It is Over, Now What?

Okay back to the Plan of Salvation. This is the part we avoid or don't want to talk about it: Death. Well I really don't have a problem with it. There is no getting around it and it is all a part of the plan. At some point we will leave this life. Our bodies will go to the grave and our spirits will go a place called the Spirit World. It is a where our souls will be until they are resurrected. Those who live a righteous life will be "received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow." And those who lived a wicked life will be "in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them." (Alma 40: 12,14) So here we will wait our resurrection and judgement. But you want to know what I think is the coolest part of the Spirit World? Those who were never provided with an opportunity to learn about Christ's gospel will given the chance. The apostle Peter taught, "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." (1 Peter 4:6) Our Heavenly Father is merciful and will give all of His children the opportunity to learn and choose for themselves. Isn't that awesome?

 

The Truth

Okay I am taking a small break from the Plan of Salvation to post about something I saw. I was driving and the car in front of me had a bumpersticker that read," The truth is the truth even if nobody believes it." This reminded me of a statement made by the prophet Joseph Smith. He said,"I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true... I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it." Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. They appeared to him and called him to restore the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through The Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost I have come to know the truthfulness of this. I have received an answer for myself and it is my foundation. I have found the truth. Have you?

Life

So Adam and Eve fell thus enabling all of us to come to this earth. Our little spirits enter our bodies and we start the journey of life. We come with no remembrance of what happened before, but that is so that we can prove we are willing to follow our Savior and keep God's commandments. Sadly sometime we don't always do what is right. God has made it possible to repent through our Savior. Each day it is important to seek forgiveness and try again. As we use our agency wisely we find joy. "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." (Mosiah 2:41) We will gain eternal life if we are willing to follow God.

Creation and The Fall

Through Jesus Christ, God created the world along with Adam and Eve. Oh our first parents, such an interesting story. Placed in a garden where everything is perfect and there is no opposition. Sounds like bliss. But that is the problem, there was no trials or sin or wickedness. I love how it is described in The Book of Mormon, "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:22-24) The fall of Adam and Eve was a part of God's plan. It enables us to learn and grow. 

If you want to learn more about the fall of Adam and Eve the whole chapter of 2 Nephi 2 is awesome for that.

Premortal Life

Sorry it has taken so long to get the next one out. Too much to do and too little time.

Alright, this is where it all started. We lived with God as His spirit children before we came to this world. I love this scripture: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" (Roman 8:16). And because we are God's children we wanted to become like Him. Yet we couldn't due to the fact we didn't have bodies like He does. So our Heavenly Father created a plan so that we could come to this earth, gain a body, and progress. There are two very important parts of this plan: agency (the ability to choose) and Jesus Christ. Christ enables the plan to work and agency is how we show that we are willing to follow God. "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)

Plans

Plans.
I love them.
A lot.

So knowing God has a plan for us makes me very happy. It makes so much sense and I want to share it with you. That means a series of posts about it. With awesome visuals. And the first one is just going to be the name of it: The Plan of Salvation. Kind of self explanatory but hey still important. God's whole purpose is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) So of course He made a plan and its whole purpose is to bring us back to Him. I love it!

The Blog That Kicked the Bucket

If you happen to take the time to click on the button "the bucket story" on my sidebar you would have read about how this blog came to be and what happened to my previous one. Well I was blessed to have gotten some of my old posts back. So if you want read those they will be under the button "the old bucket". Some of them aren't half bad.