What do LDS believe heaven will be like?

[Irishcolleen]

What do LDS believe heaven will be like?

[Vort]

Think of the best, funnest, most beautiful family reunion you ever attended. That's heaven.

[skippy740]

In addition to what Vort said, there will be work to do. So I look at it as an apprenticeship to learn and share responsibility within our Father's business.

[Seminarysnoozer]

What do LDS believe heaven will be like?

That is one of the purposes of living the gospel, to give us a taste of that most precious fruit. It is outside of our comprehension. Even the lowest Kingdom of glory is beyond our comprehension. The manual "Gospel Principles" last chapter is titled "Exaltation", you can find that on LDS.org, gives a good description of "heaven" with references to scriptures including D&C section 132:19-20.

[beefche]

I've always thought it would be similar to our lives here--not exactly as we will be with God and we won't have the drudgery of mortality there. But, I think we'll be with family and friends and working (not necessarily like our work here on earth, but some spiritual work God has for us).

And chocolate. Heaven has chocolate, apple beer, and HD movies like Lord of the Rings.

[pam]

I think it will be just heavenly.

[Traveler]

Heaven is marriage - however, some people think that heaven (marrage) is hell.

The Traveler

[Irishcolleen]

I've always thought it would be similar to our lives here--not exactly as we will be with God and we won't have the drudgery of mortality there. But, I think we'll be with family and friends and working (not necessarily like our work here on earth, but some spiritual work God has for us).

And chocolate. Heaven has chocolate, apple beer, and HD movies like Lord of the Rings.

Of course there will be chocolate!

[jerome1232]

I don't believe the details are ironed out anywhere, but I've seen a consensus that it's family oriented, there will be lots of work to be done, and there will be a perfected hierarchical society.

(serious)I imagine there will be singing, and (not serious)definitely not chocolate, it'll get all over my shiny white outfit

[Lakumi]

Think of the best, funnest, most beautiful family reunion you ever attended. That's heaven.

my family isn't all that close, nor have we ever had one of those

my idea of heaven is solitude, being in a forest endless as the world.

Solitude is something life doesn't often offer up, not truly. But it is largely what I want.

Will I feel the same then? Will I want to do all this? Right now in my "weak" human mind, feels the idea of being around people and work, is what I consider to be hell now.

I never said those things to the missionaries,

Would God let me be alone? Is heaven someone else's idea of heaven, the majority, vs the minority?

[Vort]

my family isn't all that close, nor have we ever had one of those

my idea of heaven is solitude, being in a forest endless as the world.

Solitude is something life doesn't often offer up, not truly. But it is largely what I want.

Will I feel the same then? Will I want to do all this? Right now in my "weak" human mind, feels the idea of being around people and work, is what I consider to be hell now.

I never said those things to the missionaries,

Would God let me be alone? Is heaven someone else's idea of heaven, the majority, vs the minority?

What is the greatest blessing a righteous man (or woman) could imagine? Probably to stand in God's presence and behold his face.

What is the greatest torture a wicked man (or woman) could imagine? Probably to stand in God's presence and behold his face.

We are all wicked by nature, yet slowly, step by step, we learn to put aside our wickedness. Some of us may even have reached the state that we would find it beautiful beyond words to behold the face of God. Others of us might not yet be there, but we're working toward that.

I see your situation as analogous. Not to say that those who don't desire family ties or opposite-sex companionship are wicked, of course, but that state (desiring such familial ties) may be something we grow into. Some people seem to be born with the desire for opposite-sex companionship and family relationships, but for others, it's a learned desire. That doesn't mean the learned desire is somehow less authentic; I suspect it is just as real as for those "born with it". (And I also suspect it has a lot to do with how you were raised; those raised in normal, functional, loving father-and-mother households may hold a great advantage in this area.)

Keep walking the path, serving God and your fellow man (and woman) as best you can, and tending to your duties. Make time to date. I strongly suspect you will begin to find the company of women to be enjoyable and to offer you something your male friends really can't offer. I can tell you from personal experience that nothing in my life has given me the joy (or the heartache) that my family relationships have given. I would not trade them for anything.

[Lakumi]

I'm not some punk child, I have dated since I was 15 and have hated every moment of it. Now near 10 years later, it is no better-almost worse.

I don't have male friends, not anymore. I had female friends and was never as close to them as my former male friends, I think a lot of them feel you are trying to sleep with them.

And a lot of men are that way.

Life, my short life, has shown to me, what I think, is an ugliness in humanity-the majority of humanity.

I also don't understand humanity, by and large, but there are reasons for that, I know those reasons.

I have already got everything I can understand from women (sex), everything else (say love) is a total mystery to me and something, it seems, I don't think exists. At least for me.

I'm not bothered by it all, it's just how my brain works. How I think.

[Windseeker]

my family isn't all that close, nor have we ever had one of those

my idea of heaven is solitude, being in a forest endless as the world.

Solitude is something life doesn't often offer up, not truly. But it is largely what I want.

Will I feel the same then? Will I want to do all this? Right now in my "weak" human mind, feels the idea of being around people and work, is what I consider to be hell now.

I never said those things to the missionaries,

Would God let me be alone? Is heaven someone else's idea of heaven, the majority, vs the minority?

I can relate to this in a sense.

I don't believe it's going to be all work, certainly our Heavenly Father believes in rest. Solitude goes along well with the concept of rest and we see Savior was at times alone. I think the things that cause social interaction to be so draining and un-fulfilling will be largely resolved in the next life.

[NeuroTypical]

What do LDS believe heaven will be like?

I don't know, but I'm looking forward to kneeling at the feet of my Master and washing his feet with my tears. I'm looking forward to seeing how close I managed to come to His notions about things, and how far off I was. I'm looking forward to hearing the Actual Answer about dinosaurs and evolution. I'm especially interested to learn more about what a perfect balance of justice and mercy looks like.

Happy to do, say, or be whatever He wants of me, should I make it to heaven.

[Leah]

I'm not some punk child, I have dated since I was 15 and have hated every moment of it. Now near 10 years later, it is no better-almost worse.

I don't have male friends, not anymore. I had female friends and was never as close to them as my former male friends, I think a lot of them feel you are trying to sleep with them.

And a lot of men are that way.

Life, my short life, has shown to me, what I think, is an ugliness in humanity-the majority of humanity.

I also don't understand humanity, by and large, but there are reasons for that, I know those reasons.

I have already got everything I can understand from women (sex), everything else (say love) is a total mystery to me and something, it seems, I don't think exists. At least for me.

I'm not bothered by it all, it's just how my brain works. How I think.

I didn't see anyone here referring to you as a "punk child".

A lot of us have seen the ugly side of humanity. As ugly - or even more so - than anything you have seen. I once shared some of those experiences with a gentleman who had been born in the church, raised in a loving home, had an unshakeable testimony...and he said to me "I don't know how you didn't just lay your head down and give up".

Ugliness can be overcome. The adversary would have have you believe otherwise.

But that is not all there is to humanity. There is beauty and good in humanity, too. You might have to look for it, but it is there. I have never seen as much of it as I have since joining the church (I converted from Judaism). To be sure, I have found some ugliness, too, but that lies in some individuals, not the gospel...not the church. I now experience beauty and hope on a level that I never did before. Has my every problem been solved? No...I still struggle to pay the bills, I still have MS and my job sucks (but I have a job!)....and Heavenly Father has assured me that I WILL find my eternal companion (of course, I have to do my part...and I respectfully remind Him from time to time that I am not getting any younger)....but I have more joy in my life than I ever knew existed.

[Lakumi]

I don't really think there is anything to overcome. I am not unhappy, not anymore. I just prefer to be alone. A lot of people see that as a negative thing, or that there is a problem with me. And perhaps there is.

Church hasn't changed that, I sit alone there. Not because I even dislike anyone, no they are very kind, but I just do that, without even thinking. Its how I feel most at ease. As I said, I don't understand people, they seem alien to me, and thus scare me. There is a paranoia there, one that I won't go into. I don't have a good testimony, I don't even know what I do have counts as one. But its there all the same, I wrote it down and all the feelings and thoughts I had about it.

But of course, not all of humanity is dark, I just have no desire to be around people a lot anymore. I have become accustomed to how I live and how I do things that to throw someone else in there would probably drive me crazy. Companionship is, I assume, I am told, is supposed to be a positive thing, not something, that when you think about it, makes you only angry and disgusted.

I wish people happiness in their relationships but I don't understand it, the joy always looks fake and the anger always there.

Like they hate each other or something, like a stereotype from a tv show.

[Just_A_Guy]

Lakumi, I think we'll find that the afterlife we experience suits each of us, as individuals, perfectly.

I flirt with misanthropy occasionally myself; but on the whole--I'm happier with my family. I think there's a natural "herd instinct" in human nature, and I suspect that on some level it might--now or in the future--be the same with you (I mean, you can't hate human interaction entirely, or you wouldn't be here!).

But if not--I think you'll be very content indeed. And if you do wind up in that forest, I hope you won't mind my dropping by now and again to enjoy some down time. :)

Edited September 26, 2013 by Just_A_Guy

[Seminarysnoozer]

I'm not some punk child, I have dated since I was 15 and have hated every moment of it. Now near 10 years later, it is no better-almost worse.

I don't have male friends, not anymore. I had female friends and was never as close to them as my former male friends, I think a lot of them feel you are trying to sleep with them.

And a lot of men are that way.

Life, my short life, has shown to me, what I think, is an ugliness in humanity-the majority of humanity.

I also don't understand humanity, by and large, but there are reasons for that, I know those reasons.

I have already got everything I can understand from women (sex), everything else (say love) is a total mystery to me and something, it seems, I don't think exists. At least for me.

I'm not bothered by it all, it's just how my brain works. How I think.

I think you said it well there, "it's just how my brain works." Realize we are dual beings, both body and spirit. The test is to see which one we succumb to, the influences of the body verses the influences of the spirit? The brain (part of the body) is corrupted from the Fall of Adam. It is carnal in nature which presents us with that option of carnality. Do we fall in love with things carnal or things spiritual? That is the test. Would we rather have the temporary pleasure of the bowel of soup over the eternal inheritance? It's a tough choice while here, but that is what makes it a stratified test. It is not a yes/no test, it's a test of gradation - to what percent did we pay attention to body influences over the spiritual ones?

[Lakumi]

you think my spirit think and is totally different then the body part of me?

I do know that in my, I guess lower moments of mood- reading my writing, I don't pray or anything.

Though I think that's more the fact I am not used to it (since prayer is not something I really ever did growing up).

Sometimes I don't understand where I should go, spiritually... I often ponder about my shaky faith.

[Guest]

Would we rather have the temporary pleasure of the bowel of soup

None for me, thanks.

[Lakumi]

None for me, thanks.

oh wait, wait, wait...hold on...

what kind of soup?

[pam]

oh wait, wait, wait...hold on...

what kind of soup?

A bowel of soup. I think I'll pass on that one too.

[dahlia]

In addition to what Vort said, there will be work to do. So I look at it as an apprenticeship to learn and share responsibility within our Father's business.

I was a little taken aback by the idea of work in the afterlife when I heard it in Gospel Principles. Don't Mormons ever get a chance to rest?? I know I don't want an eternity of singing Hosannas to HF, but I'm not sure about working in heaven either.

[skippy740]

Moses 1:39

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Since our bodies will be perfected and glorified... there'll be no reason to rest! (And we probably won't want to either.)

[pam]

Of course there will be chocolate!

And there had better be prime rib and cheesecake.