Family

The past couple of class periods we've been talking about section seventy-six of the Doctrine and Covenants. It's one of the greatest revelations ever. Our professor explained that in Joseph Smith's time many people were searching for Salvation. The authority to perform the ordinances of Salvation (such as baptism) had long since been lost from mankind and no one on the earth knew where to go to receive these ordinances and be saved. God gave us the solution to this problem through Mormonism. Through the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the authority of God to perform these ordinances, or the Priesthood, was restored to the earth. Now people knew where to go to be saved. But, then what?

As time progressed and the Lord revealed more knowledge to His followers through the prophet Joseph Smith, we eventually learned the answer to the question, what comes after Salvation? What happens after we're saved as individual persons in Heaven? Section seventy-six explains the degrees of glory that exist within Heaven, namely the Celestial, the Terrestrial and the Telestial Kingdoms. We learn how we can reach the highest of those three, the Celestial Kingdom, where we can dwell with God and Christ forever. We can only reach it with a family, it's impossible to get there alone. After Salvation, comes Exaltation, or a life in which we will live forever with God, Christ AND our families. The familial bonds that we create in this life can and will be perpetuated beyond the grave if we but follow God and do as He asks us. That's amazing! It's incredible that God is so merciful and loving that He would even allow us to keep those relationships we attain in this mortal life that are most precious to us. I'm so grateful for the opportunity He has given to all people to do this.

This is why the family is so important to Mormon people, because we believe it will last forever, but only if we want it to and show that desire by continually living faithful to God and Jesus Christ.