What comes next? Life Continues After Death

“What comes next?” “I don’t know what to do?” Many of us find ourselves questioning in situations of tumult and distress, such as the passing of a loved one. At the moment may feel alone, as we all would.  In any situation God always has a plan for you, your family, and the loved one. Heavenly Father wants those tender moments of going on late summer bike rides and playing catch in the park to stay vivid in your mind. Why? The good moments never have to end. What would you do knowing that these old memories and ones yet to come continue into eternity? Death does not prevail; families can be together forever.

The moment you see a dear friend or relative slip from one side to the other side truly tries one’s faith. I know how you feel; I have been there. Temporarily, all of your earthly activities and pursuits with that individual go on hold; this may seem like the end, but it is not. When one passes on, their body will rest peacefully on the earth. In contrast to what happens to one’s body: the spirit of the individual (often referred to as the soul), continues to live on in full glory. When one passes on, they bring with them the knowledge accumulated and refined in this life, over to the next side. An end result, they never forget you: the same way you will never forget them.

We still ask, “Why must all things end?” Before delving deeper into this difficult question, think of an apprenticeship or an internship.  What is the purpose of both? The result that comes from shadowing a master ends with both personal refinement and real world experience. If you have ventured down either one of these pathways, you know how strenuous and arduous the position poses. After going through the ordeal, do you want to be the intern or apprentice forever?  Wouldn’t you want to be endowed with knowledge in your desired field when it ends? God takes the same stance on our earthly lives; He does not want you to struggle forever! He does want you to go through a refiner’s fire and develop Godly attributes that will aid you later on.

We know all things must end, where our end route? Mainstream Christianity teaches that our final destination is Heaven or Hell. We know that more than these two destinations await us on the other side. Wouldn’t you think that there would be more places for all of the people on the earth rather than just two places? God has a reward system set up for His children to reward them for their use of Jesus Christ’s atonement, versus simply than giving eternal happiness or eternal sorrow. God is equal and just in His dealings. He knows everything; everything will be sorted out by him.

 The tragedy that death poses will not prevail forever. More await you as you center your lives on Christ and refine yourself. Emulating Godly attributes as simple as faith in Jesus Christ, hope, virtue, and humility prepare you to meet your maker. Do all that you can to receive your fullest reward. He never judges where you begin; judgment is based on where we end. Live up to your fullest potential; there is more after death.  

What Mormons Believe: Families are Together Forever

The moments spent cradling your little ones, at dusk walks along a cool riverbed with your significant other. With them wrapped in your warm arms, you whisper the simple phrase: “I love you.” Wouldn’t you want these tender moments to last forever? With our Heavenly Father’s plan for you; families can be together forever. Acting on the council given to us from God, these feelings of love and comfort will be yours. These feelings come as you strive to emulate God’s son, Jesus Christ.

Can my family live together forever? A central belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (a.k.a. the Mormons), states marriage can be an eternal union. Think about the family’s importance in modern day society. A legal joining between a man and a woman creates the optimal atmosphere for rearing children. This stable environment engrains the proper attitudes and morals in young minds; these developed attributes lead to success later down the road. Wouldn’t you want to instill confidence that radiates through your child’s eyes: a knowledge that ensures them of their infinite worth?

Personal Worth equates to greater resistance from peer pressure. As a parent, or future parent later in life, don’t you worry about the forces grabbing and crippling a majority of the rising generation? Wouldn’t you like your children to dismiss the thought of sampling alcohol, tobacco, or illegal/ harmful substances? Through the message that we have today about Jesus Christ, your children can avoid many of the unfavorable circumstances that making inappropriate choices bring.

What comfort does being an eternal family bring? Personally speaking, I know that enlightenment comes from within knowing the depth of our Heavenly Father’s plan for us. Have you ever thought of a deceased loved one, and wondered where they went? I had a brother pass on, yet I know that I will see him again. The Family: A Proclamation to the World (a declaration given to us from a modern day prophet and apostles), states: “…the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” God has more in store for you than what meets the eye. What will you do to obtain it?
 How do I know that I have qualified for an eternal family? There are five easy things our Heavenly Father asks of us to obtain all of His blessings….

1.   Demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ: Rather than a passive belief in Him, show Jesus Christ how grateful you are for his sacrifice.

2.    Repentance: The second step of faith, you show Christ that you are willing to rid yourself of past mistakes and misdeeds not in harmony with his teachings.

3.   Baptism: A visual way of showing Jesus Christ your forgiveness. To be baptized, the one doing the baptism must hold the proper authority.

 

4.   Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost: The second part of the baptism. The feelings felt prior to baptism will be felt always as you remain worthy of Jesus Christ’s trust.

5.   Endure to the End: This simply means living the covenants you made at baptism and always progressing forward to become more like Jesus Christ.

 By living these simple five steps, we qualify for eternal families. It is really that easy! Heavenly Father knows you can do it! Simply put your trust in Him. This may seem difficult, but look at the potential outcome. Eternal Family happiness for five simple things that will benefit you and your family’s lives. Who wouldn’t want this for such a simple task?

 

I know that families are eternal. You and your family, by following the principles established by Jesus Christ strengthen and solidify family bonds in this life that will carry on to the next. Imagine all of the Christmas, birthday, and at dusk walk memories with your loved ones. These tender unforgettable moments of peace and security never have to end. What will you do to have an eternal family? Are there some amends to make? Try it out; see how incorporating God in your life will change it. Your righteousness will benefit yourself and loved ones. Most importantly, they will see: families can be together forever.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Mormons Believe: Establishing a Relationship with God, the Father

Who can I always turn to? Is there someone who loves me, even with all of my little quirks and struggles? Everyone on the planet desires to feel loved and accepted; yet sometimes we find ourselves searching for the right outlet. Instead of exploring unstable venues, let us remember the one who remains constant: our Heavenly Father. Imagine in your mind the perfect father figure: and there stands God. He knows us personally, we are his children. Since Heavenly Father knows each of us on an individual level: wouldn’t we want to know God, the way He knows us?

Establishing our relationship with our Heavenly Father brings the realization that He knows us. In our world of ever changing culture and shifting societal norms, it seems improbable to know who to turn to. Yet, our Heavenly Father always reaches out with extended arms. We, through effort on our part: praying, reading the holy scriptures, and doing as the Father asks in a form of what is called a covenant (a two way promise between you and God), helps establish our relationship with Him.  As we deepen our relationship with Him: you feel the power of His presence more in your life. With his spirit guiding you, it becomes easier to know what to do and say in certain situations. In prayer, that same spirit warms your heart even as you utter simple daily events.

A vivid example of God’s closeness with his children comes from our church’s early history. In 1830 a young farm boy in upstate New York asked a simple, yet profound question. “Which church do I join?” The boy asked. Have you ever wondered this? This child searched the scriptures and found his answer in James 1:5 KJV If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. His answer: pray! He went behind his humble log cabin home into a grove of trees and offered up a prayer asking which church to join. In his experience he described in his own words.

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

God called this boy by his own name, Joseph. Joseph Smith, the humble farm boy with a third grade education saw our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ in the flesh. If god knows even a humble farm boy’s name, wouldn’t He know yours too?

Heavenly Father desires to be our source of comfort and council. All of us find ourselves lamenting over some events in our lives (myself included), that caused deep emotional pain. I wondered, as we all do: “is there anyone who understands how I ache inside?” In one of my moments of questioning, I stumbled across a three verse scripture passage that stay vivid in my mind to this day. In the Book of Mormon  1Nephi 21:14-16 reads;

 14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.

 15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Imagine the one who never forgets us, even in our lowest hour. How could you show gratitude for someone as gracious as He?

 

The chorus of “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers my mother would occasionally sing, exemplifies God’s feelings for you. God wants us as individuals, families, and societies to rely solely on him. How can we put all of our trust in God? Heavenly Father: being the creator of all, knows all. Sometimes we need to take that leap of faith and give it to the Lord. This never proves easy, yet always possible. The scriptures always give the most vivid depictions of faith. In the book of Exodus, the Egyptian nation held the children of Israel in slavery generations before God called Moses to lead them to the Promised Land. Likewise in the Book of Mormon, we see the Nephites, the Lord’s scriptural choice people in the Americas: in bondage to their brethren the Lamanites. The Nephites also went through much strife and hardship before Heavenly Father liberated them. Faith takes time. God wants you to lean on Him constantly; He knowing your physical and mental capacities will never allow you to go overborne.

 

I know that God knows us. He knows when we get that dream job, to when marriages strain. With God knowing us at the most intimate fatherly level, why wouldn’t we want to know him for being the most incredible Father of all time and places? Getting to know our father takes only a simple prayer that even a small child can offer. He desires you to partake of his never ending love.  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7 KJV) I know that by continually learning and leaning on our Heavenly Father, we will learn more of His divinity. God knows you: find Him.

The Purpose of Life, Like Getting Keys to the Car?

Based on readers’ responses on Gathering the Lambs last post on what true love really means, I decided to take the next few weeks to delve into some of life’s core questions.

Some of life’s grandest questions come in singular sentences, yet provoke real thought and soul searching. The question for this week: “what is my purpose in life?” Many ask this question, yet few have a real response. How do we find our own purpose? Luckily God never leaves us on our own: He knows us individually and has a plan for everyone.

With our Heavenly Father at the wheel, we always know that there is more than what just meets the eye. God, the Father set up a divine plan for us to learn, progress, and become more like Him. He desires that you inherit all that He possesses. Think of the magnitude of what could be YOUR inheritance! With great privilege, comes great responsibility. Would any right minded parent give their child the keys to their brand new car without the child knowing how to drive? I can only imagine how every parent reading this must be smiling ear to ear playing out in their minds how that scenario would play out. As earning the keys to the car, to inherit the kingdom of God, comes the necessity: to learn, gain real life experiences, and then be tested.

Personally speaking, out of all of the things we do in life being tested proves the hardest! So why do we have to be tested? Why do we need to go through all the trials and tribulation that life brings? The way the answer plays out every time; we need to come closer to the Father by following His Son. We chose to come down to earth receive a physical body, and to progress towards the end goal of becoming more like God. Before this life, you made the correct decision to come to earth to learn and grow. He wanted so much for us to become as Him, but we needed to go through a refiner’s fire as Malachi 3:2 states But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

We, ourselves cannot bear the refiner’s fire alone: Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice allowed mercy towards our sins through the pain and suffering He went through in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross: because of Him we can be cleansed from our sins if we do as He asks. In return for the infinite gift that He gave us, we only need to make covenants (a two way promise between us and our Heavenly father), have faith in Him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and continue to live as He, by enduring to the end.

Jesus Christ through His atonement has allowed us to be together forever even after death: without any pains, suffering or affliction. How awesome is this! Matthew 6:33 promises: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Think about the greater picture, the eternal perspective of what God has for you. I promise you that your purpose in life (as well as everyone’s purpose), lies in knowing Jesus Christ and aligning our wills to His. No matter what circumstances or difficulties we face: Christ gave us a way out. What will you do to come closer to Him? How will you show Him your infinite gratitude for His sacrifice? Finding our purpose in life only comes as we strive to live like the Son.