Dear Gramps,
A friend of mine has asked me an interesting question which I never thought about. We all know that Heavenly Father has created animals in spirit and then in the flesh. But where do they go after life on earth. We tried to find answers but couldn’t come up with any scriptural account or revealed revelation about the subject. Can you help?

Richard, from San Diego, CA

Dear Richard,

God, in his eternal nature, creates all things for eternity. Further, his creations all compose three essential elements–intelligence, spirit and matter.

Take the earth, for instance. The earth is assumed by most everyone to be inanimate matter. The materials of the earth are thought to consist of nothing more than what can be observed in the laboratory. But we know from the scriptures and from the prophets that the earth is a living, intelligent, sentient being. It has feelings and volition.

The biblical accounts of creation are extremely sketchy, and undoubtedly at least some of the original Genesis account has been both altered and lost. The fuller account of creation, as detailed in the books of Moses and Abraham, relate both a spiritual creation and then a temporal creation of the earth.

We know that the earth obeys the saving principles of the gospel. It was baptized by water in the days of Noah. The earth lives the law of a celestial kingdom. It will die, but will be resurrected to receive first a terrestrial glory and finally a celestial glory. We read in the Mormon scripture, Doctrine and Covenants, 88:25-26

And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law–

Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.

Brigham Young said,

“This earth in its present condition and situation, is not a fit habitation for the sanctified; but it abides the law of its creation, has been baptized with water, will be baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost, and by-and-by will be prepared for the faithful to dwell upon.” Discourses of Brigham Young, 8:83

Elder Hyrum G. Smith, in the October 1928, Afternoon Session of General Conference of the Mormon Church, had this to say on the subject–

“There are many passages in our scriptures which explain the fact that the Spirit of God is in all things, for they were created spiritually before they were created temporally. Every living thing upon this earth was created spiritually before it was created temporally; therefore, everything that is upon this earth or ever has been, has had a spirit, and that spirit has had a guide for its protection.”

Concerning the eternal nature of the plant and animal kingdoms Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, in the General Conference session on October 1928, had this to say,

“So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be re-created, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls.”

And in his Answers to Gospel Questions, 2, p.48, he records the following–

Question: “Do animals have spirits? If so, will they obtain the resurrection, and if so, where will they go?”

Answer: The simple answer is that animals do have spirits and that through the redemption made by our Savior they will come forth in the resurrection to enjoy the blessing of immortal life.

Gramps