Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 137:5-8

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 137:5-8
"I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept;
And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.
Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;
Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;"

In this vision Joseph Smith saw his brother Alvin in the celestial kingdom. He did not understand because Alvin died before the church was restored. He was never baptized. The Lord explains that any that died without a knowledge of the gospel and would have received it are heirs to the celestial kingdom. I reflected on how merciful the Lord is to all. This is why the gospel is preached on both sides of the veil. This is why we perform proxy baptism for our kindred dead.

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"
(1 Corinthians 15:29)

Day 3726