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Hi, everyone I was studying the New Testament the other day and was curious to understand why some people so closely related to the Savior couldn't recognize Him after His resurrection. Would it be because they were so distracted by the moment that they couldn’t focus? Is the body and other personal traits of a resurrected person totally different? Couldn’t those people recognize the Lord at first until the Spirit had confirm that it was Him into their hearts? I’d love to get your impressions on the matter!

I've been reflecting upon the plan of salvation and how, as part of this, animals will be taking part in the resurrection. As we know, for mankind, there will be resurrection unto eternal life, and resurrection unto damnation. Salvation unto eternal life means eternal progression and an eternal increase. Damnation in this context will mean limited progression due to not attaining the highest degree of glory. Animals, on the other hand, seem to be locked into where they are as far as I can tell. Wouldn't this be damnation? Some additional thoughts I have on the topic are the idea that resurrection for animals seems troubling. As you recall, when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword were placed before the Tree of Life lest Adam and Eve partake of its fruit and "live forever in their sins." Again, this sounds akin to resurrection unto damnation, but would be immortality unto damnation. So would resurrecting a lower level of intelligence stop its progression? When humans were only intelligences, were we still different from animals, or are animals part of the progression? Lastly, I feel that one piece of the puzzle could be related to the beasts in the revelation of John. We learn in D&C that these beasts are not merely symbolic, but actual animals. Do animals maybe have a different path of progression than humans do, serving different roles in the kingdom than man? (Which wouldn't be far-fetched, considering that is the case in mortality.) I'm interested in your ideas and experience on this subject!

Easter is one of those holy days that LDS, Catholics and Protestants find little to argue about. So, in the spirit of new life, here's a synopsis of what I shared today: Easter and resurrection--so what? Jesus rose from the dead. His followers went to attend to him, on Easter morning, but he was gone! If the Son of the one, true, Creator-God suffered, died, then rose, I will fear nothing. People cannot harm my eternal soul. Jesus is the one I must please. Addictions, such as drugs, selfishness, and unhealthy relationships cannot trap me. My God is bigger, and he is for me. Now, I live without fear. I traffic in love. I love widows, orphaned, and yes, the imprisoned. I love immigrants; liberals and conservatives; and whoever needs a listening ear and an open heart. Jesus suffered and died so I could be well and live. Now, it is my turn to love. What is the worst that could happen? Perhaps, I will suffer and die. Even so, I will rise and live forever with God. He is risen. He is risen, indeed!

New Testament | 1 Corinthians 15:51 - 53) 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 88:94 - 99) And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it. 95 And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled; 96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him. 97 And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven— 98 They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God. 99 And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ's at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh. Paul seems to be saying two things here. One, that we shall all be resurrected at the same time, and two, that the resurrection will occur at the sounding of the last trump. Section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants seems to be saying that the resurrection will be a staged process occurring in several stages, and that it is only after the third trump that the resurrection will be completed – “And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump; and then come the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation. (Doctrine and Covenants “| Section 88:100) Furthermore, this third trump is definitely not the last trump as verses 102 – 110 state that there will be at least another 11 trumps after this third trump. What do you think is the best way to reconcile these apparent differences between 1 Corinthians and Section 88 on the nature and order of the resurrection?

Mary, Mary, Rising early, To the sepulcher, She meekly came. Mary, Mary, Running swiftly, “The tomb is empty!” She exclaimed. The stone that sealed, The holy chamber, Rolled aside, From where it’d been. Beloved disciple, Racing quickly, Looked inside, Yet went not in. Lying neatly, Were white linens, Wrapped together, They were not grieved. Then the one, Whom Jesus loved, When he saw, He first believed. Mary, Mary, Saw the angels, Sitting where, The Lord had lain. Mary, Mary , “Why thou weepest? Whom thou seeketh, Did not remain.” Then He spoke, And she cried, “Master!” “Touch Me not, My loving friend.” “Go tell my brethren, That unto my Father, Yea to your Father, I do ascend.” Mary, Mary, Told the disciples, That she did speak, To whom they adored. Mary, Mary, Oh blessed Mary, First to see, The risen Lord. David Allen Foust ©2014

The past few weeks as I drove to work I thought of several questions I don't have the answers to. Hopefully you can help me sort out the answers. 1. If one of the primary purposes of the Millenium is Temple Work, but all of those who are worthy of the Telestial and Celestial kingdoms are resurrected and alive during the millennium, then can't they all do their own work? I understand temple worthy members could still act as temple workers, just not as proxies. 2. Also, does this mean that if temple work during the millennium is done by proxy only for those who can't do it themselves (Terrestrial), then if the Telestial person accepts the covenants, will they be immediately resurrected and become alive in the millennium, or do they still have to wait until the end, at which point they are Telestial anymore? This doesn't seem to make sense. 3. If someone is not resurrected during the early part of the millennium because they are 'Telestial', then why do their temple work at all? Unless they repented and become temple worthy (a.k.a. Celestial) then they couldn't make the covenants anyway, correct? It only makes sense if people could go from Telestial to Celestial during the millennium. 4. If all children under the age of 8 years old are considered celestial, then they would be resurrected at the beginning of the millennium, but based upon the statistics I've seen on infant mortality, this would likely result in tens of billions of children over the history of the earth that would be resurrected. Not all of them, or possibly even most of them, will have parents who are resurrected to raise them at the beginning of the millennium. How are these children going to be raised, by all of the Celestial and Telestial parents who are alive at that time? 5. Will spouses grow old and 'twinkle' at the same time to become young again? If not, I guess it would be strange to have a 20 year old woman married to an 80 year old man until he 'twinkled' too. 6. What happens if there is an accident and someone dies? Or can't people die or drown, or something similar? Thanks, I've been thinking about these questions for weeks and can't think of answers to satisfy them that I've ever heard.

In my blessing, it says i shall be called first in first resurrection. does this mean that I will not live until the millenium? i am confused about this and your help would be much helpful! Thank you.