Covenants - Being Added Upon

There are a lot of comments made about the 144,000. I would like to add a few thoughts. How does one become sealed so that they can become a member of the 144,000? First of all, who are the 144,000? What made them the 144,000 and why is that important? "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." - Revelations 7: 3-4, 14 In the Kingdom of Glories vision, Joseph Smith continues the description of the 144,000. However, he uses different language to discuss them. This describes those who have been sealed. "And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just— They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given— That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— They are they who are priests and kings, [queens and priestesses] who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests [priestesses] of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons [and daughters] of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things." D&C 76: 50-60 All of these blessings are preliminary. Each person must be thoroughly proven. "When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man [or women] is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man [or women] will find his [her] calling and his [her] election made sure, then it will be his [her] privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses." TPJS 149 - 150 "What was the power of Melchizedek? 'Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests [queens and priestesses] of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact, that Priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and stands as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam" TPJS 322 Are all of these connected? Is the 144,000 connected to the church of the Firstborn? Is the 144,000 connected to becoming a King/Priest and Queen/Priestess? Is receiving your calling and election connected? Is that also connected to the terrestrial world and a point of fellowship required to be able to receive "they that come"? Is this token central to receiving Christ in His glory? Is this communicating getting "added upon"? Is this the desired outcome of the fulness of the gentiles? What begins this process? Is it a covenant or something else? Potential progress chart: Faith >> Repentance - Translates into Laws and Commandments Laws >> Covenant >> Priesthood >> Added Upon >> Sealed Sealed >> Zion >> Second Comforter