Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, we
are subject to physical death,
which is the separation of the spirit from the body. Through the Atonement of
Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death (see
1 Corinthians 15:22). Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body
in an immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death.
Jesus Christ was the
first person on this earth to be resurrected. In the resurrection the spirit
and body will be reunited.
Alma 11:43-45
43 The spirit and the body
shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be
restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be
brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright
recollection of all our guilt.
44 Now, this restoration
shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and
female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as
a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect
frame…
45…I say unto you that this
mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the
first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with
their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and
immortal, that they can no more see corruption.
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,
all people will be resurrected.
After we are resurrected, we will stand before the Lord to be judged according
to our desires and actions. The eternal glory we receive will depend on our
faithfulness. Each of us will accordingly
receive an eternal dwelling place in a specific kingdom of glory.
Mosiah 16:10-11
10 Even this mortal shall
put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be
brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their
works whether they be good or whether they be evil—
11 If they be good, to the
resurrection of endless life and happiness; and if they be evil, to the
resurrection of endless damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath
subjected them, which is damnation—
2 Nephi 28:23
23 Yea, they are grasped
with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have
been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged
according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for
them…
We can be strengthened to put off the
natural man or the test
of a person’s ability to choose good instead of evil. Part of the experience of
this life is to learn to overcome temptation and to choose right over wrong. Those
who humble themselves before God and pray continually for strength will not be
“tempted above that which [they] can bear” (Alma 13:28). As they willingly obey
the commandments, Heavenly Father strengthens them to withstand temptation.
2 Nephi 4:27-3
27 And why should I yield to
sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the
evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am
I angry because of mine enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer
droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my
soul.
29 Do not anger again
because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine
afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and
cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul
will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem
my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make
me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
32 May the gates of hell be
shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is
contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me,
that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the
plain road!
33 O Lord, wilt thou
encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a
way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before
me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear
my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
We must pray continually to avoid temptation. Temptation is a test of a person’s ability to
choose good instead of evil. It is an enticement to sin and follow Satan
instead of God.
3 Nephi 18
18 Behold, verily, verily, I
say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for
Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
19 Therefore ye must always
pray unto the Father in my name;
20 And whatsoever ye shall ask
the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold
it shall be given unto you.
James 4:7–8
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he
will draw nigh to you”
The Book of Mormon is a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto Him and obey the laws and ordinances of His gospel may be saved. Far from undermining the Bible, the Book of Mormon supports its testimony of Jesus Christ.
The first thing that
Jesus taught when he appeared to the inhabitants of the ancient Americas was
baptism.
3 Nephi 11
16 And when they had all
gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord,
saying:
17 Hosanna! Blessed be the
name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did
worship him.
18 And it came to pass that
he spake unto Nephi (for Nephi was among the multitude) and he commanded him
that he should come forth.
19 And Nephi arose and went
forth, and bowed himself before the Lord and did kiss his feet.
20 And the Lord commanded
him that he should arise. And he arose and stood before him.
21 And the Lord said unto
him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again
ascended into heaven.
22 And again the Lord called
others, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize.
And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no
disputations among you.
23 Verily I say unto you,
that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be
baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go
down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.
24 And now behold, these are
the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying:
25 Having authority given me
of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
26 And then shall ye immerse
them in the water, and come forth again out of the water.
We need to pray with our families
and let our light shine.
3 Nephi 18:21-24
21 Pray in your families
unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be
blessed.
22 And behold, ye shall meet
together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye
shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid
them not;
23 But ye shall pray for
them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft
ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name.
24 Therefore, hold up your
light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall
hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto
the Father, and ye all have witnessed.
Jesus Christ has proclaimed his doctrine. The gospel is our Heavenly Father’s plan of
happiness. The central doctrine of the gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
32 And this is my doctrine,
and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record
of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth
record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all
men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33 And whoso believeth in
me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
34 And whoso believeth not
in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35 Verily, verily, I say
unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father;
and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the
Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy
Ghost.
36 And thus will the Father
bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father
and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.
37 And again I say unto you,
ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye
can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you,
ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye
can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39 Verily, verily, I say
unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon
my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40 And whoso shall declare more
or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil,
and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the
gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds
beat upon them.
41 Therefore, go forth unto
this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the
earth.
My Testimony
I know that we have been born
into this mortality to unite our spirit with our
body, giving us opportunities to grow and develop in ways that were not
possible in our premortal life. I know that this part of our existence is a time of learning in which we can prove ourselves, choose to come unto Christ, nd prepare to be worthy of eternal life with our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know these things through study and by revelation from the Holy Ghost. I look forward to meeting our Savior once I pass back through the veil to be granted my eternal reward.
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