You know how occasionally when you listen to General Conference, there will be one of those moments where the Spirit just pricks your heart? It might be that you actually had ears to hear, and something just sticks out.
During President Nelson’s concluding message¹ of the Sunday afternoon session of the 188th Annual General Conference, that is exactly what happened to me. That talk is getting most of its publicity due to the fact that he announced 7 new temples, but what he said right before that was more incredible to me.
When I heard President Nelson say what he did, I turned to my wife and asked, “Do you realize what he just said?”
It was big. It was awesome! It was something I can’t personally remember a prophet of the Lord ever saying – or at least it didn’t prick my heart like this did.
My wife and children didn’t notice it, but I want to play you this short 35-second clip to see if anything sticks out to you.
Did you hear it?
It’s a statement that blew me away. President Nelson just extended an invitation to everyone in the Spirit World!
Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life.
Our prophet didn’t just ask us to repent and come unto the Savior, he invited those who right now are on the other side of the veil and considering their options, to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of the temple.
This reminds me of Doctrine and Covenants section 138 that explains the very principles that those who have passed on are learning, and it’s slightly different from the missionary discussions they would have been taught on earth. Section 138 speaks of Christ and His organization of missionary work among the dead. Verses 32-34 read:
32 Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
33 These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
34 And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Those on the other side of the veil are taught the fullness of the gospel, but they are taught about vicarious baptism, the vicarious reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and vicarious ordinance work in the temples of God.
I find it incredible that President Nelson was addressing not just the living, but those on the other side of the veil. He was inviting those in the spirit world, he was challenging them to come unto the Savior and follow His gospel plan. As they do so, they are afforded the opportunity to receive every blessing of the Atonement through sacred covenants.
“The Lord has so arranged his plan of redemption that all who have died without this opportunity shall be given it in the spirit world. There the elders of the Church who have died are proclaiming the gospel to the dead. All those who did not have an opportunity here to receive it, who there repent and receive the gospel, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:132).
God be thanked for a living prophet, Russell M. Nelson. It is such a joy to have a prophet who is in good health and is able to speak to us and inspire us with his testimony and wisdom. Truly the Lord is hastening his work on both sides of the veil.
If those on the other side of the veil were able to listen to General Conference from wherever they are, I hope they will accept President Nelson’s invitation so that they may have enduring joy and qualify for eternal life.
Before you take off, you might want to discover why the announcement of a new temple in India was so spectacular > Why was the India Temple announcement so incredible?
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Dani
Saturday 8th of February 2020
My husband recently passed away. He was 49 and so full of life until the day before I let him go. I have studied a little about what is going on while he is on that side and I am on this. The Spirit World is right here, we just cannot see them. I feel him all of the time. That said, and on a VERY personal note, we were really struggling before he passed. We had JUST started to straighten ourselves out when he passed away. I have found through prayer and the Spirit that the veil is extremely thin. That I am constantly caught between what I need to know for this life, and what my day-to-day reality is, and what he is doing while I do this. My husband was a convert, and out of the 25 years he was a member, he was a Ward/Stake Missionary Leader 14 of them! He was the best missionary. President Nelson, he IS calling upon those people on BOTH sides to prepare themselves. We truly are running out of time before the Savior comes, but more importantly, we need to ALL be ready for what is to come prior. This is my own, personal revelation, not doctrine, but we are NOT instantaneously perfect when we get to the Spirit World. No, that is why we say, "No one is perfect, perfection comes I the NEXT life." That is our common saying for a reason. Maybe not doctrinally sound, but there is definitely truth there. We cannot "eat, drink and be merry," and then hope that tomorrow when we die we are just fine because we are in Heaven now. No, I don't believe that. My husband had some work to do on himself. I had some repenting to do here as well. One of the blessings of the Gospel is, we know this! The power of the Atonement is infinite! It goes on in our life here and then continues forever and ever. We KNOW that this is true. And President Nelson IS calling upon both sides to prepare themselves. We do the initial work for the dead, but it is up to them to return to the temple frequently to participate. We only do our personal work once, and when those things are finally recited in the Spirit World, at the Judgment Bar most likely, we will have our bodies once again. Bodies are a BIG part of the plan, one we sort of overlook as being just of THIS world. If they were NOT important, why would we get them back? AND we MUST have them before we stand before God to be Judged, at least the scriptures say as much. I was a returned missionary, and have attended church since before I can remember, but it wasn't until this tragedy, as I have looked for ways to try and explain something impossible to explain to my children, I have found peace in knowing EXACTLY these things. When you have a spouse or a child (and not even my father's death at a young age), suddenly the Spirit World is no longer a "nice idea that we hope in," it becomes very real very very quickly. (Sorry so long-easier to pour my heart out to strangers it would seem).
Bridget
Saturday 9th of January 2021
@Dani, Thoughtfully shared message, you are very much loved no doubt. I am so sorry for the grief you must have had to experience. But the wisdom you have seem to gain is evident in your post. Much LOVE to you my sister🥰
Sunday 2nd of September 2018
It has been the message from the beginning. President Nelson just reminded us where our focus should be. Some of us have always understood the focus, and some have gotten sidetracked by other good but not essential things.
Sinikka Brady
Wednesday 22nd of September 2021
Just as how feel. It’s not a new consept. That’s what we are do in the temple as we attend to the proxy work. Or is there something new happening that I don’t see in this?
Ben Arkell
Monday 3rd of September 2018
Wonderful comment and I agree with you 100%.
Begoña dammers
Tuesday 15th of May 2018
I prayed fot new names to get to the temple, and ask for who were ready, and found in my family search account 30 new names, and the next days more and more, of my family I didn't know they exist, so is my testimony they were prepared and want the ordinances! So President Nelson know what he is saying.
Ben Arkell
Tuesday 15th of May 2018
Wow, that is a wonderful story. Thank you for being so diligent in doing work for your family.
Wednesday 18th of April 2018
I loved this too. Our stake is currently doing an adult Institute class. The teacher works for the church, reviewing all things to be published to make sure the doctrine and principles are correct. So he is very knowledgeable. His last class will be on the plan of salivation. He said it is one of the most Misunderstood, and taught incorrectly in the church. Our time of probation does not end with death. Until Christ comes again, those in the spirit world have the chance to repent and come unto Christ. Super awesome!
Vanessa Everhart
Thursday 12th of April 2018
I did catch this and it too much breath away when he said it!