The two friends smiled at each other and savored the moment.
They would soon part company and the reality now became even more apparent.
One had heard word of a grim diagnosis on his health,
Terminal illness would soon lead to what we refer to as death.
He had a few days to live if the doctors were right.
Just enough time to say goodbye and exit from sight.
This may be the last good conversation that they would have before the time came.
Tears were shed, some held back. Neither one would be quite be the same.
They had talked frequently in the past about all the troubles in the world with
political turmoil and widespread crime,
followed occasionally by a quip that “death is looking better all the time”.
They both held the same faith and religious affiliation.
They were believers of life after death and eternal salvation.
One would leave this life and graduate to the next sooner than the other.
But they knew that they would see each other again sooner than later.
You see, time is measured differently by God and mankind.
In an eternity of minutes and the space in-between,
what does a day on this planet really mean?
Our time here on this earth is like a drop of water in the ocean -
a probationary period that God has given us to improve our spiritual condition.
What we do with our time here is totally up to us.
We can use it to satisfy selfish pleasures or to fulfill a higher purpose.
Gratefully, death would have no sting on this or any other occasion.
Death would not win this battle in the quest for man’s exaltation.
The grave has no victory because of one momentous event –
the sacrifice of the Son of God brings resurrection to all when spirit and body reunite.
The spirit lives on even when the mortal frame is placed in the grave.
It leaves as it arrived, in wonder and rejoicing to those who know the plan and
understand how we are saved.
The two friends would meet again on the other side of the veil,
where they would learn more thoroughly the difference between heaven and hell.
If we turn to God while in this life and seek to do His will,
It may be better for us in the vast future of eternal life where all will be made well.
Christ has brought the triumph over death and ended it’s sting.
His atonement will bring a restitution to every human being.
February 2023
1 Peter 1: 3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-57 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alma 11: 42-45 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death. 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. 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, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. 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.
2 Nephi 2: 6-9 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits,
and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
Paul V. Johnson, “And There Shall Be No More Death”, April 2016
“President Gordon B. Hinckley referred to the Resurrection as “the greatest of all events in the history of mankind.” The Resurrection is brought to pass by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and is pivotal to the great plan of salvation. We are spirit children of heavenly parents. When we come to this earth life, our spirit is united with our body. We experience all the joys and challenges associated with mortal life. When a person dies, their spirit is separated from their body. Resurrection makes it possible for a person’s spirit and body to
be united again, only this time that body will be immortal and perfect—not subject to pain, disease, or other problems.
After resurrection, the spirit will never again be separated from the body because the Savior’s Resurrection brought total victory over death. In order to obtain our eternal destiny, we need to have this immortal soul—a spirit and body—united forever. With spirit and immortal body inseparably connected, we can “receive a fulness of joy.” In fact, without the Resurrection we could never receive a fulness of joy but would be miserable forever. Even faithful, righteous people view the separation of their bodies from their spirits as captivity. We are released from this captivity through the Resurrection, which is redemption from the bands or chains of death. There is no salvation without both our spirit and our body.”
Alma 12: 24-25 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead. Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was laid from the foundation of the world, there
could have been no resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has been spoken.
Dallin H. Oaks, “Divine Love in the Father’s Plan” April 2022
“The revealed doctrine of the restored Church of Jesus Christ teaches that all the children of God—with exceptions too limited to consider here—will finally wind up in a kingdom of glory. “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” Jesus taught. From modern revelation we know that those mansions are in three different kingdoms of glory. In the Final Judgment each of us will be judged according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts. Before that, we will need to suffer for our unrepented sins. The scriptures are clear on that. Then our Righteous Judge will grant us residence in one of those kingdoms of glory. Thus, as we know from modern revelation, all “shall be judged … , and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared.”
Alma 40: 11 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do know. And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth
all the times which are appointed unto man. Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that 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.
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