First Estate. The premortal life. We can know that we were “valient” in this previous life if we were born onto this earth. As Thirteenth President Ezra Taft Benson explained to a general conference audience, “I testify that all those who come into mortality accepted our Father’s plan. (See Abr. 3:26.) Having proved faithful in their first estate in heaven, they are now subject to the test of mortality in this second estate” (“I Testify,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 1988, p. 86). A church manual explained, “What do the terms first estate and second estate mean in Abraham 3:26? (First estate refers to the premortal life, and second estate refers to our mortal life. We kept our first estate by choosing to follow Jesus Christ instead of Lucifer.)” (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, p. 5).

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