Spiritual Life and Death

Unlike physical life and death, over which individuals have little control, spiritual life and death are opposite poles between which a choice is required. Latter-day scripture states that all people "are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil" (2 Nephi 2:27). This opposition between life and death is viewed as the fundamental dichotomy of all existence.

At one pole is Jesus Christ, who is described throughout the scriptures as light and life (John 1:4; 3 Nephi 15:9; D&C 10:70). He is the author both of physical life, as the creator of the earth and its life - sustaining sun (D&C 88:7), and of spiritual life, as the giver of eternal life (3 Nephi 15:9). To choose life is to follow him on a path that leads to freedom and eternal life.

Satan, at the opposite pole, is darkness and death (Romans 6:23; Alma 15:17; D&C 24:1). He is the author of temporal death, as the one who enticed Adam and Eve to initiate the Fall, and of spiritual death, as the tempter who induces individuals to separate themselves from God through sin. To choose to follow Satan by succumbing to sin and resisting Christ's entreaties to repent is to choose death.

The freedom to choose effectively between life and death is a result of the redemption of Christ (2 Nephi 2:27), and it is God's work and glory "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).

The scriptures speak of two spiritual deaths. The first has already come upon all humans as a result of the Fall, separating "all mankind…from the presence of the Lord" (Helaman 14:16). The second will be experienced by only those who, having once known Christ, willfully deny him and refuse to repent, being thus "cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness" (Helaman 14:18). Spiritual death does not mean that a person's spirit literally has died (the spirit is immortal), but that one is in "a state of spiritual alienation from God" (Smith, Vol. 1, p. 45), a death "as to things pertaining unto righteousness" (Alma 12:16; 40:26).

Because little children are not capable of sinning (Moroni 8:10-14), the first spiritual death does not begin for an individual on the earth until the age of accountability (eight years of age; D&C 68:27). Generally, as individuals mature they begin to recognize the consequences of their acts and become responsible for them (D&C 18:42). Insofar as they do not harmonize behavior with an understanding of truth and goodness, they create a gulf between themselves and God—that is, spiritual death.

The first step toward overcoming this state was taken, paradoxically, before the Fall occurred: in premortal life. All who have been or will be born on this earth chose both physical and spiritual life when as spirit children of God they chose to follow the Father's plan for earth life. After they reach the age of accountability during earth life, they must again choose.

According to LDS understanding, the choice between spiritual life and death is made at the time of bapism and confirmation, the ordinances that symbolically reconcile a person to God and initiate a lifetime process of spiritual rebirth. Once baptismal covenants are made and the gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred and received, the symbolic rebirth must be made actual through the day-to-day struggle to repent and choose life—Christ and righteousness. The choice is not made once and for all, but many times during a lifetime.

Latter-day Saints do not view righteousness simply as a way to avoid an unpleasant afterlife and gain a heavenly reward. Following Christ is also the path to happiness in mortal life. As people harmonize their lives with God's laws, they are "blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual" (Mosiah 2:41). In Christ is life abundant (John 10:10); "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17).

In an everyday sense, choosing life for the Latter-day Saint should include loving and serving others, praying and studying the words of God daily, sharing knowledge of Christ and his plan with others, speaking the truth, remaining chaste before marriage and faithful after marriage, rearing children with patience and love, and being honest in all things. Enjoying such things constitutes the abundant life.

In the postmortal period, "life" again depends upon Christ's Atonement, which overcomes the first spiritual death by making it possible for all men and women to come into God's presence to be judged. At that point, everyone will be judged worthy of a degree of glory and its quality of life except the sons of perdition. These individuals suffer the second spiritual death for having committed the unpardonable sin, which is denying Christ in the face of full knowledge and truth (D&C 76:30-38; HC 6:314).

By Sue Bergin

Their Hearts Had Been Changed

And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil (Alma 19:33.)

Their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil

For those of us with occasional evil desires, this quality is noteworthy. The concept is introduced in the Book of Mormon after the sermon of king Benjamin when the people responded, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (Mosiah 5:2). Once one has really made the transition from carnal to spiritual, the carnal desires leave. This is part of being born again and is the state of purity which the righteous must seek. As with all things we must become like God who cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance (Alma 45:16).

This purity comes through the light of God which Lamoni first tasted while under the influence of the Spirit, the light...did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness (v. 6). The Savior reminded us of the effect this light will have on our bodies if we will receive it, The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light (3 Nephi 13:22). If our hearts have evil desires, it must be because our eye is not single to the glory of God. Otherwise the light of God would have purged all the darkness from our minds, spirits, and bodies.

Delbert L. Stapley
"When the light of Christ is in one's soul there can be no darkness which leads to temptation and sin. You cannot take darkness into a lighted room any more than one can create doubt in the heart of a person where true faith and testimony exist." (Neal A. Maxwell, That My Family Should Partake, p. 88)

Second Chance Theory IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

There is no such thing as a second chance to gain salvation by accepting the gospel in the spirit world after spurning, declining, or refusing to accept it in this life. It is true that there may be a second chance to hear and accept the gospel, but those who have thus procrastinated their acceptance of the saving truths will not gain salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God.

Salvation for the dead is the system by means of which those who "die without a knowledge of the gospel" (D&C 128:5) may gain such knowledge in the spirit world and then, following the vicarious performance of the necessary ordinances, become heirs of salvation on the same basis as though the gospel truths had been obeyed in mortality. Salvation for the dead is limited expressly to those who do not have opportunity in this life to accept the gospel but who would have taken the opportunity had it come to them.

"All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel," the Lord said to the Prophet, "who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts." (Teachings, p. 107.)

This is the only revealed principle by means of which the laws pertaining to salvation for the dead can be made effective in the lives of any persons. There is no promise in any revelation that those who have a fair and just opportunity in this life to accept the gospel, and who do not do it, will have another chance in the spirit world to gain salvation. On the contrary, there is the express stipulation that men cannot be saved without accepting the gospel in this life, if they are given opportunity to accept it.

"Now is the time and the day of your salvation," Amulek said. "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors .... For after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed." (Alma 34:31-35; 2 Nephi 9:27; 3 Nephi 28:34; Luke 9:62.)

An application of this law is seen in the words of the resurrected Christ to the Nephites. "Therefore come unto me and be ye saved," he said in repeating with some variations the Sermon on the Mount he had previously given the Jews, "for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (3 Nephi 12:20.) Thus salvation was forever denied those Nephites unless they gained it by virtue of their obedience during mortality. On the same basis, there is no such thing as salvation for the dead for the Latter-day Saints who have been taught the truths of salvation and had a fair and just opportunity to live them.

Those who have a fair and just opportunity to accept the gospel in this life and who do not do it, but who then do accept it when they hear it in the spirit world will go not to the celestial, but to the terrestrial kingdom. This includes those to whom Noah preached. "These are they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh; Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it." (D&C 76:72-74.)

Thus the false and heretical doctrine that people who fail to live the law in this life (having had an opportunity so to do) will have a further chance of salvation in the life to come is a soul-destroying doctrine, a doctrine that lulls its adherents into carnal security and thereby denies them a hope of eternal salvation. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 181-196.)

by Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Home Teaching

Each ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assigns priesthood holders as home teachers to visit the homes of members every month. They go in pairs; often a youth holding the Aaronic Priesthood accompanies an adult holding the Melchizedek Priesthood. Home teachers are called by their local priesthood quorum leaders and are typically assigned to visit between three and five families. They report on the needs and Welfare of their assigned families in regularly scheduled interviews with their priesthood leaders. The home teaching program is a response to modern revelation commissioning those ordained to the priesthood to: teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the church…and visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties,…to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them; and see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking [D&C 20:42-54].

At one time called "acting teachers" (1909), the name was formally changed to "ward teachers" in 1912. However, for years before that time the effort was informally called "block teaching" because of the geographic way in which families were assigned (Hartley, pp. 375-98). In April 1963, the ward teaching program was expanded and renamed "home teaching," with emphasis "on the responsibilities of the entire priesthood to "watch over the Church' as commanded in the early revelations-to be concerned with the whole family as a group and as individuals" (IE 66 [June 1963]:504).

In a Home Teachers Meeting during general conference in 1966, Marion G. Romney, then an apostle, instructed home teachers to live so that they could always enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost and act under his inspiration in their home teaching responsibilities and to encourage and inspire every family to make and keep the home a truly Latter-day Saint home.

In 1987 Church President Ezra Taft Benson identified three basic guidelines to be followed by home teachers:

First, Church leaders are to encourage home teachers to know as well as possible the people they are called to teach. Home teachers need to be aware of individual attitudes, interests, and general Welfare, working closely with the head of each family to meet the family's temporal and spiritual needs.

Second, the Church expects home teachers to deliver a short monthly message. When possible, messages are to come from the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon. Leaders are to instruct home teachers to prepare intellectually and spiritually, giving prayerful consideration to both the temporal and spiritual needs of each family as they prepare lessons. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is essential for successful home teaching, for "if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:14). The Church instructs home teachers, therefore, to pray together before each visit, invoking the blessings of the Lord upon the family, and, where possible, to pray with family members at the conclusion of the visit.

Third, home teachers are to magnify their callings (Jacob 1:19) by rendering devoted service. This includes visiting each family early in the month, by appointment, and making additional visits as needed.

Organizationally, home teaching provides a system for effective Churchwide communication. Through stakes, wards, and home teachers, Church leaders have a direct line to every member and have the potential, if necessary, to communicate quickly with the total Church membership, via the local priesthood leaders.

Effective home teaching makes significant contributions to members' lives. Alert, insightful home teachers find various ways of rendering service, such as providing recognition for achievements; informing families of Church activities; assisting during family emergencies, including illness or death; strengthening and encouraging less active members; and arranging transportation. They serve as resources and share the burden of support that would otherwise be carried by the bishop.

As home teachers are called to work directly with families, they are often in a better position to help these family members than are other Church officers or teachers. As a result, home teaching is one of the most effective ways the Latter-day Saints manifest their commitment to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; …mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God" (Mosiah 18:8-9).

Author: Boss, R. Wayne, Encyclopedia of Mormonism

See this page in the original 1992 publication.

Here is something I would like to add that might help. A demonstration of some of the features of President's Whiteboard, a mobile app that Elders Quorum Presidencies, Relief Society Presidencies, and High Priests Group Leaders can use to manage the home teaching and visiting teaching assignments in their organizations.

President's Whiteboard Video

Download President's Whiteboard FREE (for Android tablets) HERE or simply go to your app store on your mobile phone or tablet and look for President's Whiteboard.

What shall I do that I may have this Eternal Life?

And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy. (Alma 22:15)

What shall I do that I may have this eternal life?

There is a beautiful parallel between this story and the story of the rich man who had asked the Savior the same question. These two men were at different stages in their spiritual progression and therefore received different answers. To the king, Aaron responded with the basic principles of the gospel: faith, repentance, humility, and prayer. To the rich man, the Savior replied, if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Yet, the Savior knew that this rich man had a weakness. All his faithfulness could not prepare him for what the Savior would require next. He inquired, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions (Matthew 19:16-22).

What a great contrast from this humble king. The young rich man had kept all the commandments but could not keep one more-to sell his riches and follow the Savior. On the other hand, the king is willing to sacrifice everything, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy. As a result of the king's humble, penitent attitude he is enveloped by the power of God, being born again. As a result of the rich man's pride, he went away sorrowful.

Joseph Smith once said:

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary [to lead] unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God...Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life." (Lectures on Faith, 58)

Salvation of Children

In Latter-day Saint doctrine children are to be instructed in the principles of the gospel and baptized when eight years of age (D&C 68:25-27). They are then responsible to adhere to the teachings of the Church relative to obtaining salvation. Before that time they are considered "infants" or "little children" and are not required to be baptized. They are considered "alive in Christ" and are "whole" (Moroni 8:8-12; JST, Matthew 18:10-11).

Although children, with all the rest of mankind, feel the mortal "effects" of Adam's transgression, they (and all others) do not have any mystical stain of original sin upon them. Adults must have their own personal sins remitted by repentance and baptism (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Moses 6:57-62), but "the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents [both Adam's and their mortal parents'] cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world" (Moses 6:54).

The prophet Mormon taught: "Listen to the words of Christ; …the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them…. It is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children" (Moroni 8:8-9). The Lord instructed Joseph Smith that "little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten; wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me" (D&C 29:46-47).

This unconditional benefit of Christ's Atonement saves all little children regardless of race, color, or nationality, for "all children are alike unto me" (Moroni 8:17). They all begin their mortal lives pure and innocent (D&C 93:38), and "little children also have eternal life" (Mosiah 15:25).

If they die while in this state of innocence and purity, they return to that God who gave them life, saved, and fit for his company. They are in a "blessed" condition, for God's "judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy" (Mosiah 3:16, 18). The Prophet Joseph Smith saw in vision "that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the Celestial Kingdom of heaven" (D&C 137:10; TPJS, p. 200).

All that is said of infants and little children applies also to those who may be adults in physical body but are not accountable mentally (D&C 29:49-50).

Concepts outlined in scripture and by the prophets clearly demonstrate the marvelous uniting of the laws of justice and mercy because of the Atonement: none are eternally disadvantaged by noncompliance to gospel laws or ordinances they do not know or are not capable of understanding and thus cannot comply.

by Calvin P. Rudd

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, Children, Salvation of

Spirit Body

Latter-day Saints believe that each person was born in premortal life as a spirit son or daughter of God. The spirit joins with a physical body in the process of birth on the earth. At death the spirit and the body separate until they reunite in the resurrection. Spirits are capable of intellectual advancement, love, hate, happiness, sorrow, obedience, disobedience, memory, and other personal characteristics. Latter-day Saints believe that "all spirit is matter," but this matter is so fine that it cannot be discerned by mortal eyes (D&C 131: 7-8).

The Doctrine and Covenants explains that "the spirit of man is in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast; and every other creature which God has created" (D&C 77:2). That spirit bodies resemble physical bodies is demonstrated in the account of the premortal Jesus visiting the brother of Jared many centuries before Jesus' birth (Ether 3:9-16). On this occasion, the Lord revealed his spirit body and 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 3:16).

According to Latter-day Saint doctrine, the spirit (sometimes called the soul) does not die (Alma 42:9; James 2:26). However, a spirit, though immortal, cannot have a fulness of joy without being inseparably connected to a resurrected physical body (D&C 93:33-34; 138:50). For additional references see Job 32:8; Hebrews 12:9; 1 Nephi 11:11; Abraham 3:18-23.

By Wilson K. Anderson

Death and Dying

At death, the spirit and body separate and "the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40:11; cf. Eccl. 12:7). Alma 2, son of Alma 1 describes how the spirits of the "righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow" (Alma 40:12). In contrast, the wicked, who "chose evil works rather than good," suffer fear of the wrath of God (Alma 40:13). Both those who reside in paradise and those in the spirit prison await the resurrection and the judgment of God.

RESURRECTION FROM DEATH. Through the Atonement of Christ, all mortals will be resurrected irrespective of personal righteousness. Their spirits will have their physical bodies restored to them, and thus there will be a permanent unity of the spirit with an immortal, incorruptible body (John 5:28-29; Alma 11:42-45). Except for the resurrection of Christ, "this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more," and the spirits of men would have become devils, subject to Satan for eternity (2 Nephi 9:7-9).

NATURE OF DEATH. The scriptures teach that death does not change one's personality (Alma 34:34). Individual identities are eternal (D&C 18:10; 93:29). Thus all those who have been obedient to God's commandments in any time of the world can look forward to reunions with loved ones and associations with ancestors and descendants. Latter-day Saints believe that death need not terminate personal awareness or interpersonal relationships. For the righteous, family ties can continue beyond death because of sealing's in the temple. Thus, family members who have received the gospel in mortality conduct family history research and perform necessary vicarious ordinances in the temple for deceased family members. Many Latter-day Saints feel a closeness to ancestors from generations past because they have studied their lives, and some have served as proxies for them in temple ordinances (see Moses 6:45-46). Grieving parents know that children who die before reaching the age of accountability, and others such as the mentally disabled, receive eternal love and salvation through the grace of Christ and are restored to a completeness to continue in familial relationships (Moroni 8:17, 22; D&C 137:10).

Nevertheless, Latter-day Saints do not embrace death willingly, nor do they seek it. Suicide is condemned but judgment of it is left with the Lord. Abortion also is considered a serious sin under most circumstances and can cause much sorrow.

The best preparation for death is to repent and live righteously. Those who feel that their lives are in jeopardy with sickness may receive blessings from the elders of the Church, who, holding the priesthood of God, "shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name; and if they die they shall die unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me" (D&C 42:44). Those who face extreme suffering in a terminal illness may call upon the Lord for comfort or relief from pain, and rely upon him to prolong or shorten their days upon the earth. To allow a person who is terminally ill to pass away, rather than maintaining a vegetative existence through artificial systems of support, is not the spiritual equivalent of failing to save the life of a person facing death under other circumstances. The Lord is, however, the ultimate giver and taker of life.

To Latter-day Saints, as to all people, death can be tragic, unexpected, or even a blessed release from suffering. The loss of loved ones is an occasion for mourning. However, in LDS doctrine, death is also an occasion for hope, a birth into the next life, a step in the Plan of Salvation that began in the premortal existence and leads, if one is righteous, to eternal life with God in the Celestial Kingdom. The grieving of the faithful is appropriately marked by sorrow and hope, not despair and depression. Yet the loss of a loved one is to be taken neither lightly nor coldly. Grief and love are compatible—if not essential—emotions of the faithful. And Latter-day Saints who face death themselves, while experiencing uncertainty and concern for those left behind, can find hope in the Plan of Salvation and the Lord's promise that "those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them" (D&C 42:46).

DEATH OF INFANTS. Joseph and Emma Smith struggled with personal losses, including the death of several of their children. Joseph wrote: "I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. The strongest reasons that present themselves to my mind are these: …they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth…[but] we shall soon have them again" (TPJS, pp. 196-97).

DEATH OF YOUTH. Joseph Smith commented on the untimely death of youth at the funeral of young Ephraim Marks: "[This occasion] calls to mind the death of my oldest brother, Alvin, who died in New York, and my youngest brother, Don Carlos Smith, who died in Nauvoo. It has been hard for me to live on earth and see these young men upon whom we have leaned for support and comfort taken from us in the midst of their youth. Yes, it has been hard to be reconciled to these things…. Yet I know we ought to be still and know it is of God" (TPJS, p. 215). The Prophet also found great comfort in the gospel's affirmation of the relationship of mortality to eternity: "We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolations for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen them walk worthily in our midst, and seen them sink asleep in the arms of Jesus; and those who have died in the faith are now in the Celestial Kingdom of God" (TPJS, p. 359).

Mourning not only is appropriate; it is also one of the deepest expressions of pure love: "Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die" (D&C 42:45). Alma 1 taught that as part of the baptismal covenant the saints are "to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). Mourning can heighten our faith and our hopes. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "The expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils of life. It is like their taking a long journey, and on their return we meet them with increased joy" (TPJS, p. 296).

SUMMARY. Even as death began with the Fall, it will end with the Atonement, through which all are resurrected and the earth itself become immortal (D&C 29:22-29; 1 Cor. 15:19-26; Rev. 21:1-4). The hope engendered in Latter-day Saints by this long-range view of the loving Savior, triumphant over death, was reflected in a letter from Joseph Smith to the Church in 1842: "Now what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven: and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy" (D&C 128:19). Although it brings grief to those left behind, death is part of "the merciful plan of the great Creator" (2 Nephi 9:6), it is "a mechanism of rescue"—an essential step in the Lord's "great plan of happiness" (Alma 42:8).

by L. Kay Gillespie

The Afterlife

Latter-day Saints believe in the continued identity and existence of all living things after the death of the mortal body. Death does not signify the ending of the eternal soul, but is simply the transition from one form of existence to another.

Our souls are comprised of two elements: 'the spirit and the body.' President Joseph F. Smith taught: "The body without the spirit is dead, but the spirit is an immortal and an independent principle and being." At death, our spirit departs from our physical body and is taken home to that God who gave it life, meaning that it returns to live in the realm of spiritual existence (Eccles. 12:7.)  This applies to all men whether they are good or evil.

In the world of departed spirits, we face the immediate certain judgment of God. Elder Bruce R. McConkie noted: "Death itself is an initial day of judgment for all persons, both the righteous and the wicked."  However, this initial judgment is not the final judgment, but simply a separation, a partial judgment. This partial judgment pertains to the period intervening between the death of the body and the resurrection of the body, or the separation of the spirit from the body and their uniting together again. A spirit is assigned to its place, either to associate with the good and the noble ones who have lived in the paradise of God, or to be confined in the prison - house to await the resurrection of the body from the grave.

After an appropriate period of time as determined by God, everyone shall be physically resurrected and face their final judgment. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

"This blessing comes to all men through the atonement of Christ, irrespective of their goodness or wickedness while in mortality. Paul said there should be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust, and the Savior said that all who were in their graves should hear his voice and should come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

After resurrection and final judgment, every person will be saved in a kingdom of glory—except the sons of perdition, who are cast into outer darkness. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

"It is the purpose of the Almighty to save all mankind, and all will enter into his kingdoms in some degree of glory, except sons of perdition who sin beyond the power of repentance and redemption, and therefore cannot receive forgiveness of sins. All the rest shall be saved, but not all with the same degree of glory or exaltation. Every man will be judged according to his works, his opportunities for receiving the truth, and the intent of his heart."

by W. John Walsh

Lehi's Dream

Few Book of Mormon themes have received as much attention as has Lehi's dream. It has been the subject of songs, paintings, and a multitude of gospel discussions. One of the reasons that it is so powerful is that it is not just a dream about a tree, a building, a river, and a path; it is a metaphor for life. As the psalmist said, we are strangers in the earth (Psalms 119:19) left to find our way, so it seems, in a foreign land. In such a dreary and confusing quest, Lehi's dream seems to give the needed direction to help us navigate successfully. The trek rings true to life with its mists of darkness, mocking fingers, moments of joy, concern for family members, and a strait and narrow path. Fortunately, we are told the dream twice, through the eyes of two visionaries, Lehi and Nephi. Lehi tells the story; Nephi gives the interpretation. Both increase our understanding of the metaphor.

A Dark and dreary wilderness (1 Nephi 8:4)

"In his dreams Lehi finds himself wandering 'in a dark and dreary waste,' a 'dark and dreary wilderness,' where he must travel 'for the space of many hours in darkness,' lost and helpless (1 Nephi 8:4-8). Of all the images that haunt the early Arab poets this is by all odds the commonest; it is the standard nightmare of the Arab; and it is the supreme boast of every poet that he has traveled long distances through dark and dreary wastes all alone. Invariably darkness is given as the main source of terror (the heat and glare of the day, though nearly always mentioned, are given second place), and the culminating horror is almost always a 'mist of darkness,' a depressing mixture of dust, and clammy fog, which, added to the night, completes the confusion of any who wander in the waste. Quite contrary to what one would expect, these dank mists are described by travelers in all parts of Arabia, and al-Ajajj, one of the greatest of early desert poets, tells how a 'mist of darkness' makes it impossible for him to continue a journey to Damascus. In its nature and effect Lehi's 'mist of darkness' (1 Nephi 8:23) conforms to this strange phenomenon most exactly." (Lehi in the Desert and The World of the Jaredites, p. 47-8).

The fruit...was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted (1 Nephi 8:11)

The blessings of the Lord surpass all human understanding. So it is when one fully comprehends the love of God.  That love can be felt in the loneliest deserts or in his blessed presence.  The blessings of God's love and eternal life are available only through the atonement.

George F. Richards
"I had a dream, which I am sure was from the Lord. In this dream I was in the presence of the Savior as he stood in mid-air. He spoke no word to me, but my love for him was such that I have not words to explain. I know that no mortal man can love the Lord as I experienced that love for the Savior, unless God reveals it unto him. . . . [As] a result of that dream I had this feeling, that no matter what the gospel might entail unto me, I would do what I should be asked to do, even to the laying down of my life." (Conference Report, Oct 1946, p.139) 

David A. Bednar
"The fruit on the tree is a symbol for the blessings of the Atonement.  Partaking of the fruit of the tree represents the receiving of ordinances and covenants whereby the Atonement can become fully efficacious in our lives.  The fruit is described as "desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10) and produces great joy and the desire to share that joy with others." (Ensign, Oct. 2011, 34)

I began to be desirous that my family should partake (1 Nephi 8:12)

Marion D. Hanks
"There are those whom you love and when anything that is really important happens to you, you want to share it with the people you love. That is the way Lehi was when he tasted the fruit of the gospel. This is the motivation behind the whole missionary, the proselyting, the sharing program of the Church. It is a simple thing, yes, but the longer I live the more impressive it becomes to me that no real Latter-day Saint with convictions can ever retire to a chimney corner, a kind of spiritual isolation, and clasp to his bosom the blessings of the gospel and thank God he has it, and, grieve that others are without it. Rather, if he really tastes the fruit he will not be able to refrain from desiring to share it with those he loves best and with all his brothers and sisters-the children of God. I say this sentiment is as normal and natural as it can be." (BYU Speeches of the Year, May 4, 1960, p. 5.)

Rod of iron...extended along the bank of the river (1 Nephi 8:19)

The fact that the rod of iron is so close to this river is significant. Remember that Nephi later describes a terrible gulf that this river runs through. The depths of the river represent the depths of hell. Therefore, the depths of hell are not far from the rod of iron; it doesn't take many steps off the strait and narrow path before one falls into the terrible gulf and the river. Mormon wrote, thus we can plainly see that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things. (Alma 24:30)

The importance of the rod of iron

What a powerful tool of righteousness! What a wonderful secret! Lehi gives us the secret to successfully navigating life's journey. It doesn't matter if there are mists of darkness, vapors of darkness, windstorms, rocky roads, or rivers of filthy waters. If one remembers to hold onto the word of God as if it were one's spiritual lifeline, the promise of eternal life is given.

Merrill J. Bateman
"A casual, infrequent exposure to the scriptures will generally not open the door to the whisperings of the Spirit or provide insights...There are certain blessings obtained when one searches the scriptures. As a person studies the words of the Lord and obeys them, he or she draws closer to the Savior and obtains a greater desire to live a righteous life. The power to resist temptation increases, and spiritual weaknesses are overcome. Spiritual wounds are healed....According to the vision, the only way to reach the tree and become a permanent partaker of the fruit was to 'continually [hold] fast' to the iron rod (1 Nephi 8:30). What was the rod of iron? Nephi defined it as the 'word of God'- the words of the living prophets and the scriptures which point people to Christ. Nephi further stated that those who hearkened and held fast to the word of God would never perish (See 1 Nephi 15:24)...Holding fast to the iron rod builds faith in Christ and his work....President Benson, in the April 1986 general conference, expressed these thoughts: 'However diligent we may be in other areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it as we make our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life.'" (Ensign, May 1986, p. 82, as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.30)

  A strait and narrow path (1 Nephi 8:20)

Delbert L. Stapley
"To enter the straight gate implies obedience to gospel requirements, and the narrow way that leads to life connotes additional requirements, rites, and ordinances for all who desire salvation and exaltation....I should like to ask, 'What is the straight gate spoken of by the Savior by which we should enter?' All who have repented and then been baptized and received the Holy Ghost by authorized servants of God have entered in by the strait gate. The narrow way can only be followed by obedience and faithfulness to all the sacred ordinances and requirements of the higher gospel plan, obtained in the holy temples of God." (Conference Report, Apr. 1955, pp. 66-68 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.32)

The meaning of the word "strait"

Joseph Fielding Smith
"Mark you, this word strait is spelled s-t-r-a-i-t and not s-t-r-a-i-g-h-t. While no doubt, that path which leads into the presence of God is straight, it is also strait, which means that those who enter into it will find it restricted; it is narrow; they cannot take with them that which does not apply, or which does not belong to the kingdom of God. All such things must be left behind when we enter into this narrow way which leads in to the presence of God, where we can receive life eternal. 'Few there be that find it.'" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2. pp. 13-14 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.31-2)

I saw numberless concourses of people (1 Nephi 8:21) 

"Lehi beheld 'numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which [he] stood.'  It is just so today.  Multitudes of the earth's inhabitants respond regularly to the Light of Christ and seek to know more of the will of him whose they are.  They seek to get on that path which leads directly to peace here and eternal life hereafter.  But navigating the strait and narrow path takes care and caution.  One's eyes must ever be fixed upon the Lord and his glory, and thus the traveler must be willing to forsake the extraneous and the unnecessary things which the world offers so readily.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in 1839 that 'there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it' (D&C 123:12).  In some cases, even those who find the truth are not able to forsake the world and its trappings and thus travel unencumbered down the narrow gospel passageway.  Indeed, it is not difficult to live the principles of the gospel and thus to hold to the iron rod, except where one also attempts to maintain a concurrent grasp on the world." (McConkie, Millet, and Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 59)

There arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist (1 Nephi 8:23)

Jeffrey R. Holland

Our times are turbulent and difficult.  We see wars internationally and distress domestically. Neighbors all around us face personal heartaches and family sorrows.  Legions know fear and troubles of a hundred kinds.  This reminds us that when those mists of darkness enveloped the travelers in Lehi's vision of the tree of life, it enveloped all of the participants - the righteous as well as the unrighteous, the young along with the elderly, the new convert and seasoned member alike.  In that allegory all face opposition and travail, and only the rod of iron - the declared word of God-can bring them safely through.  We all need that rod.  We all need that word.  No one is safe without it, for in its absence any can "[fall] away into forbidden paths and [be] lost," as the record says. ("Prophets in the Land Again," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 105)

After they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed...and they fell away (1 Nephi 8:28)

It is remarkable to note that this group had tasted of the fruit before they fell away. They were bothered by the scoffers in the great and spacious building. These had tasted of the love of God and then chose the love of men instead. This group of people were not investigators but those who had successfully navigated the mists of darkness of the great and spacious field only to fail after tasting of the fruit. What a tragedy! Robert L. Millet said, "Imagine that! This group of people had received the word of God into their lives and had partaken of the renovating powers of Christ's atonement - their sins had been remitted, and for a season they sang 'the song of redeeming love' (Alma 5:26). What was the problem? They were too concerned with what others thought, too preoccupied with the world's pecking order. They allowed their values to be affected and then shaped by the values of others. That is, they surrendered to pride." (Alive in Christ: The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth, p. 184)

Furthermore, this passage has implications for how we interpret the symbolism of the fruit. Although, Nephi explains that the fruit represents the greatest of all the gifts of God, i.e. eternal life (1 Nephi 15:36), the full definition cannot be that narrow. Since the tree itself symbolizes the love of God, the fruit itself must also represent the love of God, especially in this verse. It is impossible to receive eternal life and then fall away, but it is entirely possible to taste of the love of God and then to fall away into forbidden paths.

Neal A. Maxwell

"A few members of the Church, alas, desert the cause; they are like one who abandons an oasis to search for water in the desert. Some of these few will doubtless become critics, and they will be welcomed into the 'great and spacious building.' Henceforth, however, so far as their theological accommodations are concerned, they are in a spacious but third-rate hotel. All dressed up, as the Book of Mormon says, 'exceedingly fine' (1 Nephi 8:27), they have no place to go except-one day, hopefully, home." (First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, BYU Religious Studies Center, p. 11 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.34)

A great and spacious building (1 Nephi 8:26)

This building stands in the air because it has no foundation. Its architect is Satan who would never design a stable foundation for any of the buildings in his kingdom. Rather, the building is precariously perched in anticipation of its imminent fall, for 'the devil will not support children at the last day' (1 Nephi 11:36, Alma 30:60). It rightfully floats on the other side of the terrible gulf which separates the righteous from the wicked - separated by the word of the justice of the Eternal God. Although the separation is dramatic in the symbolism of the dream, oftentimes the scoffers can be right amongst the righteous. The saints must be careful not to sympathize with the scoffers.

Harold B. Lee

"Unfortunately, some are among us who claim to be Church members but are somewhat like the scoffers in Lehi's vision - standing aloof and seemingly inclined to hold in derision the faithful who choose to accept Church authorities as God's special witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church." (Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 91 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.34)

Other multitudes... did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron (1 Nephi 8:30)

David A. Bednar

In verse 30 we read about a third group of people who pressed forward "continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." The key phrase in this verse is continually holding fast to the rod of iron.

The third group also pressed forward with faith and conviction; however, there is no indication that they wandered off, fell into forbidden paths, or were lost. Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the scriptures. Perhaps it was diligence and devotion to a seemingly "small and simple [thing]" (Alma 37:6) that saved the third group from perishing. Perhaps it was "the knowledge of the Lord" and "the knowledge of the truth" (Alma 23:5, 6) obtained through faithful study of the scriptures that yielded the spiritual gift of humility - such that this group of people "fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree" (1 Nephi 8:30). Perhaps it was the spiritual nourishment and strength provided by continually "feasting upon the word of Christ" (2 Nephi 31:20) that enabled this group to heed not the scorning and mocking of the people in the great and spacious building (see 1 Nephi 8:33). This is the group you and I should strive to join.

What, then, is the difference between clinging and holding fast to the rod of iron? Let me suggest that holding fast to the iron rod entails, in large measure, the prayerful, consistent, and earnest use of the holy scriptures as a sure source of revealed truth and as a reliable guide for the journey along the strait and narrow path to the tree of life - even to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I invite you to consider carefully and prayerfully the following question: What lessons can and should I learn from Lehi's vision of the tree of life and from the principle of continually holding fast to the rod of iron that will enable me to stand spiritually strong in the world in which we live today?

As you work diligently and seek inspiration to answer this important question, you will come to understand more fully by the power of the Holy Ghost, both in your heart and in your mind, the importance of continually holding fast to the rod of iron. And you will be blessed to apply those lessons with faith and diligence in your individual life and in your home. (Ensign, Oct. 2011, 35-36)

He did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent (1 Nephi 8:37)

This verse, more than any other, shows the great love and concern that father Lehi had for Laman and Lemuel. Nephi accurately portrays the anguish of soul felt by parents with wayward children. It is probably the same anguish that Father in Heaven feels when we are sinful and disobedient.

Lehi's difficulty with his children is similar to many parents today. Many parents have worked hard to teach their children righteous principles and bring them up in the Lord only to find their children despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection (Romans 1:30). Parents often make the mistake of second guessing their efforts, blaming themselves, or losing hope when faced with wayward children. Laman and Lemuel had good parents, and yet, by their agency, they were disobedient to the commandments of the Lord. They had an "attitude" problem. Lehi never gave up on his sons, even when a vision had shown him that they would not partake of eternal life. Lehi did not waste time blaming himself or Sariah, but rather spent his time exhorting them with all the feeling of a tender parent.

"The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of hope, a voice of consolation. More than anything else, the gospel message sets forth the eternal truth that our Father loves us, that he is concerned with our welfare, that he will do all he can to ensure our happiness and well-being, and that no one will be forgotten or overlooked. The primary responsibility to teach the gospel to children rests with their parents, not with the Church or any of its auxiliaries. Nevertheless there are those children who, despite the best efforts of their parents, will choose to stray from their teachings and example. Though their hearts will ache, there is reason for faithful parents, whose children are heirs of the covenant, to have hope even for those who wander. 'When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 321).

"Elder Orson F. Whitney expounded on this great doctrine of hope:

"'The Prophet Joseph Smith declared - and he never taught more comforting doctrine - that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father's heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.' (In Conference Report, April 1929, p. 110.)" (McConkie, Millet, Joseph Smith, the Choice Seer, chap. 20)

Mercy

"We must recognize that we are all imperfect—that we are beggars before God. Haven’t we all, at one time or another, meekly approached the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven’t we wished with all the energy of our souls for mercy—to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins we have committed? Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves?"

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, May 2012

Taming The Tongue

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:8.)

Dallin H. Oaks

"Profane and vulgar expressions are public evidence of a speaker's ignorance, inadequacy, or immaturity.

"A speaker who profanes must be ignorant or indifferent to God's stern command that his name must be treated with reverence and not used in vain.

"A speaker who mouths profanity or vulgarity to punctuate or emphasize speech confesses inadequacy in his or her own language skills. Properly used, modern languages require no such artificial boosters.

"A speaker who employs profanity or vulgarity to catch someone's attention with shock effect engages in a babyish device that is inexcusable as juvenile or adult behavior. Such language is morally bankrupt. It also progressively self-defeating, since shock diminishes with familiarity and the user can only maintain its effect by escalating its excess.

"Members of the Church, young or old, should never allow profane or vulgar words to pass their lips. The language we use projects the images of our hearts, and our hearts should be pure. As the Savior taught:

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things (Matthew 12:34-35.)

"The Book of Mormon teaches us that when we are brought before the judgment bar of God 'our words will condemn us ... and our thoughts will also condemn us.' (Alma 12:14.) Let us recognize profanity and vulgarity for what they are. They are sins that separate us from God and cripple our spiritual defenses by causing the Holy Ghost to withdraw from us." ("Reverent and Clean," Ensign, May 1986, 51-52)