Spirit Paradise is known by other names, including the spirit world, heaven, Abraham’s bosom (Lu 16:22), and even prison (Moses 7:57, see also DC 138:50). It is important to understand that the terms “heaven and hell,” particularly as used by other Christians, refer to spirit paradise and spirit prison.
Joseph Smith
“When men are prepared [for death], they are better off to go hence…The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts feelings and motions, and are often pained therewith.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 326)
Brigham Young
“Where is the spirit world? It is right here….Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies…” (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 376-7 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 341)
Harold B. Lee
“Where is the spirit world? Is it away up in the heavens? That isn’t what the scriptures and our brethren explain. They have told us the spirit world is right here round about us, and the only spirits who can live here are those who are assigned to fill their missions here on earth. This is the spirit world. And if our eyes could be opened we could see those who have departed from us—a father, mother, brother, a sister, a child. We could see them, and sometimes when our physical senses are asleep, sometimes our spiritual self—and we have ears, spiritual ears, and spiritual eyes—sometimes they will be very keen and awake, and a departed one may come while we are lying asleep and come into our consciousness. We’ll feel an impression. We’ll wake up. Where does it come from? It comes from the spirits of those whom we are sealed to.” (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 58)
Parley P. Pratt
“[the spirit world] is here on the very planet where we were born…The earth and all other planets of a like sphere, have their inward or spiritual spheres, as well as their outward, or temporal. The one is peopled by temporal tabernacles, and the other by spirits. A veil is drawn between the one sphere and the other, whereby all the objects in the spiritual sphere are rendered invisible to those in the temporal.” (Millet and McConkie, The Life Beyond, p. 16)