Ryan Reeder

Religion 333

Juan Henderson

August 3, 2000

The Plan of Salvation begins, is through, ends, and is founded upon the mission of Jesus Christ. It is the plan our Heavenly Father has for his children designed to bring about their immortality and eternal life. A basic understanding of the plan is simple to learn, yet the complexities and profundities of the plan are seemingly infinite. Regardless of how much we know of the plan, there is more to learn. It involves everything. It is simple and complex. It has no beginning nor end. It is perfect.

To understand the purpose of the mission of Jesus Christ, it is necessary to understand the fall. To understand the fall, it is necessary to understand the creation. To understand the purposes of the creation, it is necessary to understand some aspects of the premortal life. Before we came to earth, before the earth was formed, we were. Joseph Smith taught "Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle" (HC 6:311). At some point we were begotten as spirit children of heavenly parents. In the preexistence we learned and progressed, but there came a limit to our progression, since we did not have physical bodies. Doctrine and Covenants 93:33-34 teaches "spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy." As such, it was ordained that we should be begotten of mortal parents in order to receive bodies. In addition, a veil was placed over our minds so that we might learn to walk by faith. The earth was created as a physical dwelling place for us during this probationary period. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were placed upon it. Through their fall they became mortal and gained the capacity to bear children. Sin, trials, and all other aspects of the world entered at this time. It is necessary for a Savior or Redeemer to cover (atone for) these sins so that we might be able to sit down again with (reconciliation) our Father. Jesus Christ, whose name means "salvation" and "the anointed one" fulfilled this mission through the atonement in Gethsemane. Having taken upon himself our sins, becoming one with us and making it possible for us to become one with him, he gave up his life on the cross. On the third day, he rose again and ascended to his father. Through his atonement, we also have the gift to destroy our natural man with him. Our man of sin can be slain, and we can rise newly reborn as sons and daughters of Christ. We access the atonement through faith, repentance, and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, including baptism, reception of the Holy Ghost, the endowment, and eternal marriage. Through marriage performed in holy temples, we can perpetuate our family relationships beyond the grave. It also becomes necessary that we know what we need to do-thus the necessity for prayer, prophets, scriptures, revelation, and the ministering of angels. At the end of our mortal lives, we die and our spirits and bodies separate. After an interval of time, all will be resurrected through the power of Jesus Christ. A judgment will come "and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still." (Mormon 9:14) We will receive whatever degree of glory we attained through our works and reliance on Jesus Christ. If we obtain the highest degree, we can become like our Father, and continue the plan with our own children.

This is a summary of some of the basic elements of the plan of salvation. Following are quotes from various General Authorities on some topics.

Premortal Life

"Latter-day Saints should be eternally grateful for the revealed knowledge given anciently but reaffirmed in even greater plainness in our dispensation, and which was known by our Lord's Apostle, Peter, when he prophesied that before the second coming of Christ there would be a "restitution of all things" spoken of by God. (See Acts 3:21; see also D&C 121:26-32.) One of these restored doctrines, premortality or preexistence, should give us a greater appreciation for ourselves and the work assigned us, for each one of us existed as a spirit entity before we were born on this earth.

"Most of us have wondered about what occurred in the premortal world and how it relates to our existence here. We should be acquainted with the truth that knowledge of the premortal life was restored that we might fulfill our responsibilities as children of God.

"The Lord has revealed that a grand council was held in that pre-earth world where we exercised our agency regarding the plans presented. The major proposition in the accepted plan of salvation provided for an earth life where each person could work out his eternal salvation."

(David B. Haight, "Temples and Work Therein," Ensign, Nov. 1990, 59)

"Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the grand council of heaven before this world was. I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that grand council." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 365.)

"The scriptures teach this doctrine, the doctrine of premortal life. For His own reasons, the Lord provides answers to some questions, with pieces placed here and there throughout the scriptures. We are to find them; we are to earn them. In that way sacred things are hidden from the insincere.

"Of the many verses revealing this doctrine, I will quote two short phrases from the testimony of John in the ninety-third section of the Doctrine and Covenants. The first, speaking of Christ, says plainly, "He was in the beginning, before the world was." (D&C 93:7.)

"And the other, referring to us, says with equal clarity, "Ye were also in the beginning with the Father." (D&C 93:23.)

"Essential facts about our premortal life have been revealed. Although they are sketchy, they unravel the mystery of life.

"When we comprehend the doctrine of premortal life, we know that we are the children of God, that we lived with him in spirit form before entering mortality.

"We know that this life is a test, that life did not begin with birth, nor will it end with death."

(Boyd K. Packer, "The Mystery of Life," Ensign, Nov. 1983, 16)

There was a premortal life where the plan of salvation was revealed to us in a great council. Understanding the doctrine of the preexistence gives greater meaning to our earthly life.

Spiritual Creation

The scriptural answer to this question comes through firm and clear. Man is a spirit child of God, clothed in a mortal tabernacle of flesh and bones. This is revealed in the record of his creation. The book of Genesis teaches that there was a spiritual creation of the earth and everything that was to be placed upon it, including man, whose spirit God created "in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:27.)

(Marion G. Romney, "Easter Thoughts," Ensign, May 1975, 82)

"Next I speak of the spirit. Prior to our mortal existence here, each spirit son and daughter lived with God. The spirit is eternal; it existed in innocence in the premortal realm and will exist after the body dies. The spirit provides the body with animation and personality. "All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure."

"The spirit of man [is] in the likeness of his person." Jesus so explained, as the brother of Jared viewed the Lord's premortal body:

"Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

"… This body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh."

"Development of the spirit is of eternal consequence. The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are those of the spirit. These include the virtues of integrity, compassion, love, and more. Your spirit, by being housed in your body, is able to develop and express these attributes in ways that are vital to your eternal progression."

(Russell M. Nelson, "We Are Children of God," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 85)

"Begotten sons and daughters unto God." Can this be true in light of the fact that we all know that we are begotten sons and daughters of our earthly fathers? Yes, it is true because human souls are dual beings----spirits tabernacled in bodies of flesh and bone. The revelation says, "…… the spirit and the body are the soul of man." (D&C 88:15.) God is the father of man's spirit, even as his earthly father is the father of his mortal body.

"The nature of a spirit is plainly revealed in the scriptures. A clear word picture of a spirit is recorded in the third chapter of Ether in the Book of Mormon, which gives an account of the appearance of Jesus Christ, as a spirit, some 2200 years before he was born to Mary in the flesh. The record says that Jesus stood before the brother of Jared in the form and likeness of a man and said:

"…… Behold, I am Jesus Christ. ……

"…… Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

"Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh." (Ether 3:14-16.)"

(Marion G. Romney, “Man—A Child of God,” Ensign, July 1973, 11)

Our spirits are begotten as spirit sons and daughters of God in his image. We are children of God with infinite potential.

War in Heaven

I know that Jesus Christ lives and that we fought beside him in the preexistence, those of us in this room and those of us listening in. We were side by side with him in the war in heaven as we stood with him and fought Lucifer. And today he has chosen us to come in these last days to stand beside him again, and again to fight Lucifer, Satan, who controls the world.

(George P. Lee, "But They Were in One," Ensign, May 1976, 99)

"Recently some adult youth leaders were discussing problems our youth face today. One of them, a mother of 12, said, "It seems to me Satan has declared all-out war on our youth." How true this statement is!

"As a matter of fact, he declared war on all that is good and righteous before this world was. In the spirit world before the creation of this earth, a great council was held in which God the Father presented his plan having to do with the eternal life of man. The plan was to teach the people righteousness and permit them to exercise their free agency, choosing for themselves which way they would go. Jesus Christ espoused the plan saying, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (Moses 4:2.) But Lucifer proposed to amend the plan of the Father saying, "Here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." (Moses 4:1.)

"One-third of the hosts of heaven followed Satan. It was at this point that the greatest of all wars began. It has raged ever since with Satan as the commanding general of the forces opposed to that which is right.

"In the writings of Moses the Lord further describes this occurrence:

"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

"And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Moses 4:3-4.)

"From the multitudes who would not hearken to the voice of the Lord and have been led captive at Satan's will, it would seem that Satan has achieved some significant victories."

(Victor L. Brown, "Is There Not a Cause?" Ensign, Nov. 1974, 103)

"The war is for the souls of men. The battle lines have been drawn since Adam: evil versus righteousness. In this the final dispensation and in preparation for the Millennium, the forces of evil have intensified and united under the powerful influences of Satan. On the opposite side of the line, the kingdom of God is clearly sounding the trumpet of righteousness, as perhaps never before. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on the offensive in the declaration of good to be good and evil to be evil." (Durrel A. Woolsey, "A Strategy for War," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 84)

There is a war going on now for the souls of men. This war began in the preexistence. There, one-third of the hosts of heaven fell through Satan's influence. He is still causing men to fall in this world.

Physical Creation

"Each phase of the Creation was well planned before it was accomplished. Scripture tells us that "the Lord God, created all things . . . spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth."

"The physical Creation itself was staged through ordered periods of time. In Genesis and Moses, those periods are called days. But in the book of Abraham, each period is referred to as a time. Whether termed a day, a time, or an age, each phase was a period between two identifiable events--a division of eternity.

"Period one included the creation of atmospheric heavens and physical earth, culminating in the emergence of light from darkness.

"In period two, the waters were divided between the surface of the earth and its atmospheric heavens. Provision was made for clouds and rain to give life to all that would later dwell upon the earth.

"In period three, plant life began. The earth was organized to bring forth grass, herbs, trees, and vegetation--each growing from its own seed.

"Period four was a time of further development. Lights in the expanse of the heaven were organized so there could be seasons and other means of measuring time. During this period, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the earth were placed in proper relationship to one another. The sun, with its vast stores of hydrogen, was to serve as a giant furnace to provide light and heat for the earth and life upon it.

"In period five, fish, fowl, and "every living creature" were added. They were made fruitful and able to multiply--in the sea and on the earth--each after its own kind.

"In the sixth period, creation of life continued. The beasts of the earth were made after their kind, cattle after their kind, and everything which "creepeth upon the earth"--again, after its own kind. Then the Gods counseled together and said: "Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness. . . .

"So the Gods went down to organize man in their own image, in the image of the Gods to form they him, male and female to form they them." Thus, Adam and Eve were formed.And they were blessed to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

"The seventh period was designated as a time of rest."

(Russell M. Nelson, "The Creation" Ensign, May 2000, 84)

The Creation culminated with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were created in the image of God, with bodies of flesh and bone. Created in the image of God and not yet mortal, they could not grow old and die. "And they would have had no children" nor experienced the trials of life. (Please forgive me for mentioning children and the trials of life in the same breath.) The creation of Adam and Eve was a paradisiacal creation, one that required a significant change before they could fulfill the commandment to have children and thus provide earthly bodies for premortal spirit sons and daughters of God.

(Russell M. Nelson, "The Atonement," Ensign, Nov. 1996, 33)

"The marvel of our physical bodies is often overlooked. Who has not encountered feelings of low self-esteem because of physique or appearance? Many people wish their bodies could be more to their liking. Some with naturally straight hair want it curly. Others with curly hair want it straight. Occasionally some ladies, believing that "gentlemen prefer blonds," become "decided blonds."

"Your body, whatever its natural gifts, is a magnificent creation of God. It is a tabernacle of flesh----a temple for your spirit. A study of your body attests to its divine design.

"Its formation begins with the union of two reproductive cells----one from the mother and one from the father. Together, these two cells contain all of the new individual's hereditary information, stored in a space so small it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Twenty-three chromosomes from each parent unite in one new cell. These chromosomes contain thousands of genes which determine all of the physical characteristics of the unborn person. Approximately 22 days after these two cells unite, a little heart begins to beat. At 26 days, blood begins to circulate. Cells multiply and divide. Some become eyes that see; others become ears that hear.

"Each organ is a wondrous gift from God. The eye has a self-focusing lens. Nerves and muscles control two separate eyes to make a single three-dimensional image. The eyes are connected to the brain, which records the sights seen. No cords or batteries are needed.

"Each ear is connected to compact equipment designed to convert sound waves into audible tones. An eardrum serves as a diaphragm. Minute ossicles amplify sound vibrations and transmit a signal via nerves to the brain, which senses and remembers the sounds.

"The heart is an incredible pump. It has four delicate valves that control the direction of blood flow. These valves open and close more than 100,000 times a day----36 million times a year. Yet, unless altered by disease, they are able to withstand this stress almost indefinitely. No man-made material developed to date can be flexed so frequently and so long without breaking.

"Each day an adult heart pumps enough fluid to fill a 2,000-gallon tank. This work is equivalent to lifting a grown man to the top of the Empire State Building while expending only about four watts of energy. At the crest of the heart is an electrical generator that transmits energy down special lines, causing myriads of muscle fibers to work together.

"Much could be said about each of the other precious organs in the body. They function in a marvelous manner, beyond my time or ability to describe.

"Other attributes of the body are equally amazing, though less evident. For example, backup is provided. Each paired organ has instant backup available from the other of the pair. Single organs, such as the brain, the heart, and the liver, are nourished by two routes of blood supply. This design protects the organ if harm should come to any one channel.

"Think of the body's system of self-defense. To protect it from harm, the body perceives pain. In response to infection, it generates antibodies. They not only help to combat the immediate problem, but they persist to strengthen resistance to infection in the future. One day my attention was directed to some three-year-old children who had lapped up water from a street gutter. The number of germs they ingested must have been incalculable, but not one of those youngsters became ill. As soon as that dirty drink reached each little stomach, its hydrochloric acid went to work to treat the water and protect the life of the child.

"The skin provides protection. It also warns against injuries that excessive heat or cold might cause. It even sends signals that indicate trouble elsewhere. With fever, the skin perspires. When one is frightened, it pales. When one is embarrassed, it blushes.

"The body repairs itself. Broken bones mend and become strong once again. Skin lacerations heal themselves. A leak in the circulation can seal itself.

"The body renews its own outdated cells. The average red blood cell, for instance, lives about 120 days. Then it is replaced by a newly regenerated cell.

"The body regulates its own vital ingredients. Essential elements and chemical constituents are adjusted continuously. And regardless of wide fluctuations in temperature of the environment, the temperature of the body is carefully controlled within narrow bounds.

"If these qualities of normal function, defense, repair, regeneration, and regulation were to prevail in perpetuity, life here would continue without limit. Mercifully, our Creator provided for aging and other processes which ultimately result in physical death. We often think of death as untimely or tragic. But death, like birth, is part of life. Scripture tells us that "it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness." To return to God through the gateway of death is a joy for those who love Him.

"When death claims an individual in the prime of life, we take comfort in knowing that the very laws which do not allow life to persist here are the same laws that will be implemented at the time of the Resurrection, when the body will be endowed with immortality."

(Russell M. Nelson, "We Are Children of God," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 85)

The scriptures describe seven distinct periods in the creation of this earth. Culminating these was the creation of man and woman with remarkable physical bodies.

Fall

"Adam and Eve, when created as living souls, were endowed with the faculty to live forever. They were sinless, pure and holy, worthy to enjoy----and they did enjoy----the society of God their Father. As a matter of fact, he visited them in the Garden of Eden and conversed with and instructed them. This instruction they needed because in their transition from spirits to souls the memories of their past experiences were blotted out.

"Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat," said the Lord to Adam in the garden.

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 2:16-17.)

"Time will not permit a delineation of the details, but the crucial fact is that Adam and Eve, contrary to the instructions, did eat of the forbidden fruit. In doing so, they took into their bodies food which worked in them such a change that in due time their bodies and their spirits separated; that is to say, their souls died.

"This penalty for breaking the commandment passed by inheritance to all of Adam's posterity. Thus, "by man came death."

(Marion G. Romney, "Easter Thoughts," Ensign, May 1975, 82)

That leads us to the fall of Adam. To bring the plan of happiness to fruition, God issued to Adam and Eve the first commandment ever given to mankind. It was a commandment to beget children. A law was explained to them. Should they eat from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:17), their bodies would change; mortality and eventual death would come upon them. But partaking of that fruit was prerequisite to their parenthood.

"While I do not fully understand all the biochemistry involved, I do know that their physical bodies did change; blood began to circulate in their bodies. Adam and Eve thereby became mortal. Happily for us, they could also beget children and fulfill the purposes for which the world was created. Happily for them, "the Lord said unto Adam [and Eve]: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden" (Moses 6:53). We and all mankind are forever blessed because of Eve's great courage and wisdom. By partaking of the fruit first, she did what needed to be done. Adam was wise enough to do likewise. Accordingly, we could speak of the fall of Adam in terms of a mortal creation, because "Adam fell that men might be" (2 Ne. 2:25).

"Other blessings came to us through the Fall. It activated two closely coupled additional gifts from God, nearly as precious as life itself--agency and accountability. We became "free to choose liberty and eternal life … or to choose captivity and death" (2 Ne. 2:27). Freedom of choice cannot be exercised without accountability for choices made."

(Russell M. Nelson, "Constancy amid Change," Ensign, Nov. 1993, 33)

"When Adam and Eve received the first commandment, they were in a transitional state, no longer in the spirit world but with physical bodies not yet subject to death and not yet capable of procreation. They could not fulfill the Father's first commandment without transgressing the barrier between the bliss of the Garden of Eden and the terrible trials and wonderful opportunities of mortal life.

"For reasons that have not been revealed, this transition, or "fall," could not happen without a transgression----an exercise of moral agency amounting to a willful breaking of a law (see Moses 6:59). This would be a planned offense, a formality to serve an eternal purpose. The Prophet Lehi explained that "if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen" (2 Ne. 2:22), but would have remained in the same state in which he was created.

"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" (2 Ne. 22:23).

"But the Fall was planned, Lehi concludes, because "all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things" (2 Ne. 22:24).

"It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and "Adam fell that men might be" (2 Ne. 22:25)."

(Dallin H. Oaks, "The Great Plan of Happiness," Ensign, Nov. 1993, 72)

Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, changes entered their bodies, giving them the ability to have children and ultimately to die. Before the fall they were in an amortal or transitional state. The fall brought them into mortality.

Mortality

"The Fall of Adam (and Eve) constituted the mortal creation and brought about the required changes in their bodies, including the circulation of blood and other modifications as well. They were now able to have children. They and their posterity also became subject to injury, disease, and death. And a loving Creator blessed them with healing power by which the life and function of precious physical bodies could be preserved. For example, bones, if broken, could become solid again. Lacerations of the flesh could heal themselves. And miraculously, leaks in the circulation could be sealed off by components activated from the very blood being lost.

Think of the wonder of that power to heal! If you could create anything that could repair itself, you would have created life in perpetuity. For example, if you could create a chair that could fix its own broken leg, there would be no limit to the life of that chair. Many of you walk on legs that were once broken and do so because of your remarkable gift of healing.

Even though our Creator endowed us with this incredible power, He consigned a counterbalancing gift to our bodies. It is the blessing of aging, with visible reminders that we are mortal beings destined one day to leave this "frail existence." Our bodies change every day. As we grow older, our broad chests and narrow waists have a tendency to trade places. We get wrinkles, lose color in our hair--even the hair itself--to remind us that we are mortal children of God, with a "manufacturer's guarantee" that we shall not be stranded upon the earth forever. Were it not for the Fall, our physicians, beauticians, and morticians would all be unemployed.

Adam and Eve, as mortal beings, were instructed to "worship the Lord their God, and … offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord." They were further instructed that "the life of the flesh is in the blood: … for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Probation, procreation, and aging were all components of--and physical death was essential to--God's "great plan of happiness." But mortal life, glorious as it is, was never the ultimate objective of God's plan. Life and death here on planet Earth were merely means to an end--not the end for which we were sent.

(Russell M. Nelson, "The Atonement," Ensign, Nov. 1996, 33)

"We understand that we will live a postmortal life of infinite duration and that we determine the kind of life it will be by our thoughts and actions in mortality. Mortality is very brief but immeasurably important. . . .

"This is the day of our mortal probation. We might compare our eternal journey to a race of three laps around the track. We have completed the first lap successfully and have made wonderful progress. We have started on the second lap. Can you imagine a world-class runner stopping along the track at this point to pick flowers or chase a rabbit that crossed his path? Yet this is what we are doing when we occupy our time with worldly pursuits that do not move us closer to the third lap toward eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God."

(Joseph B. Wirthlin, "The Time to Prepare," Ensign, May 1998, 14)

"We know that this great plan of progression called for a birth which would provide a mortal tabernacle for our eternal spirits, and for a death which would free those spirits from the frailties, diseases, and weaknesses of mortality.

"And may I say that this life never was intended to be easy. It is a probationary estate in which we are tested physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually. We are subject to disease and decay. We are attacked by cancer, leprosy, and contagious diseases. We suffer pain and sorrow and afflictions. Disasters strike; floods sweep away our homes; famines destroy our food; plagues and wars fill our graves with dead bodies and our broken homes with sorrow.

"We are called upon to choose between the revealed word of God and the soul-destroying postulates of the theoretical sciences. Temptations, the lusts of the flesh, evils of every sort all these are part of the plan, and must be faced by every person privileged to undergo the experiences of mortality.

"The testing processes of mortality are for all men, saints and sinners alike. Sometimes the tests and trials of those who have received the gospel far exceed any imposed upon worldly people. Abraham was called upon to sacrifice his only son. Lehi and his family left their lands and wealth to live in a wilderness. Saints in all ages have been commanded to lay all that they have upon the altar, sometimes even their very lives.

"As to the individual trials and problems that befall any of us, all we need say is that in the wisdom of Him who knows all things, and who does all the things well, all of us are given the particular and specific tests that we need in our personal situations. It is to us, His saints, that the Lord speaks when He says: "I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.

"For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me." (D&C 98:14-15.)"

(Bruce R. McConkie, "The Dead Who Die in the Lord," Ensign, Nov. 1976, 106)

This mortal life is a probationary period. Those who endure it well will receive eternal life. In mortal life, all kinds of troubles and problems exist, so that we might be proven in all things.

Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is a divine and perfect plan. It is composed of eternal, unchanging principles, laws, and ordinances which are universally applicable to every individual regardless of time, place, or circumstance. Gospel principles never change.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, administered by the priesthood of God. The Church has authority to teach correctly the principles and doctrines of the gospel and to administer its essential ordinances."

(Ronald E. Poelman, "The Gospel and the Church," Ensign, Nov. 1984, 64)
"The fourth article of faith states: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

"If we think deeply, we realize that the first principle----faith in the Lord Jesus Christ----underlies all else; that is, it takes faith in Christ to repent or be baptized or perform any other ordinances of the gospel. Jesus made saving repentance possible and He made baptism meaningful. If we have faith in Him, we will repent and be baptized. If we do not repent, or refuse to be baptized, or are unwilling to keep His commandments, it is because we do not have sufficient faith in Him. Thus, repentance, baptism, and all other principles and ordinances are not entirely separate but are actually extensions of our faith in Christ. Without faith in Him, we do little of eternal value. With faith in Him, our lives become focused on doing things of eternal value."

(John H. Groberg, "The Lord's Wind," Ensign, Nov. 1993, 26)

"I wish to testify that there are forces which will save us from the ever-increasing lying, disorder, violence, chaos, destruction, misery, and deceit that are upon the earth. Those saving forces are the everlasting principles, covenants, and ordinances of the eternal gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. These same principles, covenants, and ordinances are coupled with the rights and powers of the priesthood of Almighty God. We of this church are the possessors and custodians of these commanding powers which can and do roll back much of the power of Satan on the earth. We believe that we hold these mighty forces in trust for all who have died, for all who are now living, and for the yet unborn."

(James E. Faust, "The Great Imitator," Ensign, Nov. 1987, 33)

Through the Church, various ordinances are available and principles are taught. These give power and protection from evil. They all extend from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Atonement

"That brings us to the Atonement. Paul said, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."The Atonement of Jesus Christ became the immortal creation. He volunteered to answer the ends of a law previously transgressed. And by the shedding of His blood, His and our physical bodies could become perfected. They could again function without blood, just as Adam's and Eve's did in their paradisiacal form. Paul taught that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; … this mortal must put on immortality."

"Meaning of Atonement

"With this background in mind, let us now ponder the deep meaning of the word atonement. In the English language, the components are at-one-ment, suggesting that a person is at one with another. Other languages employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation. Expiation means "to atone for." Reconciliation comes from Latin roots re, meaning "again"; con, meaning "with"; and sella, meaning "seat." Reconciliation, therefore, literally means "to sit again with."

"Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means "to cover" or "to forgive." Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning "a close embrace"----no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that "the Lord hath redeemed my soul …… ; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love." Another proffers the glorious hope of our being "clasped in the arms of Jesus."

"I weep for joy when I contemplate the significance of it all. To be redeemed is to be atoned----received in the close embrace of God with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our oneness of heart and mind. What a privilege! And what a comfort to those of us with loved ones who have already passed from our family circle through the gateway we call death!

"Scriptures teach us more about the word atonement. The Old Testament has many references to atonement, which called for animal sacrifice. Not any animal would do. Special considerations included:

"• the selection of a firstling of the flock, without blemish,

"• the sacrifice of the animal's life by the shedding of its blood,

"• death of the animal without breaking a bone, and

"• one animal could be sacrificed as a vicarious act for another.

"The Atonement of Christ fulfilled these prototypes of the Old Testament. He was the firstborn Lamb of God, without blemish. His sacrifice occurred by the shedding of blood. No bones of His body were broken----noteworthy in that both malefactors crucified with the Lord had their legs broken. And His was a vicarious sacrifice for others.

"While the words atone or atonement, in any of their forms, appear only once in the King James translation of the New Testament, they appear 35 times in the Book of Mormon. As another testament of Jesus Christ, it sheds precious light on His Atonement, as do the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Latter-day revelation has added much to our biblical base of understanding.