Hi everyone!

This week, I have been thinking much about D&C 138, the very last section of the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as 1 Peter 3:19 and 1 Peter 4:6, and the principle of eternal progression taught within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In these Bible chapters, Jesus Christ goes and teaches the gospel to those who are dead. D&C adds onto this by mentioning that, while Jesus could only teach it to those who were pure in nature, the ministering work of missionaries continues to all after death. What a beautiful extension of God’s mercy towards all of His beloved children!

Recently, I have been thinking of a cruel truth. Something unique to our nature as human, carnal beings, rather than purely spiritual beings, are our lower animalistic tendencies. As a result, our human bodies and intrinsic animalistic nature can be a source of sin and heartache. Our animalistic nature can even cloud our spiritual nature and make choosing the straight path of Christ difficult. Even those who have once known Christ can fall away from His plan for us. Yet, from a young age within the Church, we are taught to love and respect our bodies. Why then, when our own corporeal bodies can be a source of so much heartache and sin, do we care so much for our bodies?

The Church fundamentally teaches that our progression towards Christ is gradual. In our most recent General Conference, President Uchtdorf described how God’s expectations for us as His children are high. However, he says, “He doesn’t expect us to take some grand, heroic, or superhuman leap to get there. In the world He created, growth happens gradually and patiently—but also consistently and unrelentingly” (October 2025, Uchtdorf).

If Section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants teaches that, in the spirit world, the dead will have the opportunity to repent and come unto Christ and His Gospel as His appointed messengers teach all in spirit prison (see especially verses 30, 57-59), then why do we abstain from our natural animalistic tendencies on Earth? It is simply because of one eternal truth: God’s love and our reciprocal love for God, when given enough time, patience, and care, is enough to make us perfect by giving us power beyond our own means. This is only possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Therefore, rather than our bodies being a chain to drag us down to endless misery and sin, especially throughout mortality, it only naturally follows that our bodies are a gift from the goodness of God, meant to follow us into the eternities, teaching us the realities of faith, patience, love, charity, justice, and hope: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High” (Psalms 82).

“If we let Him… He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly, His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said” (Mere Christianity, CS Lewis). Christ aims for nothing less than absolute perfection. We may come to Him to help us with one thing, but it is not till we are perfect that our contract with Him will be over. This is the choice we made in the premortal life: to follow Christ and His plan for us.

I testify of this enabling power of the Atonement. While at Brigham Young University, I had the opportunity to balance a full course load of classes for three semesters, sing in the BYU Men’s Chorus and General Conference, work a part time job working for a subsidiary of NASA, teach a dear friend of mine about the Book of Mormon and reading an hour (almost T_T) every night, serve as an Elder’s Quorum President, all while keeping excellent grades in each of my classes. I would also add, I was able to learn how to ski a double black diamond, and I made some of the best friends of my life.

During the Fall semester of college, I was thriving. I felt the Lord provide my path as I leaned into Him, trying my best to fulfill my role as I leaned into service and weekly temple attendance. During the Winter semester of college, however, I slowly began to become miserable, and it began to drag me down. I no longer had time to spend with friends; that was reserved for studying. I didn’t want to work; that was a drag. I felt drained, not energized by choir practice. In other words, the same stresses in another semester had caused me to burn out and crash. Nothing tangible had changed. I took the same amount of classes, the same job, choir, etc. What had changed? Looking back, the answer is clear: my focus on Jesus Christ. During my first semester of college, I sought to serve others over myself. I sought to improve myself through scripture study and daily prayer. I attended the temple and BYU devotionals weekly and didn’t make excuses. Juxtapose that with my second semester: I felt myself becoming the most important thing in my life, I stopped studying the scriptures, and I only attended the temple once or twice. Truthfully, perhaps I felt that I could do anything by myself, and I had become complacent in my attitude. I became worried about my grades and what people thought of me, and my focus slowly but surely shifted from Christ to my corporeal insecurities and imperfections.

The Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ is my spit and clay that allows me to see (John 9:6, President Holland October 2025). The Church and the Book of Mormon will be, as prophesied, looked down on by the world. I have witnessed that sad fact, first hand, especially in recent events and even in some valued relationships. But being a member, heeding the teachings of Jesus, and understanding what it means to be a literal child of God, complete with a divine identity and birthright to inherit to His kingdom, is a blessing that has brought me joy beyond measure. If I did not recognize the joy and blessings the gospel of Christ and the Church itself gives me, I wouldn’t serve a mission. I wouldn’t have gone to BYU. I wouldn’t have been raised in the Church, and I wouldn’t have had ancestors who left their beautiful homes in the United Kingdom as I learned last summer to heed the teachings of God through His prophets. I know this Church is true, as well as the Book of Mormon. It is such a blessing in my life. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Good news everyone! I have a new website. You can find it by going to elder.son.org. Right now, it is a database/replica of all of my emails that I’ve sent out with some markup done by my parents. I also have some highlighted photos on it. You can of course still check out all my photos on the google photos link.

Also sorry for the long spiritual thought! I was quarantined this week with my roommate so it’s been interesting studying a ton. I’m doing great, however. I enjoy having time to study by myself. Not many new photos as a result, though. Thank you all for your emails again. I love each of you, and I try to pray for everyone I know that needs help.

Google photos: photos.app.goo.gl/6PuTqiB3mvJD9Qex8

Mata ne, Elder Son