Does the Work of the Savior Continue in the Next Life?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Doctrine and Covenants 137-138 in a lesson titled “The Vision of the Redemption of the Dead.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

The revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 137 and 138 are separated by more than 80 years and 1,500 miles (2,400 km). Section 137 was received by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1836 in the Kirtland Temple, and section 138 was received by Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, in 1918 in Salt Lake City. But doctrinally, these two visions belong side by side. They both answer questions that many people—including God’s prophets—have about life after death. Joseph Smith wondered about the fate of his brother Alvin, who had died without being baptized. Joseph F. Smith, who had lost both of his parents and 13 children to untimely deaths, thought often about the spirit world and wondered about the preaching of the gospel there.

Section 137 casts some initial light on the destiny of God’s children in the next life, and section 138 opens the curtains even wider. Together, both revelations testify of “the great and wonderful love made manifest by the Father and the Son” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:3).

The scripture block contains the following principles: (1) All of Heavenly Father’s children will have the opportunity to choose eternal life (Doctrine and Covenants 137; 138:30-3, 57-60). (2) Reading and pondering the scriptures prepares me to receive revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 138:1-11, 25-30). (3) The Savior’s work continues on the other side of the veil (Doctrine and Covenants 138:25-60). This essay will discuss the third principle about the work of the Savior continuing in the next life.

The Savior’s “work” consists of teaching and preparing all people to return to the presence of Heavenly Father and to become like Him. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ taught His gospel for only three years and was able to teach His gospel to only a small group of people living in the Jerusalem area. After His death, His apostles took His gospel to a wider area. Now, His apostles and disciples take the gospel worldwide to every nation where allowed. Even with all this missionary work, only a few million people have been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth.

There are billions of people in the spirit world who have never been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. The vision given to President Joseph F. Smith and known as Doctrine and Covenants section 138 shares God’s plan for the salvation of all His children. The plan is based on all – every single one – of God’s children to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each child of God has the gift of agency or freedom to choose for themselves, and each must use that agency to hear the gospel choose for themselves whether to accept the gospel or reject it.

This brings us to the billions of people who have lived on earth without being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. During the time that His body lay in the tomb, the spirit of Jesus Christ went to the spirit world where righteous spirits have waited for years and even centuries for Him to set them free. There in the spirit world, Christ organized missionary work among His righteous spirits to go among the wicked spirits to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. Those who accept the gospel of Jesus Christ – have faith in Him and His Atonement, repent of their sins, are baptized by immersion for the remission of sins, and receive the Holy Ghost – are released from spirit prison and began to move forward with their eternal lives. Those who do not accept the gospel of Jesus Christ are “damned” or stopped in their spiritual progression until they do.

The spirit children of God can be taught and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ in the spirit world, but all ordinances must be completed in mortality. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples – more than 200 are scattered across the world. The work of eternity takes place in temples.

Mortals are baptized and confirmed in baptismal fonts located in meetinghouses or in lakes, ponds, rivers, or other available bodies of water. Baptisms and confirmations for people who have died are performed in temples by proxies. Other ordinances can also be completed for them by proxies in a temple. Once the ordinances are completed, the person can use their agency to accept or reject the work that has been completed for them. If they accept, they can move forward in their eternal lives. If they reject the work, they are stopped in their eternal progress. It is their choice. They can choose what they want.

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life” (“Let Us All Press On,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 118-19). Let Us All Press On

 

Why Is the U.S. Constitution Important?

            A miracle happened more than 200 years ago in a hot, closed room in a building now known as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There several dozen wise men (with the numbers fluctuating) spent the summer of 1797 debating, compromising, and pounding out the details for a new Constitution. Every state was represented except Rhode Island, a state that chose to not send delegates. At the conclusion of the Constitution Convention, there were 41 delegates in attendance, and 38 of the men signed the document. Today marks the 233d anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States.

            The men recognized that they had accomplished an essential task that would determine the future of the young nation. However, they understood that their work was not yet finished. According to the document itself, 9 out of the 13 U.S. states were required to ratify the document before it would become the law of the land.

            The first five states – Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut – ratified the Constitution in quick succession beginning on December 7, 1797. Massachusetts refused to ratify the document because it did not give “constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.” Another compromise was made in February 1788 “under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed.”

            The ratification vote in Massachusetts was close, but it was in favor. Massachusetts was followed by Maryland and South Carolina. New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document on June 21, 1788. Agreement was made that the new government under the Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789. Virginia ratified the Constitution in June, and New York followed in July 1789.

            The new Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution on September 25, 1789 – known as the Bill of Rights – and sent them to the states to be ratified. The states ratified ten of the twelve in 1791.

            North Carolina ratified the Constitution in November 1789, and Rhode Island finally ratified on May 29, 1790, after the “U.S. government threatened to sever commercial relations with the state.” All 13 original colonies joined the United States, and the “U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution in operation in the world.”

            A miracle took place in that men representing thirteen different states agreed on one document to be the Supreme Law of the land. Another miracle took place when the states ratified the document. At a time in history when the writers of the Constitution are disrespected and dishonored and their statues are damaged or destroyed, I think that it is important to share some information about them.

            The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “I established the Constitution of his land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:80). He also said that the divinely inspired Constitution “belongs to all mankind) (Doctrine and Covenants 98:5). When the Kirtland Temple was dedicated, the dedicatory prayer as dictated by God contains these words: “May those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever (Doctrine and Covenants 109:54).

            President Ezra Taft Benson shared his personal experience that fulfilled a long-time dream. He was on assignment from the living Prophet. Here is his story. 

Shortly after President Spencer W. Kimball became President of the Church, he assigned me to go into the vault of the St. George Temple and check the early records. As I did so, I realized the fulfillment of a dream I had had ever since learning of the visit of the Founding Fathers to the St. George Temple. I saw with my own eyes the record of the work which was done for the Founding Fathers of this great nation, beginning with George Washington.

Think of it: the Founding Fathers of this nation, those great men, appeared within those sacred walls and had their vicarious work done for them.

            President Benson then shared the following experience, which is given in the words of another prophet of God, President Wilford Woodruff.

Before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, “You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1946, p. 160).

[President Benson continued:] After he became President of the Church, President Wilford Woodruff declared that “those men who laid the foundation of this American government were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits… [and] were inspired of the Lord” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1898, p. 89).

I have a copy of an original painting depicting the Founding Fathers appearing to President Woodruff. Just as President Woodruff mentioned, George Washington is at the forefront of the group of men urging President Woodruff to do their temple work. What did President Woodruff do? He did the work!

In 1986, members of the Family History Library staff in the LDS Reference Unit, were “assigned to compile and computerize all the existing genealogical data on the founding fathers, to identify their families, and to document completed temple ordinances for each.” They identified a founding father as being “identified as one who had signed one or more of the following documents: the Articles of Association (1774), the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Articles of Confederation (1778), or the Constitution (1787).” They used a variety of “sources to compile the information, including information recording by Wilford Woodruff.” 

… In his journal entry of Sunday, 19 August 1877, Elder Woodruff, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and president of the St. George Temple, wrote: “I spent the evening in preparing a list of the noted men of the 17 century and 18ty, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, for baptism on Tuesday the 21 Aug 1877.”

His journal entry for August 21 reads, “I, Wilford Woodruff, went to the temple of the Lord this morning and was baptized for 100 persons who were dead, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence…. I was baptized for the following names.” He then listed the names of one hundred men (one of whom was shown twice, so actually there were ninety-nine), including forty-five “eminent men” of several nationalities. The baptisms were performed by J.D.T. McAllister, a counselor in the temple presidency.

Elder Woodruff continued his journal entry: “When Br. McAllister had baptized me for the 100 names, I baptized him for 21, including Gen. Washington and his forefathers and all the presidents of the United States that were not on my list except Buchanan, Van Buren, and Grant.” (The work for these presidents has since been done.)

“It was a very interesting day,” Elder Woodruff continued. “I felt thankful that we had the privilege and the power to administer for the worthy dead, especially for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, that inasmuch as they had laid the foundation of our Government, that we could do as much for them as they had done for us.

“Sister Lucy Bigelow Young went forth into the font and was baptized for Martha Washington and her family, and seventy of the eminent women of the world. I called upon the brethren and sisters who were present to assist in getting the endowments for those that we had been baptized for today.” (Wilford Woodruff’s journal, typescript, vol. 7, Church History Library; spelling and punctuation modernized.)

Proxy ordinations and endowments for the men, and endowments for the women, were performed and recorded over the next few days.

            These events were not mentioned until nearly a month later when Elder Woodruff spoke in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on 16 September 1877. He spoke of the visitation of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, “They waited on me for two days and two nights.” He added, “I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them.” (Journal of Discourses, 19:229.)

            I strongly believe that our Founding Fathers and Mothers were prepared, raised up, and inspired by God to become an independent nation. I have great respect for them and honor their efforts in creating a new kind of nation with a written Constitution. I know that America was held in reserve until their time, so that they could prepare a nation where people would have freedom of religion. The new government took charge on March 4, 1789, and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Prophet Joseph Smith in the spring of 1820, only 31 years later to open this dispensation and to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to earth. The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the result of the work of the Founding Fathers.

Temples and Family History

                    Temple work and family history help us to obtain and keep eternal perspectives.  Eternity is plainly shown when we stand before the mirrors in our temples.  The mirrors on opposite walls reflect images back and forth into what seems like eternity.  By looking into the mirror in front of us, we are reminded of all the generations of our posterity following us.  When we turn around and look in the other mirror, we are reminded of all our ancestors who preceded us.

                    In the October 1902 General Conference, Joseph F. Smith, then President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed the hope that one day we would "have temples built in the various parts of the [world] where they are needed for the convenience of the people." 

The hope of President Smith and other prophets is currently being fulfilled because temples now dot the earth.  The Church now has 134 temples operating throughout the world with more in the planning and building process.  Every temple has the same functions and identical ordinances and blessings.  Each one is a house of God.

President Thomas S. Monson reported in the April 2011 General Conference that "Eighty-five percent of the membership of the Church now live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple, and for a great many of us, that distance is much shorter" (Ensign, May 2011, p. 92).

He also said, "Temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting.  They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service."

I remember when President Spencer W. Kimball encouraged parents to plant the love of temples in the hearts of their children.  He said, "It seems to me it would be a fine thing if every set of parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so the boy or girl from the time he is an infant could look at the picture every day and it becomes a part of his life.  When he reaches the age that he needs to make this very important decision, it will have already been made" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 301).

We teach our children from the time they are babies that temples are important and sacred buildings.  Our Primary children sing about temples.  The following song was written by Janice Kapp Perry, "I Love to See the Temple," Children's Songbook, 95).

I love to see the temple.

I'll go inside someday.

I'll cov'nant with my Father;

I'll promise to obey.

                    The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that we have a Heavenly Father who wants all of His children to return to His presence.  The gospel also teaches that the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the means to be resurrected and to live forever with our families in God’s presence.  In order to put the Atonement into effect in our lives, we must obey all that the Savior commands.  His commandments include being baptized and confirmed as well as receiving the temple ordinances.

                    Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have each been baptized and confirmed by one holding proper priesthood authority. Each adult member also may go into the temple to receive the saving priesthood ordinances performed there.

                    Many people have lived on the earth that did not have these same opportunities.  They did not live at a time or in a place when the gospel was available to them.  Because Heavenly Father loves all of His children and wants all of us to return to live with Him, He provided a way for those who have died without baptism or the temple ordinances to receive them.  Members of the Church act as proxies to perform temple ordinances for our ancestors.

                    Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are special buildings built and dedicated to the Lord. Worthy Church members have the opportunity to go inside the temples to receive sacred ordinances and to make covenants with God.  These ordinances and covenants, like baptism, are necessary for our salvation and must be performed in the temples of the Lord.

                    Part of the temple experience is instruction about Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Visitors to the temple gain better understanding of our purpose in life and our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  There we learn about our life before we came to earth, why we are here, and what life after death is like.

                    All temple ordinances are performed by the power of the priesthood.  Ordinances performed on earth by this power are sealed, or bound, in heaven as the Savior taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

                    The temple is the only place where families can be sealed together forever.  Baptism and all other ordinances prepare us for marriage in the temple where a man and a woman are joined as husband and wife for eternity if they honor their covenants.

                    When a man and a woman are married in the temple, any children born after the sealing are automatically part of their eternal family.  Couples who were previously married by civil authority can receive these same blessings by preparing themselves and their children to go to the temple and be sealed to each other.  Parents who legally adopt children may have those children sealed to them.

                    Many of our ancestors died without the opportunity to hear the gospel on earth and now live in the spirit world where they are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Those who accept the gospel there in the spirit world are waiting for the temple ordinances to be performed for them here on earth.  We can feel the joy of our ancestors as we perform these temple ordinances for them.

                    In order to do temple work for our ancestors, we must identify them by doing family history.  When we have sufficient information, we can take the names of our ancestors to the temple to be sealed into the family relationship.  The experience of doing temple work for an ancestor is a special and sacred experience.


                   Families can be together forever when they are sealed together by temple ordinances.  Becoming a forever family is not easy, but it is worthwhile.  "Together Forever" tells how to become eternal families.

Temple Work

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that we have a Heavenly Father who wants all of His children to return to His presence. The gospel also teaches that the Atonement of Jesus Christ provided the means to be resurrected and to live forever with our families in God’s presence. In order to put the Atonement into effect in our lives, we must obey all that the Savior commands. His commandments include being baptized and confirmed as well as receiving the temple ordinances.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have each been baptized and confirmed by one holding proper priesthood authority. Each adult member also may go into the temple to receive the saving priesthood ordinances performed there.

Many people have lived on the earth that did not have these same opportunities. They did not live at a time or in a place when the gospel was available to them. Because Heavenly Father loves all of His children and wants all of us to return to live with Him, He provided a way for those who have died without baptism or the temple ordinances to receive them. Members of the Church act as proxies to perform temple ordinances for our ancestors.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are special buildings built and dedicated to the Lord. Worthy Church members have the opportunity to go inside the temples to receive sacred ordinances and to make covenants with God. These ordinances and covenants, like baptism, are necessary for our salvation and must be performed in the temples of the Lord.

Part of the temple experience is instruction about Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Visitors to the temple gain better understanding of our purpose in life and our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There we learn about our life before we came to earth, why we are here, and what life after death is like.

All temple ordinances are performed by the power of the priesthood. Ordinances performed on earth by this power are sealed, or bound, in heaven as the Savior taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

The temple is the only place where families can be sealed together forever. Baptism and all other ordinances prepare us for marriage in the temple where a man and a woman are joined as husband and wife for eternity if they honor their covenants.

When a man and a woman are married in the temple, any children born after the sealing are automatically part of their eternal family. Couples who were previously married by civil authority can receive these same blessings by preparing themselves and their children to go to the temple and be sealed to each other. Parents who legally adopt children may have those children sealed to them.

Many of our ancestors died without the opportunity to hear the gospel on earth and now live in the spirit world where they are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who accept the gospel there in the spirit world are waiting for the temple ordinances to be performed for them here on earth. We can feel the joy of our ancestors as we perform these temple ordinances for them.

In order to do temple work for our ancestors, we must identify them by doing family history. When we have sufficient information, we can take the names of our ancestors to the temple to be sealed into the family relationship. The experience of doing temple work for an ancestor is a special and sacred experience.