“But the Savior’s grace can do much more for us. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we aspire to something unimaginably greater. It is exaltation in the celestial kingdom. It is life eternal in the presence of our Father in Heaven. It is the greatest gift of God. In the celestial kingdom, we receive ‘of his fulness, and of his glory.’ Indeed, all that the Father hath shall be given unto us. Exaltation is our goal; discipleship is our journey” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “It Works Wonderfully,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 2015, p. 23). Apostles “I tell you that men and women are led up to exaltation by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” (Charles A. Callis, Conference Reports, October 1917, p. 126). “The Celestial inheritance is for those who have accepted the Gospel of Christ and have rendered valiant service in the cause of righteousness; those who have yielded obedience to all the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (James E. Talmage, The Vitality of Mormonism, p. 287). “I recognize the fact that no man will get all the way to the end of the road and gain a fullness of salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God unless he complies with all the terms and all the conditions of salvation in that Kingdom” (Melvin J. Ballard, Three Degrees of Glory, p. 5. From a discourse given in the Ogden Tabernacle, September 22, 1922). “To enter the highest of these degrees in the celestial kingdom is to be exalted in the kingdom of God. Such exaltation comes to those who receive the higher ordinances of the Church, such as the temple endowment, and afterwards are sealed in marriage for time and eternity, whether on earth or in the hereafter. Those who are so sealed continue the family relationship eternally. Spiritual children are begotten by them. They carry on the work of salvation for the hosts of waiting spirits. They who are so exalted become even as the gods” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 201). “The number sharing these great and choice blessings will be limited. It is unfortunate that so few will worthily prepare themselves and enter the strait gate and faithfully follow the narrow way to the end to earn the promising reward of eternal life and its jointheirship with Christ of all that God the Father possesses” (Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Reports, April 1961, p. 67). “Some degree of salvation will come to all who have not forfeited their right to it; exaltation is given to those only who by righteous effort have won a claim to God’s merciful liberality by which it is bestowed” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 1984, p. 82). “The Celestial Glory — There are some who have striven to obey all the divine commandments, who have accepted the testimony of Christ, obeyed ‘the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,’ and received the Holy Spirit; these are they who have overcome evil by godly works and who are therefore entitled to the highest glory; these belong to the Church of the Firstborn, unto whom the Father has given all things; they are made kings and priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek; they possess celestial bodies, ‘whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical’; they are admitted to the glorified company, crowned with exaltation in the celestial kingdom” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 1984, p. 83). “But an eternal relationship of families does not come about automatically, as some suppose. It must not only be planned for; it must be earned. We must realize that only when we have lived in complete harmony with all the laws and ordinances of the priesthood, including those received in holy temples, should we expect to find ourselves prepared to dwell in what I sometimes refer to as the ‘kingdom of families’—the celestial world” (ElRay L. Christiansen, “Three Important Questions,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1974, p. 25). “Salvation comes by obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel. Joseph Smith said: ‘Any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too.’ (Teachings, p. 331.) Thus, a man may be damned for a single sin” (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 3:256). “That exaltation which the saints of all ages have so devoutly sought is godhood itself. Godhood is to have the character, possess the attributes, and enjoy the perfections which the Father has. It is to do what he does, have the powers resident in him, and live as he lives, having eternal increase” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 321). “Conditional or individual salvation, that which comes by grace coupled with gospel obedience, consists in receiving an inheritance in the celestial kingdom of God. This kind of salvation follows faith, repentance, baptism, receipt of the Holy Ghost, and continued righteousness to the end of one’s mortal probation” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pp. 669-670). “Ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into His presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality” (Boyd K. Packer, “Covenants,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1987, p. 24). “Immortality comes to us all as a free gift by the grace of God alone, without works of righteousness. Eternal life, however, is the reward for obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel” (David B. Haight, “The Sacrament—and the Sacrifice,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 1989, p. 61). “Thus, brothers and sisters, along with the great and free gift of the universal and personal resurrection there is also the personal possibility of meriting eternal life... Again, our experiences surely do not approach those of Jesus, yet the same principles and processes apply. His perfected attributes exemplify what can be much further developed by each of us” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 1997, p. 23. Italics mine). “Christ gave us freely an enormous and unconditional gift, the universal resurrection. However, Christ’s proffer of the further gift of eternal life is conditional” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Sharing testimony about the Atonement,” Church News, September 4, 1999, p. 5). “Time and time again at funerals, statements are made that the deceased will inherit all blessings of celestial glory when that individual has in no way qualified by obtaining the necessary ordinances and by keeping the required covenants. That won’t happen. Such blessings can only be earned by meeting the Lord’s requirements. His mercy does not overcome the requirements of His law. They must be met” (Richard G. Scott, “First Things First,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 2001, p. 9).