Alma 40

Recently, I heard that a national news company was interviewing a member of the Church concerning what we thought of "heaven". In answer to that, as Alma was teaching his son, Corianton, concerning the resurrection and restoration, he said of death or -

"...concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil." (Book of Mormon | Alma 40:11 - 13)

Where "outer darkness" in the case in reference to "spirit prison" or "hell". This is much the same doctrine believed by many Christian churches. It is in this period that we exist as spirits.

But the teachings of the gospel all teach of a resurrection for -

"...this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection." (Book of Mormon | Alma 40:14)

So this punishment is not forever but yet it is Eternal punishment or God's punishment for He is Eternal. The resurrection is then forth for all mankind -

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (New Testament | 1 Corinthians 15:22)

Resurrection means -

"The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame." (Book of Mormon | Alma 40:23)

And at this point, all shall -

"...be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets." (Book of Mormon | Alma 40:21 - 22)

Restoration is just that for -

"...the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order..." (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:2 - 4)

Restoration means exactly that, in the resurrection, we are restored to what we are...our righteouness and the desires of our hearts. You can't restore or make someone that which they are not. For in the resurrection -

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead..." (New Testament | 1 Corinthians 15:40 - 42)

It is the atonement of Jesus Christ that allow repentance and forgiveness that allows us to become or be restored to Celestial bodies or -

"...one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.
7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil." (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:5 - 7)

Eventually, in regards to "heaven", there will be varying degress of rewards and restorations. The greatest being Eternal Life. This is what the Savior meants saying -

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (New Testament | John 17:3)