The Plan (3)

Hello friends. We are going to talk about our last part of this plan that our Father in Heaven gave to us. and that is where we go when we die. I want to start out by telling you a story.

When I was a young boy my aunt died. She wasn't what I considered to be "old". I asked myself a question that I honestly had no answer to at the time. The question "Where do I go when I die?" Now this had a small impact on my life, but when I was a little bit older there was another death in the family, my Grandma died. This I knew was going to happen because she was "old" But! I found myself asking the same question that I had years ago when my aunt died. "Where do I go when I die?" Well my friends after many years I have finally found the answer to the question that I was looking for. 

In the Book of Mormon we have a few accounts of prophets talking about the spirit world, or a place where people go to and wait for the resurrection.  In Alma 40:1-5 we read the words of Alma the prophet to his son. 


1Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead.

2Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on ^aimmortality, this corruption does not ^bput on incorruption—^cuntil after the coming of Christ.


3Behold, he bringeth to pass the ^aresurrection of the dead. But behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet. Now, I unfold unto you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many ^bmysteries which are^ckept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know—that is concerning the resurrection.
4Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall ^acome forth from the dead. Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God knoweth the time which is appointed.

 5Now, whether there shall be one time, or a ^asecond time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth not; for God ^bknoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case—that there is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead. You might be thinking great! so we do not get our body till the coming of Christ? well that answer is yes, But! take comfort my friends because in the spirit world there are two places or state of mind that people go to and it is found in the scriptures one is called Paradise which we will hear about from Alma and the second we will hear from Peter about Prison.  

You know what this means don't you? It means that we have to wait before we get our bodies back. So where does our spirit go when we die? We go the Spirit world, and in the Spirit world there are two places we can go to. 

Alma 40:11-12 

11Now, concerning the ^astate of the soul between ^bdeath 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 ^ctaken ^dhome to that God who gave them life.

12And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of ^ahappiness, which is called^bparadise, a state of rest, a state of ^cpeace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

 12And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of ^ahappiness, which is called^bparadise, a state of rest, a state of ^cpeace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

So Paradise is a place where those who were righteous go and rest from all the pains of the world and they will have no troubles at all.  Now lets hear from Peter. 

1Peter 3:18-20   18For Christ also hath once ^asuffered for sins, the just for the^bunjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to ^cdeath in the flesh, but quickened by the ^dSpirit: 

19By which also he went and ^apreached unto the ^bspirits in^cprison; 

20^aWhich sometime were ^bdisobedient, when once the^clongsuffering of God waited in the days of ^dNoah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were ^esaved by ^fwater.

 So we have Peter explaining to the saints that Christ suffered for all sins that he might bring us to God. Then in 19 Peter explains to the saints that when christ was quickened by the spirit he went to the Spirits that were in spirit prison and taught them. Now who was taught in Spirit Prison? All the people who chose not to follow God's commandments. To finish up I want to let you hear more from Peter.  

1Peter 4:6    6^aFor for this cause was the ^bgospel ^cpreached also to them that are ^ddead, that they might be ^ejudged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The Spirits in Prison are given the chance to hear the Gospel in its fullness and then choose to deny Christ or to follow him. So that way we all can be judged.

Ok so you are thinking great! now that I know where my spirit goes after I die what happens when we are all resurrected? 

You are right on track. What happens after we die is we are judged according to our Works, Words, Thoughts  In Alma 12:14   

14 For our ^awords will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the ^bmountains to fall upon us to ^chide us from his presence.

The prophet Alma basically says that everything we do, think, or say is what we will be judged on. After we are judged we are then given our reward. In Heaven there are three places that we can go to or what is known as Kingdoms of glory.  In 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 we read 

40^aThere are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the ^bcelestial is one, and the glory of the ^cterrestrial is another. 

  
 41There is one glory of the ^asun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the ^bstars: for one star ^cdiffereth from another star in ^dglory. 

The celestial body is where those who have gone to the Celestial Kingdom will be able to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and  the Holy Ghost. How do we get there? by being baptised by someone holding the priesthood authority, and keeping the commandments that the Lord has given us. 

Telestial Bodies is where people go to the Telestial Kingdom. They are those who lived good lives and followed Christ, but they decided to not be baptised by someone holding the priesthood, or they chose not to follow the commandments 100% of the way.  They do not have the Fathers presence, But! they still have Christ's presence with them.

Then there is the Terrestrial body. Those who have those bodies go to the Terrestrial Kingdom, and those people are your murderers or those who chose not to follow Christ. Because God loves all of his children he still gives them a place of inheritance. They have no presence of the Father or His son.

I testify to you as one having authority that this is real! The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth by a living prophet of God. I know that Our purpose for being here on this earth is to learn and to grow by making choices, I also know that this life is indeed the time for us to prepare ourselves to meet God. I can also bare you my witness that when we die our spirits leave our body and goes to the Spirit world to be taught the Gospel, or for those who are righteous to rest from the cares of the world. I know that we are judged according to our words, thoughts, and actions. The three degree of glories is very real and I know all of this because I have read and prayed about these things. You too can know this by praying and asking God the Eternal Father in the name of Christ if these things are not true. By the power of the Holy Ghost you can know the truth of all things.