How would you answer this?

[pam]

Some of us disagree in Elder's Quorum about how we spend our time in the spirit world.  Some think our relatives are mostly watching us while others say spirits are busy teaching the gospel to those who've never heard it.  Can you enlighten us on who's right?
 

Please provide any quotes or scriptures that might apply.

[Fether]

I would say “Read this: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/17oaks?lang=eng”

 

[NeuroTypical]

Yep.  Elder Oaks basically threw down and dropped the mic on the subject.

[mordorbund]

44 minutes ago, pam said:

Some of us disagree in Elder's Quorum about how we spend our time in the spirit world.  Some think our relatives are mostly watching us while others say spirits are busy teaching the gospel to those who've never heard it.  Can you enlighten us on who's right?

They're supposed to be busy teaching the gospel, but sometimes you just have to grab a bag of popcorn and watch the train wreck.

[Fether]

27 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

They're supposed to be busy teaching the gospel, but sometimes you just have to grab a bag of popcorn and watch the train wreck.

I once watched an argument about what the 1st and 2nd death were. One side argues that the first death was physical and the 2nd spiritual. The other side argued the opposite.

After the class was over I went home and studied the topic a bit and came to find that the answer depended entirely on whether you were talking about the fall of Adam or death and judgement x) that little fact would have ended the argument immediately  (well... probably not).

[Jane_Doe]

1 hour ago, pam said:

Some of us disagree in Elder's Quorum about how we spend our time in the spirit world.  Some think our relatives are mostly watching us while others say spirits are busy teaching the gospel to those who've never heard it.  Can you enlighten us on who's right?
 

Please provide any quotes or scriptures that might apply.

We don't know.  In fact there's much about the Spirit World we don't know at all.  

For references, I would cite Pres Oaks talk just this last General conference where he discusses this at length: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/17oaks?lang=eng

 

 

Edit: I see that I should have read the comments before replying to the OP!  Oh well, chorus of witnesses it is

Edited October 10, 2019 by Jane_Doe

[dprh]

31 minutes ago, Fether said:

I once watched an argument about what the 1st and 2nd death were. One side argues that the first death was physical and the 2nd spiritual. The other side argued the opposite.

After the class was over I went home and studied the topic a bit and came to find that the answer depended entirely on whether you were talking about the fall of Adam or death and judgement x) that little fact would have ended the argument immediately  (well... probably not).

I was in a small ward about 15 years ago.  The EQ met with the HPs.  I don't remember how the subject came up, but two high priests got into a near-shouting match.  I think we were talking about Moses and one said he was the Son of God.  Another said "but not THE Son of God" First replies, but he is the Son of God."  Second "But not THE Son of God"  It went on for about 2-3 minutes but it seemed longer.

[Vort]

36 minutes ago, Fether said:

I once watched an argument about what the 1st and 2nd death were. One side argues that the first death was physical and the 2nd spiritual. The other side argued the opposite.

Unlike many questions that get discussed and sometimes argued about at Church, this one has a clear, unambiguous answer. "One side" is correct. The "second death" refers to spiritual death and damnation.

[Fether]

Just now, Vort said:

Unlike many questions that get discussed and sometimes argued about at Church, this one has a clear, unambiguous answer. "One side" is correct. The "second death" refers to spiritual death and damnation.

That is what I said. But the other side was looking at Doctrine and Covenants 29:41 where it says:

”41 Wherefore, I, the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when I shall say: Depart, ye cursed.”

and a quote or two speaking specifically about the fall of Adam.

I didn’t realize this until after, but knowing the guy who was pushing this so hard, it would have been pointless it explain his misunderstanding.

[dprh]

2 hours ago, pam said:

Some of us disagree in Elder's Quorum about how we spend our time in the spirit world.  Some think our relatives are mostly watching us while others say spirits are busy teaching the gospel to those who've never heard it.  Can you enlighten us on who's right?
 

Please provide any quotes or scriptures that might apply.

My personal opinion, not really backed by any scripture or quote, is that it will be a lot like this life.  We will have choices of what we spend our time and focus on.  Some may spend it in preaching to other spirits, some might spend most of it being 'guardian angels', or something else.  But I wouldn't really spend any energy arguing that my idea is right or better than someone else's.  

[mikbone]

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-e-1-1-july-1843-30-april-1844/123

The above is the document that President Oaks referred to as the Joseph Smith funeral sermon in 1843.

It discusses both issues in question.