The first lesson in the Temple and Family History Work manual as used by the Church for this alternative Sunday School class is entitled, “Salvation for the Living and the Dead.” We learn that the Atonement was provided to enable us to overcome death, and to give us the chance to gain exaltation. Because of this marvelous gift, everyone will be resurrected, not just the righteous. But in order to attain eternal life, which is, to live forever in the Celestial Kingdom, we must have faith, repent, and receive the saving ordinances which are done in the temple.
These ordinances can, of course, be done by the living before they exit the earth. But these ordinances are also available to those who have passed on and never had the chance to attend the temple themselves.
When Jesus Christ was crucified, His spirit went to the spirit world and He preached to the spirits of the just. He organized missionaries to continue to preach to those in spirit prison, thereby giving everyone a chance to choose salvation for themselves, if they want it. If they so choose, they can accept the gospel message, but they are not able to do the temple work for themselves. This is where we come in, to do the work by proxy. There are billions of spirits on the other side who died without hearing the message.
We can serve by doing research on behalf of these dead and then taking the names to the temple.
Departing from the manual for my own personal observation: not every spirit whose name you submit will want their temple work done. Do not be concerned about that. They are given the choice on the other side and if they desire, they can reject the temple work done for them. It’s better to do the work and leave it up to them, than to leave the work undone and perhaps disappoint them.
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