Hi Gramps,
I am wondering if, in the pre-existence, some spirits are older than others? for example, my husband and I have two children; could it be that all four of us were in the pre-existence at the same time, just my husband and I were sent to obtain mortal bodies sooner than our children (or the spirits that became our children in mortality)? Or do you think that we were like a ’spirit family’ in the pre-existence, or did we know each other that way at all?
Erv, from Washington

Dear Erv,
My impression is that when it came time for the earth to be populated we were probably all together in the spirit world. We knew each other, and I imagine we had a rather significant insight on where and when we would be born, into what family we would go and under what circumstances we would live. However, I believe that there were no family-type relationships in the spirit world that propagated themselves into mortality.
Were some spirits older than others? Without a doubt. Jesus Christ was the first born son of God in the spirit world, and the only begotten in the flesh. Hence he is everyone’s oldest brother. Satan whose name was Lucifer, meaning Light Bearer, was a prominent figure in the pre-mortal spirit world before he fell from grace, and was called “a son of the morning.”

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (Isaiah 14:12)

Gramps