“Adam, our great progenitor, “the first man,” was, like Christ, a pre-existent spirit, and like Christ he took upon him an appropriate body, the body of a man, and so became a “living soul.” The doctrine of the pre-existence,—revealed so plainly, particularly in latter days, pours a wonderful flood of light upon the otherwise mysterious problem of man’s origin. It shows that man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal body to undergo an experience in mortality. It teaches that all men existed in the spirit before any man existed in the flesh, and that all who have inhabited the earth since Adam have taken bodies and become souls in like manner.” Joseph Fielding Smith, Man, His Origin and His Destiny, p.354
What a wonderfully enlightening quote this is. Latter-day Saints believe we existed as spirit children of our Heavenly Father before this earth and will continue to exist as resurrected beings after we have left this earthly plane. How promising is it that we came from dirt (or a frog) and unto dirt we shall return and that’s it? For us to know that we have an eternity to enjoy familial relationships, progress and grow in ways that we can only begin to understand, what a glorious hope we have been provided with in this modern day revelation. We are a part of a much grander scheme that is older than time and we matter.
Our gratitude should go to Adam and Eve for making the sacrifice they did that we could take our turn on earth as well. Additional and absolute gratitude should go to the Savior for redeeming us and breaking the bands of death. And gratitude should go to Joseph Smith for standing against mobs, supposed friends and family and pushing forward in his cause to bring the Lord’s truth to the world. Because of these people and so many more, we have hope that can propel us toward greatness, if we but let it.