Because it's Sunday: After this life
In 1918, Joseph F. Smith, sixth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and grand-nephew to the Prophet Joseph Smith, received a vision of the spirit world. This vision is recorded in Section 138 of the Doctrine & Covenants, and tells how the gospel, including the principles of faith, repentance, hope and patience, are a part of life after death.
The visions begins with a view of the multitudes who had died in the millenia before the time of Christ. As Isaiah teaches (60:1), the dead were in a state of captivity: neither did they have the gospel nor did not have a physical body. After his crucifixion but before his resurrection, Christ visits the spirit world to minister and proclaim liberty through his atonement. He went to those who were not rebellious, those who did not defile themselves. However, he was among them for a short period of time, much less than the three years of his mortal ministry on earth. Peter teaches that Christ preached the gospel to the dead (1 Pet. 3:18-20 and 4:6). And while Christ did not have time to go among those who were disobedient and rejected him to teach them,
he instead, went to those who had been faithful in mortality, and “from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead” (D&C 138:30). Therefore, rather than going to teach the unrighteous himself, the Savior organized a great teaching force, a missionary organization to carry his message. Thus, the gospel was preached to the dead, to both those who had died without a knowledge of the truth and to those who had transgressed, rejecting the prophets.
he instead, went to those who had been faithful in mortality, and “from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead” (D&C 138:30). Therefore, rather than going to teach the unrighteous himself, the Savior organized a great teaching force, a missionary organization to carry his message. Thus, the gospel was preached to the dead, to both those who had died without a knowledge of the truth and to those who had transgressed, rejecting the prophets.
And just as the gospel is taught in its fulness on the earth today, through the organization of his kingdom in the spirit world, the disobedient and the unrighteous “were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.” They were taught the same first principles and ordinances the church teaches on this side of the veil, as well as “all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (v33,34).
The dead—the unrighteous as well as the faithful—were taught about the atonement and about redemption from sin through the Savior Jesus Christ. Christ took the time he had in the spirit world “instructing and preparing the faithful spirits of the prophets who had testified of him in the flesh; that they might carry the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they through the ministration of his servants might also hear his words” (v37,38).
Today, many individuals named in the scriptures are part of this huge crowd of spirits (v38-53). To name just a few: from the Old Testament, Adam, Eve, Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi, and Elijah are found there. The prophets and righteous individuals from the Americas, who had testified of Christ among the Nephites and the Lamanites are there. All of them are together, including prophets of the restoration, such as Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, and Wilford Woodruff. All of these faithful individuals, “when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead” (v57). They labor diligently in that world because “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, and after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation” (v58,59).
Today, many individuals named in the scriptures are part of this huge crowd of spirits (v38-53). To name just a few: from the Old Testament, Adam, Eve, Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi, and Elijah are found there. The prophets and righteous individuals from the Americas, who had testified of Christ among the Nephites and the Lamanites are there. All of them are together, including prophets of the restoration, such as Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, and Wilford Woodruff. All of these faithful individuals, “when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead” (v57). They labor diligently in that world because “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, and after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation” (v58,59).
The Lord is merciful. He loves all of his children unconditionally. That is why, “the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life” (Alma 40:11). Alma testifies, “I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desirewhether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction” (29:4). [ (Alma 41:3-6) ] Our desires for spiritual things will not change once we leave this life: the “same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” (Alma 34:34). In that next life, we be the same person with the same desires and understanding. What we know now, we will know then (Alma 11:43). And not only will we be the same people, “but that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there” (D&C 130:2). The relationships and feelings we have toward our families and friends will be the same there as they are in this life. If we create healthy, enjoyable relationship, they will persist and “will be coupled with eternal glory.” At the same time, if we have put little effort into establishing healthy relationships, having spent time in selfish pursuits, we will be alone there as well. For this reason, as Christ teaches, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).
The Lord knows each of us and respects each of us as individuals. He wants us to be happy. That is why he created the Plan of Salvation, which encompasses “many mansions” where all of his children can find a place where each will feel comfortable. Doctrine & Covenants 76 teaches that even those of the telestial glory, lowest degree of glory, “shall be heirs of salvation” (v88). In the end, those who do not accept the gospel, the prophets, the covenants, or the testimony of Jesus Christ will find glory after this life. It will be an eternal life much like their mortal life—they will not be close to God; they will not be close to their family; and, they will spend little time improving their talents, their attitudes, and their relationships. Similarly, those who inherit the terrestrial glory will find that they continue the same life they created for themselves during mortality. Regardless of what system of belief they held during mortality, they were not valiant and diligent in doing what they know is right (v79). They did not follow the Spirit of Christ (Moroni 7:16-18). They are rewarded according to their capacities. The expectations they live under in the terrestrial kingdom are those that suit them most comfortably (v111). Celestial glory, the highest degree of glory, is reserved for those who are willing to continually exercise faith and value the word of the Lord (v52,53). It is for those, who in this life, strive to live in God's presence; because, in the next they will literally live with Heavenly Father (v62).
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