Huh. It has a sort of parallel to the Scientology/body thetan thing, where Scientologists are taught that these alien spirits called 'thetans' inhabit or attach themselves (I can't remember which) to our bodies when we are born. Weird. Mormonism is really weird.
Also, I don't know if that's your phrasing or the phrasing typical of Mormonism, Phoebe Ann, but suggesting that spirits have a life cycle and material dimensions by which they may be described as being 'full grown' is also really odd. I don't know what to make of it. Baby spirits for spirit babies, I suppose!
SPIRIT BODIES
Our
spirit bodies had their beginning in pre-existence when we were born as the spirit children of God our Father. Through that birth process spirit element was organized into intelligent entities. The bodies so created have all the parts of mortal bodies. The Brother of Jared* saw Christ's spirit finger and then his whole spirit body. "I am Jesus Christ," that glorious Person said. "This body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh." (Ether 3:14-17.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 750
*A person mentioned in the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon, Ether 3
14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.
16 Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
17 And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account of these things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto the Nephites.
If a parent lost a child in infancy and was sealed to that child, Joseph F. Smith taught the following:
After the resurrection, a child’s body will grow to match the stature of the spirit.
Would we be satisfied to see the children we bury in their infancy remain as children only, throughout the countless ages of eternity? No! Neither would the spirits that did possess the tabernacles of our children be satisfied to remain in that condition. But we know our children will not be compelled to remain as a child in stature always, for it was revealed from God, the fountain of truth, through
Joseph Smith the prophet, in this dispensation, that in the resurrection of the dead the child that was buried in its infancy will come up in the form of the child that it was when it was laid down; then it will begin to develop. From the day of the resurrection, the body will develop until it reaches the full measure of the stature of its spirit, whether it be male or female. If the spirit possessed the intelligence of God and the aspirations of mortal souls, it could not be satisfied with anything less than this. You will remember we are told that the spirit of Jesus Christ visited one of the ancient prophets and revealed himself to him, and he declared his identity, that he was the same Son of God that was to come in the meridian of time. He said he would appear in the flesh just as he appeared to that prophet [see
Ether 3:9, 16–17]. He was not an infant; he was a grown, developed spirit; possessing the form of man and the form of God, the same form as when he came and took upon him a tabernacle and developed it to the full stature of his spirit.
Teachings: Joseph F. Smith Chapter 15: The Salvation of Little Children
