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President Russell M. Nelson introduced a new phrase in his recent talk at general conference:
“Think celestial.”
What did he mean by that? He gave us a definition:
“Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded.”
It means that when we make a choice, we should consider not just what effect it will have on our immediate future but how it might impact the next life, too.
That’s the important thing to remember: There is a next life.
“Begin with the end in mind,” the prophet said. “This means 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.”
President Nelson also quoted the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob: “To be spiritually minded is life eternal” (2 Nephi 9:39). In the same verse, Jacob mentions the opposite, too: “To be carnally minded”—that is, to think only of worldly, earthly, physical things—“is death.”
One option: life eternal. The other option: death. When you put it like that, the choice is pretty easy!
“Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import,” President Nelson said. “Far too many people live as though this life is all there is. However, your choices today will determine three things: Where you will live throughout all eternity; the kind of body with which you’ll be resurrected; and those with whom you will live forever.”
Think of the future. Think of eternity. Think about the results of your choices.
Think celestial!
In his most recent general conference address, President Russell M. Nelson shared the following: “I recently celebrated my 99th birthday and thus commenced my 100th year of living. I am often asked the secret to living so long. A better question would be ‘What have I learned in nearly a century of living?’ “I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,” general conference, Oct. 2023) President Nelson invites each of us to adopt the practice of “thinking celestial” and promises that as we do so, we can: Receive assistance in qualifying for Heavenly Father’s rich blessings. Avoid doing anything that robs us of our agency. View trials and opposition in a new light. What is one thing you can do today to start “thinking celestial”? Learn More