Line upon Line

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If you give a five-year-old child a crayon and ask him or her to draw a volcano, it’s likely their work of art will look something like a triangle, possibly with smoke or lava shooting out of the top. Until recently, I would have drawn basically the same thing, but a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii taught me about a different type of volcano.

As my husband and I planned a vacation to the Big Island, Mauna Kea was on our must-see list. The summit of this volcano is the highest point of the Hawaiian Islands, at about 13,800 ft. We began the drive to Mauna Kea from our beachside resort on the west side of the island, exactly at sea level. Partway into the journey, I asked Brad, “When do you think we’ll be able to see the volcano?” His reply startled me: “We’re already on the volcano.”

I was confused. I hadn’t seen anything on our drive resembling a volcano–no cone-shaped mountain. I learned that day that Mauna Kea is a shield volcano, which is large and broad with gentle slopes, and resembles a warrior’s curved shield lying on the ground. Our drive continued up the gradual incline, which slowly grew steeper. At about 9000 feet, we were stopped by a ranger, who informed us that if we wished to proceed to the summit, we would be required to “acclimate” at the visitor’s information center for thirty minutes.

We pulled into the parking lot, noting the signs which warned tourists and adventurers about altitude sickness caused by dramatic elevation change. This could include weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea. The signs also warned that dehydration can be a severe problem at such high altitudes, and UV rays are much more intense. We learned that the atmosphere at the summit was 40% thinner than at sea level, meaning 40% less oxygen available in each breath. Therefore, pregnant women, children under thirteen, and anyone with respiratory problems were not allowed to go past the visitor’s stop.

Once our thirty-minute acclimation period was complete, we continued the trek up the volcano in our rented 4WD vehicle, bumping over the rough, unpaved roads, which were markedly steeper than in the first part of the journey. Eventually, the domes of several huge observatories came into view. More than a dozen of the world’s finest telescopes call the top of Mauna Kea home due to its near-perfect star-gazing conditions.

Brad parked near a sign which proclaimed that we had reached the summit of the volcano, and we climbed out of the car, observing the moonscape-like terrain. We took a few photos, then drove closer to the observatories and walked around, but after only ten minutes of mild exertion, we both began to feel strange, almost dizzy. We eagerly headed back to the car, grateful to sit down and make our way back to a lower elevation. Though humans can live at extreme altitudes, there must always be a gradual transition period to allow their bodies to adjust to the thinner atmosphere.

Spiritual acclimation

Halfway down Mauna Kea, my thoughts were full of the spiritual parallels of our journey. Even after acclimating for thirty minutes at 9000 feet, my husband and I could not handle the thin atmosphere at the summit for more than a few minutes. This brought to mind a scripture:

“Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.” (Mormon 9:4)

Studying this scripture as a teenager, Mormon’s strong words felt almost shocking to me. But just as Brad and I could not linger at the summit of Mauna Kea without physical consequences, God’s children who have not actively prepared to be with Him by repenting and striving to live gospel standards literally cannot abide His glorious presence.

The glory of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

In our mortal journey from “sea level to summit,” it’s important to understand what awaits us at the top, to have some idea of “the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ” of which Mormon spoke. Because we believe that “The Father [and Son have bodies] of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (D&C 130:22), we may equate them with mortal men and fail to realize just how far beyond us they are in intelligence and glory. Recently, I stepped outside into the blue skies and sunshine of a stunning autumn afternoon. I squinted against the brightness, then closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sun, basking in the warmth. Joseph Smith’s description of the Father and the Son came to my mind:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun… When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description…” (JS history 1:16-17, emphasis added.)

When Jesus urged his disciples to “Come, follow me,” it was no casual statement. It was an invitation with staggering eternal implications. He wants us to be “[partakers] of the glory that shall be revealed.” (1 Peter 5:1) We begin at a telestial level as we’re born into this mortal world and, by following His example and teachings and accessing the power of His Atonement, we steadily overcome telestial habits and behaviors, continuing our gradual ascent through more terrestrial levels of living, then onward toward eventual celestial glory.

The great symbol of our gradual ascent to holiness

I can think of nothing which symbolizes spiritual progression—our gradual ascent to holiness—more than the temple. Latter-day Saint temples symbolize our journey toward celestial glory. The ordinances, symbolic acts, and even architectural details of our temples are designed to reflect stages in this spiritual progression. Our holy temples provide a preparatory environment in which we anticipate entrance into the celestial kingdom of God.

President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Spending more time in the temple builds faith. And your service and worship in the temple will help you to think celestial. The temple is a place of revelation. There, you are shown how to progress toward a celestial life. There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power.” ⁽¹⁾

We don’t measure a child’s height every day or each week. Growth occurs incrementally, so more time must pass before any measurable increase in height is detected. Looking back over past decades, I can recognize spiritual growth. I can see that in many ways I’m not the person I used to be. I have lost my taste for telestial forms of entertainment. I attribute most of these changes directly to the temple. Once I made the holy temple and covenant-keeping a true priority, the pull of the world gradually lessened its hold on me. I’m still far from reaching “the summit,” but I have developed a greater taste for the things of God.

Think Celestial

“Think Celestial!” is one of the most familiar phrases from President Nelson’s time as the prophet: “… to assist you to qualify for the rich blessings Heavenly Father has for you, I invite you to adopt the practice of “thinking celestial”! Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded… making the celestial kingdom your eternal goal and then carefully considering where each of your decisions while here on earth will place you in the next world… Any addiction—be it gaming, gambling, debt, drugs, alcohol, anger, pornography, sex, or even food—offends God… As you think celestial, you will find yourself avoiding anything that robs you of your agency…  As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change…” ⁽²⁾

Our climb from “sea level to summit” won’t be accomplished quickly. Reaching God’s glorious presence will involve tens of thousands of tiny decisions, choosing celestial thoughts and behaviors over telestial ones. A story illustrates how one man made such a choice:

When my youngest daughter finished her driver’s education course, she was given a learner’s permit and was required to do twenty hours of driving with an experienced driver before testing for a license. On one of her first drives, Kate and I were about two miles from home when she turned a corner without slowing down sufficiently and sideswiped a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.

Each driver involved pulled off to the side of the street and got out to determine the damage done. As my daughter and I approached the owner of the other car, I could see anger and frustration on his face, and I feared we were about to hear some very “telestial” words. However, the man surprised me. I watched as he took a deep breath and pulled himself together. When he spoke, his manner was polite even though the accident was not his fault. This man made a deliberate decision to control his anger and “speak celestial.”

The story doesn’t end there. That very evening, Kate participated in an activity where church members from several wards assisted severely disabled youth at a developmental center. Imagine her surprise when, across the room, she spotted the same man from the earlier accident. His ward was participating in the activity.

My daughter was embarrassed since she had caused the car accident, and she tried to avoid him. But the man noticed her and teasingly said, “I see you!” Kate felt very awkward, but imagine how awkward the man might have felt had he given into telestial inclinations and yelled at her at the scene of the accident. This incident occurred many years ago, but I still appreciate this good man’s example and the celestial choice he made that day.

In any journey, there are sideroads that can lead us away from our original destination. Let us lay aside whatever telestial thoughts, words, and actions are holding us back and set a celestial trajectory. Heavenly Father is eager to bless His children who slowly but steadily climb from sea level to summit. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9)

Notes

1. Russell M. Nelson, Think Celestial! Oct. 2023 general conference.
2. ibid.