father and to receive that plaudit: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.'

"That is what we are laboring for.

"We are in a school, fitting, qualifying, and preparing ourselves that we may be worthy and capable of going back and dwelling in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and the man who claims that he knows the gospel is true and then does not live it, does not keep the commandments of God. Such a man will never attain to that strength, to that power, to that eminence, and to that capacity in the Church and Kingdom of God that he would attain if he obeyed the laws of God."

- Heber J. Grant, Era, 42:713; Gospel Standards, p. 40

One of the principles of eternity is that those who choose to obey the commandments of God receive blessings. President Grant lists one of those blessings: obedience to God's laws "will make us more Godlike" and prepare us to return to His presence. Mortality is a great "proving ground" during which we are proved or tested, and during which we prove our willingness to submit and obey.

How grateful we should be for this wonderful school, that qualifies and prepares us for eternity!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)