Joseph F. Smith learned that the Savior's work in the spirit world lasted far longer than the brief time between His death and resurrection. It continues today. Why? Because change takes time, and God is long-suffering with us. We need to keep believing in our loved ones on both sides of the veil.
Unto All Who Would Repent
Joseph F. Smith learned that our state in the spirit world is not permanently fixed. The righteous continue preaching the gospel, and the wicked can still accept the gospel and receive the healing power of Jesus Christ, whether they are learning about the gospel for the first time or whether they have previously rejected it.
No Immaterial Matter
Joseph Smith taught that spirit is matter. We can't see it, but it is just as real as the objects that we interact with each day. We should remember that there is more to life than what we can detect. We are constantly surrounded by heavenly help which we may not perceive.
Received or Cast Out
In the next life, we will either be received into a state of peace and joy called paradise, or we will be cast out into a state of sorrow and pain. To enter that state of paradise, we must be changed by the grace of God.
Jesus’s Ministry to Captive Spirits
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would "proclaim liberty to the captives." Peter taught that after the Savior's death, He "preached unto the spirits in prison." That work continues today. The reach of the Savior's Atonement is immeasurable.
Spirits in Prison
Joseph F. Smith saw in a vision that in the next life, righteous spirits minister to the wicked ones to help them escape from their prison. I'm grateful that God encourages us to do everything we can for one another, in this life and in the next.
In the World of Spirits
Between the Savior's death and His resurrection, He went to the Spirit World, where He organized His followers to preach the gospel. How grateful I am that there is a place of happiness and that those who are not yet there can still enter!
In Paradise
One of the thieves who was crucified with the Savior made a desperate final request: "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." In response, Jesus promised, "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42-43). The Greek word paradeisos (παράδεισος) in that passage comes from two Persian roots: pairi- "around" and diz "to make,... Continue Reading →
Innumerable
There are lots of good people in this world. That's one message I get from Joseph F. Smith's Vision of the Redemption of the Dead. Although the question which prompted this revelation was a logistical one—how could the Savior preach to so many disobedient spirits during the brief period between His death and His resurrection—another... Continue Reading →
Paradise
As He hung on the cross, the Savior spoke words of compassion to a man being crucified beside him: "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). The Greek word paradeisos (παράδεισος) comes from an ancient Persian word for a garden or a park. It specifically refers... Continue Reading →