Some spirits were chosen to be human leaders before they were born, because of being “noble and great.” Sounds like works, and earning their station in their second estate.
Abraham 3:22 “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.”
"In the latter-day Gospel is restored the teaching that God is in a very literal sense the father of the spirits of men. These spirits had a premortal existence in which some were more obedient, and some progressed much farther than others, and herein is found, in a measure, the explanation for the inequalities in the natures of humankind." (Improvement Era, March 1931, No. 5)
“During the ages in which we dwelt in the pre-mortal state we not only developed our various characteristics and showed our worthiness and ability, or the lack of it, but we were also where such progress could be observed. . . . Under such conditions it was natural for our Father to discern and choose those who were most worthy and evaluate the talents of each individual.“ (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Way to Perfection [1970], 50–51).
“There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages. The reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient; more or less, to the laws that were given us there. Those who were faithful in all things there [pre-existence] received greater blessings here, and those who were not faithful received less. . . . There were no neutrals in the war in Heaven. All took sides either with Christ or with Satan. Every man had his agency there, and men receive rewards here based upon their actions there, just as they will receive rewards hereafter for deeds done in the body. The Negro, evidently, is receiving the reward he merits” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:61, 65-66; emphasis added).