At death, the disembodied spirits of unbaptized people and all others that are not worthy of celestial glory, must go to spirit prison¹ in the postmortal spirit world.² Assuming they did not reject the gospel in mortality or fail to keep the gospel covenants they made, the disembodied spirits in prison will be taught the gospel, and prepared in all respects to enter celestial paradise after they receive the vicarious ordinances of baptism and gift of the Holy Ghost by proxy.³

Spirit prison includes all disembodied spirits that lived a terrestrial law or lower during mortality.⁴ Spirit prison also includes heirs of the celestial kingdom that would have received the gospel with all their hearts in this life,⁵ but did not do so because they did not have the opportunity.⁶ This has been and still is the case for many people.⁷ These heirs of celestial glory that are otherwise qualified for the celestial kingdom must still go to spirit prison until they can accept the gospel⁸ and also receive their vicarious ordinances by proxy.⁹ Their vicarious ordinances are frequently performed by their own descendants that have been raised up through their lineage for this purpose.¹⁰

There is great diversity among the disembodied spirits in prison,¹¹ just as there will be great diversity among persons resurrected¹² to the terrestrial¹³ and telestial kingdoms,¹⁴ and outer darkness.¹⁵ Disembodied spirits in prison associate with and among their various classes as they did in mortality.¹⁶ The intermixing of disembodied spirits in spirit prison allows missionary work to be carried out¹⁷ under conditions similar to those found in mortality.¹⁸

Unlike celestial paradise,¹⁹ Satan's power and influence is present in spirit prison.²⁰ The wicked that fought against righteousness in mortality will continue their fight in spirit prison.²¹