The Plan of Salvation

First off, I want to thank all of you who have been reading my blog. I have just tipped over 2000 views since I first started this in April of this year. I am really excited that I have had the great privilege to discuss the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with so many people. I hope that I have done a good job clearing up some misconceptions that people may have concerning the church.

This post is entitled, "The Plan of Salvation". For all the missionaries or returned missionaries out there, this is affectionately called "Lesson 2" or "Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going?".

I'll start off at the beginning (a very good place to start...). 

Pre-Earth Life. God is the Father of our spirits, which means that we are literally His children. We existed as spirits before we were born on the earth. We learned while we were in the pre-earth life that we could not receive all of the blessings that God had to offer because we did not have a physical body. Jesus Christ offered a plan where He would atone for our sins, and that we would have the option to choose for ourselves what we would do in life. Satan also presented a plan where everyone would follow God's commandments, be we would not have any free will at all. God rejected Satan's plan and accepted Christ's. One of the paramount parts of this plan was that we were all given agency, or free will, and we can choose to follow whoever we want. During our time on earth, we are physically separated from God, but He wants us to return to Him and become like Him.

Creation. Jesus Christ created the world under guidance of Heavenly Father. Moses 2:1, "And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the word which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou standest."  The earth was created so we could obtain a body and be tested. We don't remember pre-earth life. We must walk by faith, rather than sight, since we are out of the Lord's presence. 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)".

Agency & The Fall of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were the first of God's children to come to earth and receive a physical body. While in the Garden of Eden, they lived in perfect innocence. In the Garden, God gave them agency and commanded them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God had also commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. However, Adam and Eve were innocent. If they obeyed the commandment to not eat of the fruit, they would have lived forever, and they wouldn't have progressed because they would never had been tried. 2 Nephi 2:22, 25-26, "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...Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given." Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit, which they did, and this was part of God's plan. When this happened, they were cast out of the garden, out of the physical presence of God (the Fall). When they became separated from God's presence, this is called spiritual death. They now could experience everything of life, joys and suffering, and had complete agency to choose good or evil. That way they could learn, progress and have children.

Our Life on Earth. This is the time to be tried and to be blessed. We are working to return to live in God's presence. We are subject to both a physical and a spiritual death. God has a perfect, immortal body of flesh and bones. To return to His presence, we must have the same. Due to the fall, we have an imperfect body. Through our Savior Jesus Christ, we have hope (thanks to the Atonement). We now sin and feel guilt and remorse for our bad choices. We cannot return to God's presence unless we are forgiven and clean. Moses 6:57, "Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence." On earth we experience both joy and sorrow, which helps us grow and make good decisions. However, we cannot do this properly without Christ's Atonement.

The Atonement. Before the world was organized, Jesus Christ was chosen as our savior and redeemer, as the only way to overcome the fall. Jesus overcame physical death for us. His death on the cross caused his spirit to separate from his body. When he was resurrected, the spirit and flesh reunited, never to be separated again. He appeared to many people, showing he has an immortal body of flesh and bones. Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body, and this is a gift for everyone. We will all be resurrected, and then we will be judged. In order to live in God's presence, we must be cleansed from sin. We are not responsible for the Fall, but we are responsible for our own sins. Sin keeps us from God's presence. We get cleansed from sin by: having faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and enduring to the end. For this plan of salvation, Jesus paid the penalty for all the sins that would ever be committed. He was the only person to ever live a sinless life. He suffered all the sins, pain and suffering, so much that he bled from every pore. He did this to show his love for us. We need to do what God commands, to be cleansed from sin. Christ's atonement can help us in times of pain, suffering, and trials. However, we have to choose this gift in order to receive it.

The Spirit World. All people must die so we can pass from mortality to immortality. Death causes our spirits to enter the spirit world. We still have the same personalities, likes and dislikes there. Those who chose God in life will live in a state of happiness, peace, and rest (Spirit Paradise). Those who rejected God live in a state of unhappiness (Spirit Prison). The gospel will be preached to those who didn't receive it before in the Spirit Prison. Everybody will stay in the Spirit World until the first resurrection.

The Resurrection, Judgment, and Immortality. After the body and spirit reunite (resurrection) we will be judged by God. We will remember all the good and evil we have done. If we have repented, we will get mercy. Then we get rewarded according to our works and desires. Immortality is a free gift to all people, because of Christ's atonement. Eternal life is not the same as immortality. Eternal life is given by God to those who obeyed his gospel. Eternal life is exaltation, living with God forever in eternal families. We would get to experience the life God and Jesus Christ enjoy.

Kingdoms of Glory. God will reward us according to the good and bad choices we made during life. 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, an the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." 

Celestial Kingdom. Those who repented of sins, received the ordinances of the gospel, and kept covenants they made. Through the Atonement they are able to live in God's presence, become like Him, and receive a fullness of joy.

Terrestrial Kingdom. Those who don't accept the fullness of the gospel of Christ but live an honorable life.

Telestial Kingdom. People who stayed in their sins and did not repent.

I want to bear my testimony that I know these things to be true. I know that we will be judged according to our deeds, but also that God is a merciful God, giving us many opportunities to return to live with Him. I know that this Plan of Salvation is really a plan of peace and joy, if we are willing to do what is right to return to live with God. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

One year a member

This is my favorite time of the year. Not only because of the wonderful fall weather, with the cool, crisp air, and the beautiful leaves falling around. Not only because with fall comes warmer clothes with earthy toned colors. Not only for the hustle and bustle of school and all the excitement with which it brings. No, none of those are the real reason why this time will be, for now and forever, my favorite time of the year. This is when I got baptized.

At this point, last year, I was making the first step in a crucial journey to return back to live with Heavenly Father. I got baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints October 20, 2012. This decision was a hard one for me to make. It meant changing how I viewed the world, what I understood concerning Scriptures, how God continues to communicate with His people, and how much God really does love me. It meant having to deal with various struggles and trials as many people did not understand why I was changing, or why I was joining this church, out of all the churches that there are (or ever could be). But, time and time again, my thoughts and reasons point back to the same thing: because I know it is true.

That statement, "because I know it is true" is a simple one, but with it comes a lot of understanding, researching, prayer, and revelation. I was introduced to this church by a good friend of mine named Rob. He invited me one week to attend church with him. It took me a little bit of encouragement, but eventually I did attend. I also started going to Institute (a form of Scripture study), and attending all the various meetings. With each encounter, I was coming to the realization that my knowledge of all things pertaining to God was increasing. I was having concepts explained to me so much clearer than I had ever experienced before. The reasoning for this is that I was finally receiving the complete, restored message of Christ.

I remember when I first met with the missionaries. I met Elder Colvin and Elder O'Laughlin on September 23, 2012. Two random teenage boys, that I had never met before, come in, to share a message of Christ. When they talked, they were transformed before my eyes. They went from being simply teenage boys, to being men of Christ, who have been called and set-apart to share the message of His Gospel. They spoke with authority, love, and clarity. I was surprising myself, and my friends who were with me at the time as well, when at the end of the lesson, I took up Elder O'Laughlin's invitation, and scheduled all of the lessons, including baptism, on that first meeting. Now, at that time, I wasn't sure exactly why I was doing it, but my inner being definitely knew. The Holy Ghost was witnessing of the truthfulness of what these young men were saying. I knew that this was what I needed to do with my life.

I began to pray. I prayed every day with a fervor and intent that I had never experienced before. I prayed, because I knew that my eternal salvation was at stake, and I needed to make the right decision. I prayed, and read the Book of Mormon every day. I can honestly say from my prayers, and my studying, and my reading it alongside with the Bible, that the Book of Mormon is inspired Scripture. The teachings of Christ that come from that book match up extremely well with the Savior's teachings in the Bible. The two dovetail together perfectly. The Holy Spirit testified to me that the Book of Mormon is true and is God-breathed. Knowing this, knowing that the Church was true, that the Book of Mormon is Scripture, that God still communicates to people through a Prophet, that the Church is restored, gave me the strength and courage to press on. I pressed on and through, even though I had many individuals who were upset, angry, and hurt with my decision. I pressed on, and I will continue to press on, because I know it is true.

My baptism was a beautiful day. I had the great opportunity yesterday to witness a friend of mine also get baptized into the Church. She's had to go through similar trials that I have. But, the Comforter has always been there to strengthen us in times of trouble and despair. I know that she has made the right choice, that it won't always be easy, but that she will be blessed.

My life has changed in many ways over this past year. I have grown stronger in my testimony (knowledge) of the Church. I have learned from Prophets and Apostles, men who have been called by God to preside over the Church. I have been taught by teachers, friends, missionaries, and children, both inside and outside of the Church. I have been encouraged from my studies, and the different lessons I have learned. I have been blessed, from God both directly and indirectly for the choices that I have made. I have become a better example to those that I serve, in particular the Young Women at the church. I have become more comfortable in sharing what I believe in, and I now look for opportunities to share with others what I believe in. I have been blessed by being able to attend the Temple, and I look forward to the other blessings that will become available from going there. I now experience peace and clarity of mind concerning some of my past misdeeds. I know that they have been completely forgiven and that they don't matter any more. I love teaching with the missionaries, and I hope to be able to continue on, for years to come.

This Church has truly blessed my life. Please feel free to ask me how, or if you want answers to any other questions. I love this Church. I love the Gospel and the love of Christ. Any question that is asked of me with a keen intent, or in a friendly manner, I will answer.

May God truly bless your life.