Mormons believe that the everyone who dies is taken home to God. Then someone who is considered righteous is received into a state of happiness, called Paradise. It's a state of peace and rest, free from all care and sorrow. However, a wicked person who loves evil and invites the devil into his life is cast out into outer darkness and lives in a very miserable state. Both the righteous and the wicked souls remain in these states until the resurrection. When Jesus Christ comes to earth again, this time so that everyone will see him coming in his red clothing and all his glory, many righteous people will be resurrected. To be resurrected is to have your soul reunited with your body, never again to be separated, and your body will be restored to its proper and perfect frame. Eventually everyone who has died, whether good or evil, will be resurrected.
While the dead wait for the resurrection, they live in the world of spirits which is on the earth. This world of spirits is where Jesus Christ went after he died. Just as he organized his church on the earth during his mortal life, he organized the teaching of his word in the Spirit World while he was there. Those who were taught God's word during their mortal lives go about teaching other people who did not have the proper chance to learn during their mortal lives. Mormons do not believe that a man's chance for salvation necessarily ends when he dies. Children who die before they reach the age of accountability are saved in the Celestial Kingdom of God.
Mormons believe that God requires all who want to be saved (except for unaccountable children) to make and keep covenants with him. This includes receiving certain ordinances like baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the endowment. Mormons vicariously perform these ordinances for our dead family members in the temples that we build. The dead are often interested in our research to find them and in our efforts to get their temple work done.
After the resurrection, we will all be judged according to our works and our desires, including what we did with the word of God that we were taught.
Mormons believe that heaven is divided into three kingdoms: the Celestial, the Terrestrial, and the Telestial Kingdoms. A soul could also go to outer darkness, which is called Hell. Hell is for those people who really love evil and don't want to serve God. The inhabitants of the Telestial Kingdom are those people who will get to live with the influence of the Spirit of God. The Terrestrial Kingdom is for those who will get to be in the presence of Jesus Christ as well as the Spirit. The Celestial Kingdom is the best kingdom, where those who inherit it will get to dwell in the presence of Heavenly Father. All three kingdoms are glorious and beautiful, but the Celestial Kingdom should be our goal.
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