God’s plan of happiness versus the plan of heaven and hell

“What can we learn from Near-Death Experiences?”

God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation (Plan A) versus the One Heaven and One Hell Plan (Plan B) for the eternal future of God’s beloved children.

I encourage each of you, readers, to study this article very carefully and prayerfully, so that you may learn to understand how loving, just, kind, compassionate, merciful, and even generous our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, truly are. I believe this understanding will help you love them even more and motivate you to build an even closer relationship with them.

As many of you readers have probably noticed in modern Christianity, it seems that most Christian churches teach that there is a Heaven where everyone who qualifies to go there receives exactly the same ultimate eternal reward. And a Hell, where everyone else (most of all of God’s children) goes to suffer and be punished forever there for not accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior before the day they die – – – despite the fact that most people in the history of the world never even owned a Bible or heard of Jesus Christ before they died. In this chapter, I will sometimes refer to the Heaven and Hell Plan as Plan B. Most of you have probably seen the cards that many Christian churches hand out, explaining that all you need to do to qualify to go to Heaven, to receive your ultimate reward there forever, is to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior before the day you die – – and it may even be right on your deathbed after a selfish, sinful life, – – – like the thief on the cross next to Jesus, which they like to bring up in support of this argument or reasoning, which to me does not agree with the Bible or any of the basic principles of fairness or common sense, that God has placed in our inner spirit part.

Most Christian pastors today seem to teach that all those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before the day they die, and the 17 million members of our Christian Church, will suffer punishment and torture forever in hell. Consider that the first printing press wasn’t invented until 1450 by Johan Gutenberg, and before that, there were very few hand-copied Bibles in the world. And most of those few Bibles were in Latin, and very few people could understand or read them.

I encourage you to pause and reflect on what you’ve heard from Christian pastors and on Christian radio, etc., regarding what it takes to qualify for Heaven. What do most Christian churches teach about the eternal future of all of God’s children? For example, who will go to Heaven and who won’t?

For those who don’t go to Heaven, where do they go?

If they go to hell, what is hell like? And how long must they stay there?

I’ve asked many Christians if they were taught that Hell is better or worse than a German Nazi concentration camp. Many Christians have told me that they believe, just as they’ve been taught, that Hell is even worse and that it lasts forever!

If we stop to really reflect on that teaching and what it means, isn’t it saying that God will treat most of His children even worse than Adolf Hitler treated the Jews, because they can’t even die and become nonexistent in Hell, and thus be freed from constant pain and suffering. That doesn’t make our Heavenly Father seem like a very kind, loving, or just person, does it? So how could that be a true plan of our loving Heavenly Father? Is that plan of One Heaven and One Hell endorsed by the Bible or by God?

Does that sound like a just and merciful plan that our loving Heavenly Father would devise for the eternal future of His beloved children?

Isn’t it true that most Christian pastors today teach that only the select few who hear about Jesus Christ and accept Him as their Savior before the day they die will go to heaven, and that everyone else will suffer forever in hell?

Can such an unjust plan be supported by God and the Bible? – – – in short, fortunately, “No.”

And it seems like most Christian pastors teach that everyone goes to the same ultimate reward in Heaven if they accept Jesus as their Savior, whether on their deathbed or sooner, – – – even if they lived a sinful, mean, selfish, and dishonest life of abuse toward other children of God – – or – – the ultimate punishment forever in Hell!! – – – No matter how kind and loving they were toward other children of God, and how well they followed the Light of Christ/conscience/God’s inner guidance throughout their life?

Considering how much our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, love each of us, God’s children; and that they have all power; they could not come. Can you think of a better, more just, and loving plan than the concept of One Heaven and One Hell taught in most modern Christianity in recent centuries for the eternal future of all of God’s beloved children?

Does that teaching seem fair, loving, or compassionate to you? Do you believe, as we do, that the beautiful song “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so” is true? There is so much evidence of the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Bible! So how could our loving Heavenly Father have devised such an unfair plan? They didn’t, and if you will prayerfully read this article, including the Bible verses that support it, and reflect and pray about it, you will begin to understand and know that wonderful truth.

Does God truly love each of us as His spiritual children, even when we sometimes disobey His wise and joy-producing teachings? – – – Yes, absolutely, without a doubt. There is more than enough clear evidence of God’s love for us in the Bible and in our personal lives, if we will look for it. Pause to prayerfully consider these Bible verses below:

For me, one of the clearest proofs of Jesus’ profound love for every child of God is how He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” right after He was mocked, flogged, and nailed to the Cross! Because He felt love in that moment even for those who tortured and mocked Him, that’s clear proof that Jesus loves each one of us, as children of God, isn’t it?

Another of the many clear biblical proofs that Jesus loves every child of God is Matthew 5:43-45: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your  neighbor  and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you,  love  your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and  pray  for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that  you may be  children  of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”

Considering that Jesus even taught us to love and pray for our enemies, isn’t that clear proof that He definitely loves every child of God?

Furthermore, considering that our Heavenly Father blesses us, devoted parents, with a deep love for each of our children, even when they sometimes make mistakes and poor decisions; isn’t that further clear proof that God also loves each of us, as His spiritual children, even when we make mistakes and poor decisions?

Considering what God teaches us in the Bible and when we pray to be loving and just, isn’t that proof that His plan for the eternal future of all His children must surely be a just and loving plan?

Does God reward us as His children for every effort to be good and improve in following His teachings? – – – How do we tend to believe in rewarding our children more when they make greater efforts to do good?

In what form do the greatest blessings or rewards from God come? – – – – Is it primarily in the Gifts of the Spirit – – – of greater “Love, Joy, inner peace, goodness, faith,” etc. as described in Galatians 5:22 in the Bible?

Why are we here? – – – In this period of testing and Earth school?

Where do we go after graduating with honors or not from our Earth school and probationary period?

Consider these Bible verses from 1 Corinthians 15:20-22: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead and has become the  firstfruits  of those who have fallen asleep. For since  death  came  through man, the  resurrection  of the dead came also through man. For as in  Adam  all die, even so in  Christ  all will be  made alive .”

This teaches us that the gift of resurrection from the dead is lovingly given by Jesus Christ to everyone on earth – – – not just a small percentage.

Important questions to reflect on:

Could it really be true that most of God’s beloved children receive the God-given gift of being resurrected – – – only so they can be sent to hell to suffer punishment and torture forever? – – – Of course not!

If that were true, for those who would rather simply be dead and nonexistent than accept the gift of resurrection—and suffer punishment and torture forever in hell—would they at least be given that more merciful option?

If so, wouldn’t everyone choose that option?

What good is the wonderful gift of resurrection for all of God’s children through the Atonement of Jesus Christ if they are simply resurrected to be punished and tortured forever in hell?

Would our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really come up with such a completely unjust plan for the eternal future of all human beings, our beloved children of God? – – – No, I promise you, they would not, and they have not. If I had attended one of the typical Bible colleges that have been teaching the One Heaven and One Hell Plan (Plan B) for the past several hundred years, then I would have believed it too, at least for a while, but if you study the Bible carefully and prayerfully, and reflect and pray about it; it can be clearly seen that such a plan is not from God, and it is not supported by the Bible.

Please reflect and pray about these beautiful and encouraging Bible verses from the Apostle Peter below, which help us understand that God is far more loving and just than that:

1 Peter 4:6: “ For for this reason  the  gospel  was  preached also  to those  who are dead , that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (Why did Jesus Christ teach that His gospel will be “preached also to the dead” if they don’t have ample opportunity to accept those teachings there in the spirit world after they leave their short earthly school period? Obviously, they wouldn’t be taught those beautiful teachings of Jesus Christ after death, if they couldn’t accept Jesus Christ as their Savior there, right? Otherwise, it would just make them suffer even more, for missing out on the opportunity to learn and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior while on earth.)

1 Peter 3:18-20 “For Christ also  suffered  once for sins, the  just  for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being  put to death  in the flesh but  made alive  by the Spirit. By whom also He went and  preached  to the spirits  in prison , who  sometime were  disobedient , when the longsuffering of God waited   in the days of  Noah , while the ark was a preparing, in which a few, even eight, souls were  saved  through  water .”

Some people teach that if God really loved every one of His spirit children, He would not have wiped out all but a few on the earth with the flood in Noah’s day, or whole cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. However, if you stop to think about it clearly, those people were living wicked, sad lives, and making no real progress while on earth, and were teaching their children and grandchildren to be wicked also and therefore making no real progress either; then was it not far more generous and loving of God to move those people through the quick passage of death, into the spirit world, where they could be taught more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than leaving them and their future posterity in the sad state they were in, perpetuating sin, sadness, and evil ways of life for future generations?

And consider these beautiful verses from the apostle John in: John 5:24-25: “Very truly I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and will not come into condemnation; but passes from death to life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”

Why do none of the other Christian churches, besides The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discuss and emphasize these beautiful Bible verses mentioned above, which any impartial person can clearly perceive as true, just, and fair? And that can help us all see that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are far more loving, just, compassionate, and righteous than what has been taught in most of Christianity for the past hundreds of years? Millions of Bible-believing Christians, including myself, are convinced that the beautiful teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints match the Bible far better than any other teaching. If you carefully study the teachings of our Church and the Bible, I think you will agree. Please do not rely on the 200 years of false slander against our Christian Church. Please see what we truly believe and teach.

Considering how much our loving Heavenly Father loves each of His children, doesn’t it make perfect sense that He would allow all of His children to be taught more after death about Jesus Christ in the Spirit World, as these beautiful Bible verses clearly teach above – so that they could have ample opportunity to accept Him as their Savior there? Don’t you just love these Bible verses above which to me and millions of other Christians in our Church, along with many other sources of proof, are clear proof that God planned for His joyful gospel to be taught to those who have died without ample opportunity to be clearly and fully taught the pure teachings of the gospel while here on earth?

I encourage readers to compare the teaching of “A Heaven and a Hell” with the beautiful and righteous teachings that many millions of us Bible-believing Christians are convinced God Himself revealed and restored as beautiful truths to the young Prophet Joseph Smith nearly 200 years ago, as “God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation for the Eternal Future of All of God’s Beloved Children.”

In summary, God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation looks like this: (with many Bible verses and other sources of proof to follow that support these beautiful teachings)

1. We live in a pre-mortal life as beloved spiritual children of God.

Our Heavenly Father laid out His plan for us to choose to come to earth to receive a physical body and learn, progress, and be tested, so that we might progress further and gradually become more like our Heavenly Father, so that we might experience more joy. The devil was also there in that premortal life, and he proposed a different plan, where he said that no one would fail under his plan because everyone would be forced to obey. The devil was a liar from the beginning because his plan could never have worked. No one could make any progress in developing genuine love, compassion, selfless service, and other Christian qualities or experience any true love, joy, and progress if they were forced to obey and compelled to do good. How can good deeds even be called good or worthy of reward if we were forced to perform them? Jesus Christ offered to be our Savior and to suffer and die for us to pay the price for our sins, in order to make it possible for us to repent and be cleansed after we would surely make some mistakes and sin while we were on earth.

The Devil convinced one-third of God’s spirit children in our premortal existence to follow him, and they were cast out of our heavenly home there. They are now miserable and seek to tempt us to sin and make bad choices, so that we will be miserable like them. Misery loves company. We were taught God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation in our premortal life, which centers on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His principles and commandments that would bring true happiness and progress. We would not remember our premortal life, but we would all be given the Light of Christ/conscience, an inner guidance system, to guide us and help us know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, truth and error, etc.

To see many Bible verses that make it clear that we lived as spirit children of God before coming to earth, click on my article on the home page called “Powerful Bible Quotes, Etc., That Will Help You Know You Are a Much-Loved Child of God.”

2. Creation of the Earth and the Fall of Adam and Eve: God gave Adam and Eve and each of us the gift of free will, which is the freedom to make our own decisions about our thoughts and actions and our kindness or meanness toward others, etc. – – – knowing that a forceful environment could never bring true love, joy, compassion, inner peace, and progress. God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they obeyed this commandment, they could remain in the Garden of Eden, but they would not be able to make the progress that comes from learning from experiences and challenges, and overcoming opposition. The devil tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit, and they chose to do so, which was part of God’s plan. God allowed the devil to tempt them, knowing that Adam and Eve would eventually partake of the forbidden fruit. Powerful Quote: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.” Articles of Faith #2 (of the 13 articles of faith of our Church).

3. Life on Earth: There are important things we must learn and experience here, by having a physical body during our probation and school period on Earth; by facing challenges and trials during our earthly life; and by learning to follow the inner guidance system of the Light of Christ directly to the inner spiritual part of us; we can learn principles of compassion, love, service, relationship-building, etc. that increase our capacity to experience real joy and inner peace. Everyone on Earth is taught and guided to a large extent by the inner guidance system of the Light of Christ. However, if they reject this inner guidance again and again, they may gradually lose the ability to clearly sense inner guidance. God will not impose His teachings and principles on any of us, or we would be mere puppets and slaves, and would not experience true joy, love, and inner peace. Many during their earthly school and probation would have a Bible and prophets of God to give them additional guidance and teachings about Jesus Christ. However, a larger percentage would not. Every child of God is given an inner guidance system, called the “Light of Christ” in the Book of Mormon, that helps us distinguish right from wrong. Out of justice and love, every child of God will have the opportunity to learn fully and clearly about Jesus Christ and his joy-producing teachings and accept him as their Savior, whether while on earth or in the spirit world after their spirit leaves their body/death.

4. Death may seem like an end to us, but it is truly an important step forward in the Plan of Salvation for all of us, God’s children . Remember, you cannot get to Heaven without dying!

5. Spirit World: When you die, your spirit leaves your physical body and goes to the spirit world, where much more learning will take place. The memories of your experiences in this life will remain with you in the spirit world. Everyone will have more opportunities to learn and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior in the spirit world. Many of the greatest Christian missionaries of all time are sharing the joy-producing teachings of Jesus Christ with others in the spirit world now.

6. Resurrection and Judgment: Every person born on earth will be resurrected, as a gift from Jesus Christ. Death is the separation of our body from our spirit. The resurrection is the reunion of our spirit with a more perfect body that will never die again. After you are resurrected, you will go before God to be judged. Bible quote:

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive.”

7. All will be assigned to one of the three kingdoms of Glory , except a very small number who are given a clear spiritual knowledge of the truth, but still absolutely refuse to accept any degree of Glory, so they will not be forced to accept it.

The Heavenly Kingdom (the highest and most joyful reward and realm) where our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and other devoted followers of Jesus Christ and his teachings reside – – – those who have learned to be the most loving, kind, compassionate, honest, selfless, etc. by following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Earthly Kingdom: For people who live mostly honorable and good lives , but who do not accept the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Telestial Kingdom: The lowest degree of glory for those who continue in their sinful ways, and do not fully repent , – – – but it is still a pretty nice place, because God loves each of His children, just as He has helped us. We also love each of our children – – Do We not? As Jesus Christ taught the Prophet Joseph Smith in March of 1830 below, the children of God will go through some suffering for a period of time (not forever) for unrepented sins.

D&C 19:16-19: “For behold, I, God, have  suffered  these things for all, that  they might not  suffer, if they would  repent ; but if they would not repent, they must  suffer  even as I; which suffering caused I, God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of the pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both in body and spirit, and to wish that  I had not  to drink the bitter cup, and to faint. Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, I did drink, and  I did finish  my preparations unto the children of men.”

Clearly, the wisest choice for each of us is to choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as best and most prayerfully as we can throughout our lives, because that is by far the most joyful path while we are on earth and for all eternity; and aren’t there sinful and bad choices without painful consequences? Even if we repent and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior while on earth, we will still feel some remorse and sorrow for our past sins and bad choices that caused suffering to ourselves and those around us.

Powerful quote to reflect on:

Elder James E. Talmage of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained: “To hell there is an exit as well as an entrance. Hell is not a place to which a vengeful judge sends prisoners to suffer and be punished primarily for his glory; but it is a place prepared for the teaching and discipline of those who have failed to learn here on earth what they should have learned. It is true that we read of eternal punishment, endless suffering, and eternal damnation. That is a frightful expression; but in his mercy the Lord has made it plain what those words mean. “Eternal punishment,” he says, is the punishment of God, for he is eternal; and that condition or state or possibility will someday exist for the sinner who deserves and truly needs such damnation; but this does not mean that the sufferer or the individual sinner must be forced to endure and suffer eternally. No man will remain in hell longer than is necessary to make him fit for something better. When he reaches that stage, The prison doors will be opened, and there will be rejoicing among the hosts who will receive Him in a better state. The Lord has not in the least softened what He has said in former dispensations concerning the operation of His law and gospel, but He has made His goodness and mercy plain to us through it all, for it is His glory and His work to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1930, p. 97).

That beautiful quote from a modern-day apostle of Jesus Christ: “No man will remain in hell longer than necessary to make him fit for something better.” – – – rings and feels true and fair, doesn’t it? – – – and many similar things, if you truly love your child and are praying, of course God will not ask you to corner your child or suffer longer than necessary to learn the lessons he needs; okay?

Would any loving parent punish their child forever for making bad choices? We all make some bad choices, and hopefully, gradually, over time, we’ll learn to make wiser and less painful ones. Would God be less loving and just toward us as His beloved spiritual children than He compels us to be toward our children when we pray?

This may be the most important and life-changing article on my website, and I think you’ll agree by the time you’re done reading it, because these important truths about God’s True Plan of Happiness/Salvation for all of His children help each of us better understand just how loving, kind, forgiving, and even generous our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, truly are; which, of course, greatly helps us to love and appreciate them even more, to desire to be closer to them, and to seek their guidance, love, power, and peace in our lives even more.

In God’s plan of happiness for the eternal future of His children, we all end up receiving far more than we deserve, but in varying degrees than we qualify to receive, whether we end up in the Celestial (highest) Kingdom, the Terrestrial (middle) Kingdom, or the Telestial (lowest) Kingdom. God is compassionate, loving, and beyond just and generous. He loves each of us as His children, even though we all make some painful and foolish mistakes and sins, just as He has blessed us with the ability to love our children even when they make some bad and painful choices. There are many Scriptures that make it clear that God loves us even more when we choose to follow His teachings, like “John the beloved apostle” of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus prayed “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” after He was mocked, tortured, and crucified, Jesus had more love for John the Beloved and for others who gladly choose to follow His teachings and love Him.

Pause to consider that the more we choose to follow all the teachings of Jesus Christ during our time on earth, the more love, joy, and inner peace we will be blessed to experience and feel—in varying degrees while we are here. Doesn’t it make perfect sense that there are also varying degrees of glory and reward after this life? Not just a Heaven and Hell where a supposedly loving God would place most to suffer forever? There are also varying degrees within each of the three realms of glory.

Please reflect and pray about the following scriptures, which are some of the many scriptures and sources of evidence that help support God’s plan of salvation/happiness for the eternal future of all of God’s children:

Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:40-43: “ There  are celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies. However, the glory of the  celestials is one, and the glory of the terrestrial bodies is another  . There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the  stars . For one star  differs  from another star in  glory . So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in  corruption , it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”

Bible: 2 Corinthians 12:2 the apostle Paul taught, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God  knows  ) was caught up to the  third  heaven.” (note the varying degrees of Heaven in this Bible verse).

As taught in these Bible verses above—and in modern revelation—are there three different levels of glory and reward, and varying degrees within each? Doesn’t that sound and feel more just and loving than the teaching of One Heaven and One Hell?

Bible: James 1:22: “But be  doers  of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Bible: James 2:14 and 17: “ My brothers  , what does it profit, if someone says he has  faith , but does not have works? Can faith save him? . . . So also  faith , if it does not have  works , is dead, being alone.”

Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 25:23: “ 23  For we do labor diligently to write, that we may  persuade  our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled unto God; for we know that it is by  grace  we are saved, after  all that we can do  ;” (Many Christian pastors ignorantly teach that our Church members believe we will be saved by our good works alone and obedience to the commandments of God, without needing the grace and help of Jesus Christ as our Savior, but that is another false rumor. We know that we all need our Savior, Jesus Christ, to be saved and receive any heavenly reward in any of the three degrees of Heaven (Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial), as you can see from this above Book of Mormon verse and from learning what we truly believe.

1 Corinthians 13:2: “And though I have  prophecy , and understand all  mysteries  and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

Book of Mormon: Moroni 7:45-48: “And  charity  suffereth long, and is kind, and  envieth not , neither is it puffed up, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing; for charity never faileth. Therefore, cleave unto charity, which is above all things; for all things must pass away;

But  charity  is the  pure love  of Christ, and it endures forever; and whoever possesses it at the last day will be well with him. Therefore, my beloved brothers,  pray  to the Father with all the energy of your hearts, that you may be filled with this love which he has bestowed upon all who are  true disciples  of his Son Jesus Christ.

Are kind and loving families blessed by God with the opportunity to be together forever?

Part of God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation for the eternal future of His children, is the fact that God has clearly taught us that it is not good for man (or woman) to be alone, and in God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation, loving and righteous couples and families will be given by God the wonderful opportunity to be sealed together forever by the power and authority of His priesthood – – – not just “till death do you part” as is taught and practiced in every other Christian marriage ceremony that I am aware of.

Our church paid for a survey to be conducted in California a few years ago, and the survey asked many Christians from different Christian denominations if they believed that good marriage and family relationships would continue after they left this life. And about 70% responded that they believed and felt that good marriages and good, loving family relationships would continue after this life, although they acknowledged that their particular Christian denomination did not teach that. For those who have been blessed with a loving marriage and loving family relationships, I think they can feel that a loving God would allow those loving marriages and family relationships to continue after this life—or it wouldn’t be such a heavenly place, would it? And those who don’t have the opportunity to be married and enjoy loving family relationships in their short time on earth, if they live worthy of it, will be blessed with the opportunity to choose and enjoy a loving marriage forever and loving family relationships forever after this life. Isn’t that wonderful news? One of our living apostles, Jeffrey R. Holland, a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather, said, “I wouldn’t know how to talk about heaven without my wife and children. It wouldn’t be paradise to me.” Those who have been blessed with marriages and family relationships filled with trust and love can surely understand feeling this way.

Consider these Bible verses from Genesis 2:18 and 21-24: “18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be  alone ; I will make him  a helper  meet for him… 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept. Then he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead of it. 22  And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man made he into a  woman ,  and brought her to the man.

23  And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and  flesh  of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and  shall  cleave unto his  wife : and they shall become  one  flesh.

 (Important Questions: If God said it was not good for man (or woman) to be alone without his or her spouse at that time, and since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then obviously it will never be good for man to be alone? Will it be good for man to be alone? He or she can have a truly loving and trusting marriage relationship with his or her children and grandchildren; why would God separate them for all eternity? I promise you, “families can be forever” – – – at least that is how God intended them to be – – if we wisely choose to live by His commandments and teachings that build truly trusting and loving family relationships.

At the moment God placed Adam and Eve together in the Garden of Eden, they were immortal and would never die (unless they ate the forbidden fruit), and they were destined to be married forever. It is still not good for man or woman to be alone or without their beloved family members—during our time in this short earthly school or after we graduate to a more heavenly place. Doesn’t that make sense and seem right to you, as it did to about 70% of Christians surveyed? When we pray, can we sense and feel that our loving Heavenly Father would not separate a truly loving couple or family after they left their bodies or died? If you are blessed with a loving spouse and loving children and grandchildren; wouldn’t He love to know that we are right about that, as we testify that we know we are by clear spiritual confirmations of these true principles from God?

My wife and I shared a beautiful film from our Church called “Together Forever” with a group of about 25 people who were not members of our Church on May 21, 2024, in Loja, Ecuador. After the film, we talked more about the film and some of the reasons why we believe quality marriages and family relationships can continue after we leave this life. We asked them to raise their hands if they hope we are right about that. It seemed like everyone raised their hands, affirming their hope that this principle comes from God and is true.

Consider what Jesus taught us in the Bible, in Matthew 16:16-19: “Simon Peter answered and said, You are the  Christ , the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not  revealed this to you  , but my Father who is in heaven. But I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this  rock  I will build my  church , and the  gates  of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the  keys  of the  kingdom  of heaven, and whatever  you bind  on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

We believe that with the keys of the priesthood and the authority of God, the authority is granted to unite a couple and their loving families for all eternity. If you are a loving couple and are fortunate enough to have a loving family, wouldn’t you love to be sealed for all eternity with your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, etc.?

I remember one of our Christian caregivers at our 15-room nursing home telling us that her mother told her that in her Christian church, they were taught that they wouldn’t even know each other in heaven after this life. Wouldn’t that be sad? Why would a loving Heavenly Father separate a loving couple or a loving family, or cause them not to even know each other after they die? — — Of course He wouldn’t!

If you haven’t yet read my article on the home page of this website, called “Powerful Bible Quotes to Help You Know You Are a Beloved Child of God,” please read it now to help you better understand how we lived as spirit children of God before we came to earth, and about God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation from before the foundation of this world, for the eternal future of His children.

Below are more Scripture quotes that help further support God’s plan of happiness.

Bible: John 3:16-17: “For God so  loved   the world that he gave his  only begotten Son , that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not  send  his Son into the world to  condemn  the world, but that the world   through him might be saved .”

Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 2:14-27: “ 14  And now, my children, I speak these things unto you for your profit and learning; for there is one God, and he hath  created  all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all that in them is; both the things which act, and the things which are  acted upon .

15  And in order to accomplish his eternal  designs  concerning the object of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, and in short, all things that were created, an opposition was necessary; yea, the  forbidden fruit   as opposed to the  tree of life , the one being sweet and the other bitter. 16  Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that  he should act  for himself. So that man could not act for himself unless he  were drawn  to one or the other. 17  And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, am to suppose that an  angel of God had  fallen  from heaven, according as it is written; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought evil in the sight of God. 18  And because he was fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever,  he also sought  misery for all mankind. Therefore he said to  Eve , yes, that old serpent, who is the devil, the father of all  lies , thus he said to her, Eat of the forbidden fruit, and you will not die, but you will be like God,  knowing  good and evil. 19  And after Adam and Eve had  eaten  of the forbidden fruit, they were cast out of the Garden of  Eden , to till the ground. 20  And they had children, yes, the  family  of the whole earth. 21  And the days of the sons of  men  were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might  repent  while they were in the flesh; therefore their state became a state of  probation , and their time was prolonged, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave to the sons of men. For he gave the commandment that all men should repent; for he showed all men that they were  lost  because of the transgression of their fathers.

22  For behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen, but would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all created things would have continued in the same state in which they were created; and they would have continued forever, having no end. 23  And they would have had no  children ; consequently, they would have remained in a state of innocence, feeling no joy, because they knew no misery; and doing no good, because they knew no sin. 24  But behold, all things have been made in the wisdom of Him who  knows all things . 25  Adam  fell  that men might exist; and   men  exist that they might have joy . 26  And  Messiah  will come in the fullness of time, to  redeem  the children of men from the fall. And because they are redeemed from the fall, they have become  free  forever, discerning good from evil, to act for themselves, and not to be acted upon except by the punishment of the  law  on the great and last day, according to the commandments which God has given. 27  So then men are  free  according to the flesh; and all things are given to them that are proper for them. And they are free to  choose  liberty and  eternal life , through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeks that all men should be miserable like himself.

Book of Mormon: Alma 34:32: “For behold, this life is the time for man to  prepare himself  to meet before God; yea, the day of this life is the day in which man must perform his work.”

Bible: Romans 3:23-25: “ 23  for  all  have sinned and fall  short  of the glory of God,

24  Being  justified  freely by his  grace  through the  redemption  that is in Christ Jesus,

25  Whom God  set forth  as  a propitiation in his blood ,  through faith  , to demonstrate his righteousness, in that in his forbearance he had passed over the  sins  that were previously committed.”

Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 2:6-8: “ 6  Wherefore,  redemption  cometh in   and through  the Holy Messiah , for he is full of grace  and truth.

7  Behold, he offers himself as  a sacrifice  for sin, to satisfy the ends of the law for all who are broken in heart and contrite in spirit; and the  ends  of the law can be satisfied by no one else.

8  Therefore, how great is the importance of making these things known to the inhabitants of the earth, so that they may know that no flesh can dwell in the presence of God,  except  through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who lays down his life, according to the flesh, and takes it again by the power of the Spirit, in order to effect the  resurrection  of the dead, being the first to rise.”

Book of Mormon: Alma 7:11-12: “ 11  And he (Jesus Christ) shall go forth suffering pains,  afflictions  , and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled, which he saith, He shall take upon him the pains and  sicknesses  of his people.

12  And he will take death upon himself  , to loose the bands of death that hold his people; and he will take upon himself their  infirmities  , that his bowels may be filled with compassion according to the flesh, that according to the flesh he may know how to  succor  his people according to their infirmities.”

Alma 42:22-23: “But a law has been given, and a penalty has been appointed, and a  repentance has been granted , which mercy claims; otherwise justice claims the man, and executes the law, and the law exacts the penalty; for if it were not so, the works of righteousness would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.

But God does not cease to be God, and  mercy  claims the one who repents; and mercy comes because of the  atonement ; and the atonement brings about the  resurrection  of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead brings men  back  into the presence of God; and so they are restored to his presence, to be  judged  according to their works, according to law and justice.”

Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 9:13-15: “O how great is the  plan  of our God! For again, the  paradise  of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave the bodies of the righteous; and the spirit and the body are  restored  again one to another, and all men become incorruptible and  immortal ; and they are living souls, having a  perfect knowledge  ,  like unto us in the flesh, save only our knowledge shall be perfect. Wherefore we shall have a  perfect knowledge  of all our  guilt , and our uncleanness, and our  nakedness ; and the  righteous , being  clothed  with  purity , yea, with the  robe  of righteousness, shall have a perfect knowledge of their joy and of their righteousness. And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, so that they shall be become immortal, they must stand before the  judgment seat  of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the  judgment , and then they must be judged according to the holy judgment of God.”

If God liked better the “God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation” that the young Prophet Joseph Smith devised as described above, couldn’t God implement that Plan instead of the One Heaven and One Hell Plan that so many Christian pastors teach as God’s Plan for the eternal future of all His children? As you ponder that question, don’t you begin to wonder if perhaps God revealed His true plan of happiness to His young Prophet Joseph Smith, to make the truth known. If you were God, would you want the unjust One Heaven and One Hell Plan to continue being taught in the name of Christianity, if it isn’t true? – – – especially considering that doesn’t make God seem very fair, loving, or just, does it?

Does a careful study of the Bible even support such a “heaven and hell plan”? – – Fortunately not, and that’s great news! Almost all Christian leaders teach that God is all-knowing and all-powerful? And we agree with that. So, God could have designed and implemented any plan He wanted for the eternal future of His beloved spirit children, couldn’t He? Then, surely, He would have devised a just, loving, equitable, and merciful plan, wouldn’t He?

My wife and I have a very dear, kind-hearted Japanese friend in California who grew up in Japan. She and her husband began learning about Christianity shortly after they were married. However, when they were taught the concept of “One Heaven and One Hell,” they were unable to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior at that time because they were taught that only the small minority who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before the day they die will go to Heaven—meaning that all of their loving Japanese parents, grandparents, ancestors, etc., would be suffering forever in Hell simply because they did not learn and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before the day they died, even though they were kind, loving, and good people. Wouldn’t you feel the same way if you were in their position and were told that all of your dear, kind, and loving relatives who have died will be punished forever in Hell simply because they did not realize before the day they died that they were supposed to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior? – – – even though most of them never had the opportunity to learn much or anything about Jesus Christ during their time on earth?

The Prophet Joseph Smith also taught more about the three degrees of glory or reward after the judgment in D&C 76:92–98: “And thus we beheld the glory of the celestial, which surpasses all things; where God, even the Father, reigneth upon his throne forever and ever; before whose throne all things bow in humble  reverence , and pay glory unto him forever and ever. They that dwell in his  presence  are the church of the  Firstborn ; and they see as they are seen, and  know  as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his  grace ; . . . And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the  sun  is one. And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one. And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another in glory, so they differ from one another in glory in the telestial world.” – – which means that there are also different degrees of reward and glory within the Telestial, Terrestrial, and Celestial Kingdoms.

In short, in God’s beautiful plan, everyone will eventually go where they feel most comfortable—to be with people who are most like them. Those who have learned over time to become true, faithful followers of Jesus Christ by developing habits and attitudes of kindness, compassion, respect, service, and love toward all of God’s children will be in the Celestial Kingdom—with the kindest and most Christ-like people. Those in the middle will be in the Terrestrial Kingdom, and those less courageous and faithful in following the teachings of Jesus Christ will be in the Telestial Kingdom.

 How would you like to one day live in a place like the Celestial Kingdom, where our Heavenly Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and all of God’s kindest, gentlest, and most loving children reside? However, some individuals wouldn’t be comfortable with that and would prefer to be in the Terrestrial Kingdom, or the Telestial Kingdom, with people who are more like them. God’s just plan places them where they will feel most comfortable and fit in best. What could be more loving and just than that?

In the Book of Mormon, more is taught about how our words, thoughts, and actions can make us uncomfortable in God’s presence, so that we are happier away from him: In Alma 12:12–15, it is taught: “ 12  And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning  death  , and being lifted up out of this mortal existence unto a state of immortality, and being brought before the judgment seat of God to be  judged  according to our works.

13  So then, if our hearts have been hardened, yes, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, to the point that it is not in us, then our condition will be terrible, because we will be condemned.

14  For our  words  will condemn us, yes, all our works will condemn us; we will not be found blameless, and our thoughts also will condemn us. And in this terrible condition we will not dare to look to our God, but we would be happy if we could command the stones and  mountains  to fall upon us, to  hide us  from his presence.

15  But this cannot be; we must come and appear before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge, to our everlasting  shame , that all his  judgments  are right, that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful to the sons of men, and that he has all power to save every man who believes in his name and bears fruit worthy of repentance.

“What can we learn from Near-Death Experiences?”

There’s a new film just released in October 2023 in US theaters called “After Death.” As the film’s blurb states, “After Death” is a gripping film that explores the afterlife based on real near-death experiences relayed by scientists, authors, and survivors. From the New York Times bestselling authors who brought you titles like 90 Minutes in Heaven, Imagine Heaven, and To Heaven and Back comes a cinematic look into the unknown that examines the spiritual and scientific dimensions of mortality, inviting viewers to contemplate the possibility of life after death. Below are some direct quotes and notes I wrote from the trailer and film, from different characters who had an “out-of-body experience,” and from the film’s narrators.

After a small plane pilot experienced mechanical problems and crashed, he said, “I found myself above the crash site and could see the pilot, and it was me.” Someone who has researched many of these near-death experiences said, “Near-death experiences usually occur in a very consistent process. The first thing that happens is called an ‘out-of-body experience,’ and they arrive at a place of exquisite beauty. It’s very common for them to see a light and for deceased relatives to come and greet them.” One described the following: “The first person I saw was my grandfather.” “Not all near-death experiences are good. 23% had hellish experiences,” stated one of those who studied out-of-body experiences. Another said, “I heard a voice say, ‘You still have a purpose on earth.’” Another said, “I’ve never felt alive and then dead. I’ve felt alive and then more alive.” Another witness at the hospital said, “Even though they were unconscious, they were able to provide corroborating evidence” of what was happening in the operating room. Another said, “This really proves there is life after death.” “They realize they still have a spiritual body.” Many have a life review. “My whole life flashed before me.” “I was shown my life in chronological order.” “Many times they have an experience of this God of light and love, who is more loving than anything they’ve ever experienced.” “I told my wife that everything is love. It’s an ocean of love, and you need to immerse yourself in that ocean of love.” “I realize everyone is chasing different things—money, fame, etc. But those who return realize that the only thing that matters is love and sharing it with others. That’s all that matters to God.” “What we say and the choices we make matter.” “When my time on earth is over, I know my loved ones will be there to greet me.” “None of them want to return” (to their life on earth). “They lose their fear of death.” “I died instantly on the bridge when the semi-truck hit me. I felt more alive than ever.” “I felt like I was leaving my body.” A Buddhist from South Korea said, “I know one thing. We live once and we die once, and after that comes judgment.” “They were often near the ceiling watching the doctors work to revive their bodies.” “She began to speak details of her operation, describing details I wasn’t supposed to know.” “Heaven is light, God is light. There are no earthly words that can do justice to how beautiful Heaven is.” “I recognized this group of people who greeted me and welcomed me.” “The music was incredibly beautiful. It was the most vivid thing that had ever happened to me.”

I have always been fascinated by reading articles and books by people who have had what are known as “near death experiences” or “out of body experiences”, where their spirit had temporarily left their bodies while they were on an operating table in the hospital, etc. The reason I have loved those true stories so much is because they match up so beautifully with what our Christian Church teaches about how we will be greeted by loving family members, who have passed away before us, and how it will be such a joyful and wonderful experience to depart from this earthly life to a better life.

However, I used to listen to Christian radio quite often, until I kept hearing too many false slanders against the Church of Jesus Christ from pastors who were taught such slander in their Bible institutes, and believed them without checking what we really believe and teach. I heard some pastors teach that we should not believe that these “Near Death” experiences and stories are real – – that they keep being spread, – – – even though thousands have experienced very similar things, while their spirits were outside their bodies for a moment on the operating table, etc., and then returning to their bodies. And why do these Christian pastors not like or trust the real “near death” experiences of others, especially since thousands of people all over the world have experienced and learned very similar beautiful things while out of their bodies? And so many were able to describe in detail things that happened in the hospital operating room, etc., while their spirits were temporarily separated from their bodies. There is too much consistent evidence to simply dismiss these stories as false, which should not be trusted or believed, simply because it doesn’t fit with some of the interpretations of the Bible used by Christian pastors today.

Obviously, for most of these Christian pastors today, it makes no sense for people who in their minds did not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before they died, to be greeted by loving family members and loving greetings from other messengers of God. God, while they were out of their bodies – – – when they were taught in their Bible Institutes about the One Heaven and One Hell Plan for the eternal future of all of God’s children. They would rather continue to believe that everyone, including good and kind-hearted people, who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior before they die, will suffer forever in hell and will not be greeted with as much love by God’s messengers, and family members, and others who have passed away there previously.

And while their spirit was outside their bodies, they experience some very fascinating and interesting things before they are revived and their spirits return to their bodies. In one book I read, the author said something like, “I looked down from above the operating table and saw the doctors working hard trying to revive me, and then I was able to tell them exactly what they did and said while I was out of my body.” There are many common denominators they describe that they experienced while outside their bodies. One thing that impresses me most is that they experience amazing love from God and God’s messengers, and from the loving deceased family members who greeted them. Some were told that their mission on earth was not over and that they should return to their bodies. Most described feeling so much love from deceased family members and other people there that they didn’t want to leave the loving place they were in and return to their bodies. Each of them seemed to learn that by far the most important thing of all is our relationship with God, with ourselves, with our family members, and with each other, and that we are to share love and kindness toward every child of God – – – which of course coincides perfectly with what Jesus Christ taught in the Bible, about the two most important commandments: to love and serve God, and to love and serve our fellow man.

In a book I read, a woman who experienced and learned many beautiful truths from deceased relatives and others while out of her body said that after she returned to her body, she wanted to find the church that taught the principles and things she learned. She searched extensively and finally found the church that taught the beautiful truths she learned while out of her body, and it was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which she gratefully joined. She said there were about 40 beautiful truths she had learned while out of her body, which coincided beautifully with the teachings of our Church.

I was very close to death for a few weeks while in the hospital for two months in November and December 2000 due to a serious car accident; but in my case, as far as I know, my spirit was not outside my body. However, after my two months of barely clinging to life in the hospital, I was even more convinced that loving and serving God and my fellow human beings was the most important thing we should all focus on—as Jesus taught regarding the two greatest commandments.

Do you agree that God’s Commandments are from God, not from man?

Because the commandments are from God; obviously, no one but God has the authority to retract or change any of His commandments, right? Is it also true that they are God’s commandments, not just God’s suggestions? He gave them to us with love, because they are very important for our happiness, inner peace, love, joy, progress, relationships with Him, with ourselves, with our family members and others, etc.

Let us pause to consider some of the 100 or more commandments God gave us through his prophets and apostles in Bible times, such as:

The 10 Commandments given to Moses by God in Exodus chapter 20, and numbered as #1 to 10 below:

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make idols for yourself nor worship them.

3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

4. Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6 You shall not kill.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.

(Wouldn’t this world be a happier place if everyone followed these 10 commandments and the next two?)

11. The First Great Commandment that Jesus taught: To love and serve God selflessly with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength – – – when asked what the greatest commandment is.

12. The Second Great Commandment that Jesus taught is to love and serve our neighbor – – our fellow human beings, selflessly with real love and without expecting anything in return.

13. The Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12: “So whatever you want men  to do to you, do  also   to them, for this is the  Law  and the Prophets.”

14. Provide for the physical needs of your own family: 1 Timothy 5:7-8 teaches us: “Command these things also, that they may be blameless.

For if anyone  does not  provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

15. Do not abuse a child: Matthew 18:6: “And whoever  causes  one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

16. It is necessary to have Charity (the pure love of Jesus Christ): Bible 1 Corinthians 13:2: “And though I have  prophecy , and understand all  mysteries  and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” And verses 4 – 6 and 13  “ Charity  suffers patiently , is  kind . Charity does not  envy , charity does not boast,  is not  puffed up ,  does not misbehave  , is not  self-seeking , is not easily provoked , thinks no evil, rejoices not at wickedness, but rejoices with the  truth ; . . . 13 And now abide  faith ,  hope  ,  charity , these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”  

17. Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, recognizing that without Him and His Atonement and sacrifices for us, none of us could qualify for any reward in heaven. (As active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we absolutely believe that each of us must follow that commandment necessary to be saved in Heaven, and we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, and we try to pattern our lives after Him and His joy- and love-producing teachings every day of our lives. However, we do not believe the Bible supports the idea, which has been taught in Christianity for at least the last several hundred years, that this is how it must be before a person leaves their body/dies because that obviously would not be fair at all to the majority of God’s children, who have lived on earth without ever hearing of a Bible or Jesus Christ.)

18. Blessed are the meek. – – (Jesus advises us to be meek.) Matthew 5: 5

19. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Matthew 5:6

20. Blessed are the merciful. (Jesus advises us to be merciful) Matthew 5:7

21. Blessed are the pure in heart. (Jesus advises us to be pure in heart.) Matthew 5:8

22. Blessed are the peacemakers (Jesus advises us to be peacemakers) Matthew 5:9

23. Do not look at a woman with lust. Matthew 5:28 (including viewing pornography).

24: Love everyone, even your enemies, and even pray for your enemies: Matthew 5:44-46: “But I say to you,  Love  your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and  pray  for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that  you may be  sons  of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if  you love  those who love you, what reward have you? Do not the tax collectors do the same?

We will not attempt to list the 100 or more commandments of God that the Bible taught us. Jesus clearly taught us what the two greatest commandments are, – – to love and serve God, and to love and serve our fellow human beings, and how they somehow encompass all the others, because for example, if you truly love and serve God and love and serve your fellow human beings selflessly; then you will obviously follow the 10 commandments of: not to kill, not to lie, not to bear false witness, not to steal from your neighbor online or in any other way, not to commit adultery, not to offend or abuse a child, and you will be meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, loving every child of God as He does with a pure, Christ-like love called “charity,” even those who are often rude, mean, and unpleasant.

Would you agree with Jesus Christ when he taught that God’s two greatest commandments are that we truly love and serve God and love and serve our fellow human beings? – – – Not just lip service, right?

 Important Questions: Who authorized so many Christian pastors today to teach that the 17th commandment above (accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior before the day of your death) is the greatest commandment? And what is the only commandment you must actually keep to receive the maximum reward in Heaven? And that if someone keeps all the other commandments in the Bible, as also taught by the Christ Light/conscience inner guidance system, they will be punished with suffering forever in Hell if they know absolutely nothing about Jesus Christ before they die, and therefore did not accept Him as their Savior, until they were in the Spirit world after their death? And how does that teaching match the following Bible verse and the powerful and clear lesson of Jesus Christ?

Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ (lip service rather than through loving actions) will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name?’ and ‘cast out demons in Your name?’ and ‘done many wonderful works in Your name?’ And then I will confess to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” – – – in other words, you who don’t keep My commandments and think you can sin all you want, and simply say you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior on your deathbed, and receive the ultimate reward in Heaven – – – to them, Jesus will say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Yes, we all need to accept Jesus Christ and His Atonement into our lives in order to receive any reward in any of the three degrees of glory: Celestial (the highest), Earthly, or Telestial, but that does not mean that you will not also be judged and rewarded with greater inner peace, love, joy, etc., for the good works of sharing Christian love and service to others. I believe it. It was the well-known and respected Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, who said that “grace and good works work together, and both are crucially like the two sides of a pair of scissors, which need to work together to function.

There are dozens of other commandments in the Bible, but for simplicity, let’s assume there are 100 commandments of God in the Bible. Considering that God’s commandments are from God; and almost all modern Christian clergy teach that they do not believe that God has spoken to us or spoken to us through any prophet or apostle since Biblical times to give us new revelations from God; then who authorized any Christian clergy or others to begin teaching that it is really only necessary to keep one of God’s 100 commandments before the day of one’s death, in order to receive the maximum reward in Heaven? – – – namely commandment #17 above, – – – simply accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Savior (lip service) before the day of one’s death in order to go to Heaven and receive the maximum reward there? And even if someone lived a sinful, selfish life, and on their deathbed accepts Jesus as their Savior, like the thief on the cross, will they receive the maximum reward in Heaven? One of the two thieves who were hanging on crosses next to Jesus said, “And he said to Jesus, ‘Remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in  paradise . ’” Luke 23:42-43

This little Bible verse is what most Christian pastors cite when they try to convince people that it is really only necessary to keep the 17th commandment above to go to Heaven and receive the ultimate reward there. Yes, it is true that the thief was in the Spirit World the next day as Jesus promised him, and there he was taught more about the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t mean he necessarily qualified for the highest degree of reward in Heaven (Celestial Kingdom) for keeping just that commandment of accepting Jesus as his Savior on the last day of his life, does it? If the thief on the cross hadn’t been lucky enough to encounter Jesus just a couple of hours before he died; would he then have been sent to suffer forever in Hell? Yes, I know, Christian pastors don’t directly say that you don’t need to at least try to keep any of the other 99 commandments, but they do teach that you only need to keep the 17th commandment to go. to Heaven, as they write on their delivery cards – – of accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you can do that even on your deathbed to go and receive the ultimate reward in Heaven; then it doesn’t give the person as much motivation to avoid and overcome bad temptations, does it? And if everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior is going to receive the same ultimate reward in Heaven as everyone else there, who got in simply by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior on their deathbed, then there’s a lot less motivation to go the extra mile with extra effort to keep all of God’s commandments.

I’ve met some people who told me that when their mother, father, or another loved one was dying, they were able to get a pastor just in time to help them say a certain prayer before they died; and that it gave them peace of mind that their loved one accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior just before they died, because they had been taught that if they didn’t accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before they died, they would suffer forever in hell.

What if your Pastor had been out of town, or too busy to get there that day, before your loved one died, then would our loving, just, and equitable Heavenly Father really send your loved one to suffer forever in Hell? – – Simply because the Pastor was too busy to help them say that prayer and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior on their deathbed that day? Under that deathbed teaching repentance and accepting Jesus Christ as Savior; would Adolf Hitler go on to receive the ultimate reward in Heaven if a convincing Pastor convinced him on his deathbed to repent and accept Jesus Christ as his Savior?

With that unjust “one heaven and one hell” plan, you don’t even need to be good or develop self-control or kindness, love, compassion, selfless service, and other genuine Christian qualities to go and receive the ultimate reward in heaven. And with that One Heaven and One Hell Plan, many of the worst, meanest, most abusive people would be forever rejoicing in Heaven, just because a family member or pastor was able to get them to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior on their deathbed, which makes no sense, right? That so many truly good, kind, and loving people would be suffering forever in Hell, while many abusive, bad people will be eternally rejoicing in Heaven!! Don’t you need to at least become mostly good, kind, and loving when you die, in order to receive the ultimate reward in Heaven?

We had a super sweet and kind-hearted Japanese lady who lived with my wife and me in our 15-room nursing home for about eight years, until she passed away at approximately 98 years old. We lived upstairs in the nursing home. I spent a lot of time with her and knew her very well. She was so kind to everyone, and all of our team members started calling her “Aunt May” (not her real name) because she became such a dear and loving aunt to all of us. When she finally passed away, Amparo and I asked one of our kind and caring male caregivers, who was a committed and faithful Christian, if he thought our sweet and kind Aunt May would go to Heaven or Hell? He said she wouldn’t go to Heaven because she hadn’t accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior before she died. We talked about Heaven and Hell, and I asked him if Hell was as bad as a Nazi concentration camp. He admitted that what he had understood from listening to modern-day Christian pastors was that hell was a horrible place where people would suffer forever. I asked him; Isn’t it true that when someone does something good, kind, or right, God blesses them with greater love, joy, and inner peace, no matter what our religious beliefs? And the root of those feelings comes from God, doesn’t it? And when any of us do something bad, cruel, or wrong, we lose some of the true love, joy, and inner peace in our lives, don’t we? I asked him to consider how God rewarded Aunt May every day of her life with much love, joy, and inner peace for following the inner guidance of God’s “Light of Christ” and being so kind and loving to everyone. Would our loving Heavenly Father suddenly change His entire reward system on the day her spirit left her body (death) and begin punishing her forever in Hell, – – – for not realizing before the day she died that she was also supposed to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior? Why couldn’t Aunt May have been taught about Jesus Christ and His gospel in the Spirit world, as the Bible clearly teaches, so that she could follow the 17th commandment above and accept Jesus Christ as her Savior there?

Anyone who teaches that an angel of a kind-hearted person, like Aunt May, who kept all of God’s commandments as taught to her by her “Light of Christ” inner guidance system, except for accepting Jesus Christ as her Savior before her dying day, will be sent to be punished forever in Hell, and that a mean, abusive, dishonest, and selfish man who verbally accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior on his deathbed will receive the ultimate reward in Heaven, has not yet developed any sense of fairness and justice.

I personally know several people who started learning about Christianity and lost all interest when they were taught (by misinformed clergy or Christian friends) that only those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before the day they die will go to Heaven, and that everyone else, including their kind and loving grandparents and other relatives who died before accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, will go to be punished forever in Hell? How many more of these people would accept Jesus Christ as their Savior while here on earth or in the spirit world, if they were taught about God’s true Plan of Salvation/Happiness, as God’s true loving and just Plan for the eternal future of all of God’s children instead of the unjust concept of One Heaven and One Hell? For any deep thinker, whose ancestors were not Christians, how can God or anyone else expect them to be attracted to and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, if they are taught the false teaching that their good and loving relatives, who did not have the opportunity to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before they died, will go to suffer forever in hell?

Of course, they will be given more opportunity to learn the full truth of the loving and righteous gospel of Jesus Christ after his death, and they will be allowed to accept him as their Savior there. Anything less would not be righteous and would also be unbiblical. If you study it carefully and prayerfully, I think you will agree with millions of us Bible-believing Christians that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aligns with biblical teachings better than any other Christian church because it was restored by and continues to be led by Jesus Christ through His prophets and apostles.

Do you think you could ever be completely at peace and happy in Heaven, if the concept of One Heaven and One Hell is true and enforced by God? What if you knew that some of your dear and loving family members and friends are suffering every minute of every day forever in Hell, simply because they never learned about Jesus Christ or had the opportunity to read a Bible before they died? Would that seem fair to you and help you have a deep love and respect for a God who would devise and enforce such an unjust plan?

Powerful Quote: “There are countless ways to be unhappy, because there are countless ways to go against the teachings of God as taught in the Bible and in our inner guidance system of the Light of Christ; but there is only one way to be truly happy, and that is by following God’s teachings as best we can prayerfully.” Charles E. Hunt

Questions to reflect and pray about?

Do you believe that our loving Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ are even kinder, more just, loving, compassionate, and generous than you or any of us?

Considering that even we, children of God, when we pray, recognize and feel in our inner spirit a part of ourselves, with God’s help, that we should be loving, just, compassionate, and even generous with our own children, even when they are imperfect; doesn’t it make sense that God, who inspires us to be loving, just, and compassionate, has even more of those qualities?

Would our loving and just Heavenly Father really punish the 17 million of us members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints forever in Hell, as we were ignorantly taught by Christian pastors in their Bible colleges? – – – even though we study and follow the same Bible, and accept the same Jesus Christ as our Savior. And also that the majority of God’s children in world history would supposedly suffer forever in Hell, those who did not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior before they died, simply because they never owned a Bible and had never even heard of the name of Jesus Christ?

These same Christian Pastors teach that those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior will go to Heaven to receive the ultimate reward there, even if they later make some errors in judgment or sins. So if you stop to really think about it, that would mean that the large percentage of the 200,000 to 300,000 people who join our Church each year, who are “saved, born-again Christians,” will still be “saved, born-again Christians,” even if they later make the error in judgment of joining our Church, right? Of course, they will still believe in the Bible and Jesus Christ as their Savior as members of our Church, just as we do. Then they will surely go to Heaven, according to what modern Christian Pastors teach about what it takes to be saved, right? Just follow the 17th commandment, right? Which we do. Or do you consider it an unforgivable sin for someone to join our Church and begin by believing that God’s 100 Commandments are very important, not just the 17th? There is no logical consistency or justice in that false teaching, which the devil and his team have deceived and convinced so many Christians of!

Pause to honestly and prayerfully ask yourself: Would you be more motivated and grateful to enjoy a close, trusting, and loving relationship with the author of God’s Plan for Happiness (Plan A)? Or with the author of the Heaven and Hell concept (Plan B)? Do you think it would probably be more difficult to truly enjoy a loving, trusting relationship with whoever authored the Heaven and Hell concept?

Please try to give your mind a clean slate and an open mind, reflect and pray, and ask yourself and God; of these two Plans taught in Christianity as the eternal future for all of God’s children – – – being “Plan A” God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation and “Plan B” the Plan of One Heaven and One Hell:

Which Plan really feels right to you and is more loving, compassionate, etc., deep within your inner spiritual self?

Now, pause to reflect on some of the wonderful qualities and character traits of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father described in the Bible, such as perfect love, compassion, justice, mercy, grace, and forgiveness even of those who crucified Him; wisdom, altruism, omniscience, and so on.

Then, pause to reflect on some of the horrible and petty character traits of the devil and his crew, such as: selfishness, hatred, deceitfulness, dishonesty, unfair and unjust, never keeping his promises, wanting selfish and unjust power over others, wanting others to be miserable like him, etc.

Now, pause to consider if someone told you that one of these two plans described in this chapter was written by our loving and righteous Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the other was written by the devil and his team of deceivers; who would you believe was the author of each of these plans?

Ask yourself, in all honesty, as a son or daughter of God, given God’s gift and ability to sense what is right and just, and what is not; which of the two plans for the eternal future of all of God’s children do you personally like more?

And what plan do you expect to be God’s true plan?

Considering the Christian qualities we paused to reflect on that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father possess, which plan do you think our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, like best?

Considering that God has all knowledge and all power to devise and implement the most just, loving, and generous plan, couldn’t He devise a better plan than the One Heaven and One Hell teaching taught in most modern Christianity?

If the young farmer with limited education, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon were able to devise a far better and more just plan, couldn’t God copy it and implement that plan instead of the one he started with? What should be taught in the name of Christianity a few hundred years after all of Jesus’s prophets and apostles have been killed?

As you prayerfully ponder this, you may begin to believe that perhaps that young farmer was called by God to be a prophet, as many millions of us Bible-believing Christians (including myself) testify, to clear up the confusion, and to make known God’s true Plan of Happiness/Salvation, considering that the other Plan really doesn’t make God look or sound very fair or kind or loving, does it? And it’s not easy to attract people to such an unfair Plan. However, there is a very positive and uplifting biblical power in the Bible, which is why people are drawn to the Bible when they begin to read it, even though Christian pastors teach about a One Heaven and One Hell Plan that really just doesn’t make sense or feel fair to any unbiased person who will reflect and pray about it.

I testify with all sincerity that God also brought forth the Book of Mormon, written by ancient prophets, to help clear up many misunderstandings that have existed in Christianity for hundreds of years, which is partly why there are hundreds of different Christian denominations that disagree with each other. – – – which makes sense, when they don’t have prophets or apostles to help us all “come in the unity of the faith” as described in the Bible verse, in Ephesians 4:11-13: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

Bible: Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,  but  he  reveals  his secret to his servants the  prophets .”

Isn’t it true that the Bible teaches us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever? So why wouldn’t God call any prophets or apostles these days, when there is so much confusion in the world and even within the various denominations of Christianity?

See the Bible, Hebrews 13:8-9: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be  carried  away by various and strange doctrines.”

So can you tell me if God “switched” and started teaching that you really only need to keep that particular commandment to qualify for the maximum reward in Heaven – – – even if you get the other 99 commandments wrong, and are mean, dishonest, abusive, selfish, and grumpy to others throughout your life? Is there any convincing evidence from any of our Bible colleges or Christian pastors today that God approved that major change in doctrine to basically say that you really don’t need to keep any of the other 99 commandments to qualify for the maximum rewards in Heaven? Or was it the devil and his team who authored that major change from 100 or more major commandments to needing to actually keep one of God’s commandments to qualify for the maximum reward in Heaven? – – – Doesn’t that sound and feel like something the devil and his team would like to have scattered all over the place? – – – to make God’s children less committed to keeping the other 99 commandments of God that may not suit them?

Can you see why God might have felt it was time, in the early 19th century, to call a prophet and to bring forth the beautiful teachings of some of His ancient Book of Mormon prophets, and a modern prophet, in order to clear up some major misunderstandings and false concepts that were being taught in the name of Christianity?

Why did God ever allow all of His apostles and prophets, whom Jesus had called to serve in His Church, to be killed? Let’s go back to that super-important principle of “free will”—the freedom to create our own good and evil choices during our earthly school and testing period. We couldn’t progress and learn many of the much-needed lessons in our earthly school if we were only allowed to make good, kind, and loving choices—and never mean, abusive, dishonest, or evil choices; could we? If we were all “forced” to make only good choices, we would be “mere puppets” and slaves, wouldn’t we? To understand this more clearly, prayerfully study my article on my website titled “Free Agency: Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People?” You will begin to understand that God always makes all of His decisions and His plan based on love. You will begin to love our amazing, loving, and righteous Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, even more than you do now; no less love for God and His Son, as the devil and his team teach about members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Our Church leaders, missionaries, and Christian members don’t want to take anything away from any of you wonderful, loving, Bible-believing Christians. We just want to offer some principles from God through His prophets that will help you love the Bible even more, and love God and His Son, Jesus Christ, even more as you come to understand God’s full, amazingly just, and generous Plan of Happiness/Salvation clearly.

As you pray and reflect: What do you personally like about Plan A and Plan B, and what do you personally dislike about Plan A and Plan B?

What do you think God likes about Plan A and Plan B, and what he doesn’t like about Plan A and Plan B?

As you pause to reflect and pray about this, have you ever heard of a plan as beautiful, just, equitable, and loving as Plan A?

Have you ever heard of a plan as unfair and ruthless as Plan B?

Considering who Jesus called as his apostles—fishermen and other merchants—who were not graduates of the Pharisaic or Sadducean Bible schools of the time; and that God sometimes called young men to be prophets like Jeremiah or Samuel, who had no preconceived ideas and were teachable, do you think that perhaps God might call a young man like the humble, courageous, and kind-hearted Joseph Smith, a one-year-old farmer, as a prophet or spokesman for God, to help reveal some important and precious truths?

Do you think that the young farmer with limited education, Joseph Smith, may have had some help from God in devising Plan A, and that perhaps God used him as a prophet, to help teach God’s true plan for the eternal future of all of God’s children?

Did the Old Testament Bible schools of Jesus’ day, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, accept Jesus Christ and his apostles as coming from God and speaking the truth? – – Obviously not, right?

Is there anything in the Bible that says there will never be any more teachings from any prophet of God other than the Bible? – – – clearly not, despite the fact that many pastors twist a single verse of the Bible to try to prove this fallacy, which doesn’t match the rest of the Bible.

If I, or preferably one of the much more knowledgeable Bible scholars at our church, were to have a respectful public debate with pastors from another Christian church focusing only on Plan A and Plan B for the eternal future of God’s dearly beloved children; and on which one best matches the Bible and the love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, justice, etc. of God and Jesus Christ, which side do you think would win the debate? – – – if everyone present at the end of the debate were to give their private, sincere, and honest vote – – – regarding which plan they personally liked best, and which Plan seemed closest to the Plan God would devise as they thought and prayed silently about it?

Please pause to consider; If you were asked to lead a debate, which plan would you prefer to try to convince the audience of – – – as God’s plan for the eternal future of all of God’s beloved children?

Truth be told, with the Bible study I’ve done personally, and with what God has helped me feel within my inner spirit about His love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, etc., I’d hate to get stuck trying to defend Plan B of the “Heaven and Hell” concept with the Bible, wouldn’t you?

How can such a Plan be defended as truly loving, equitable, fair, compassionate, from God, etc.?

Do you think maybe the devil and his team came up with Plan B, and the concept that you really only need to keep a single commandment of God, to qualify for the highest reward in Heaven, and tried to convince Christian clergy and Bible Colleges, that that Plan was from God after Jesus and all of his apostles and prophets were killed? If a pretty, but sleazy lady, without strong integrity, principles, and values, is trying to convince a man to have an affair, isn’t it a lot easier for him to resist such temptations if he knows that it is still very important and crucial for him to keep the 10 commandments and the other commandments of God, including “You shall not commit adultery”?

Wouldn’t it be much easier to attract God’s children to Plan A than to Plan B? And to truly desire and enjoy a relationship with our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, as the authors of Plan A, rather than with whoever authored Plan B?

Isn’t it amazing how rapidly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown throughout the world, even though there are literally many millions around the world spreading the false slander that the Book of Mormon is bad and that Joseph Smith was bad and that our 70,000 missionaries are going out at once and our members are so bad, everyone should avoid them like the plague?

Who is the root of these false slanders that are still spreading throughout the world?

There are also millions of us, committed, Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ around the world, who would rather die than deny our testimony that the Bible is true, and also the Book of Mormon, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and of God’s loving plan of salvation/happiness.

Considering how the devil and his minions somehow influenced the clergy of the time in the 16th century to burn loving parents at the stake simply for reading the Bible in their own language to their children, or attempting to put the Bible in the hands of the people, do you think that perhaps the devil and his minions also influenced the clergy in the 1830s, and others since that time, to believe that the Book of Mormon was evil and that no one should read it—even though many millions of us believing Christians are convinced through study and much prayer that it came to us from God through His true prophets?

Important questions to reflect on:

If you were new to Christianity and someone told you that one of two plans was written and approved by our loving and just Heavenly Father, and the other was written and approved by the devil: which plan would you say was written by each?

If you were ever to serve as a Christian missionary, as my dear wife and I enjoy doing, in Loja, Ecuador, would you rather be asked to lovingly convince children of God’s Plan of Happiness/Salvation (Plan A) or of His Plan of Heaven and Hell (Plan B)?

Which plan for the eternal future of God’s children do you think would be easiest to attract people to? There’s a reason it’s quite difficult to convince people of the Plan of Salvation/Happiness, and that’s because the prophet Moroni prophesied to the 17-year-old farm boy, Joseph Smith, that the name of Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon, would be held in high esteem throughout the world for both good and evil. The devil and his team have been working very hard to spread false rumors around the world that the Book of Mormon is not of God, and other false rumors about our Church and our people, to try to keep people from checking out what we really teach and believe, and to keep people as isolated from us as possible.

“But Charles, how can I know for myself with certainty which plan is God’s for the eternal future of all His beloved children and which is not? The best source of proof God has given us, to know with certainty whether Jesus Christ restored His Church to the earth with the fulness of His gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, is to make a serious and prayerful study of the “Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” If the Book of Mormon is true and comes from God through some of His ancient prophets, and was translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1830, then surely that is clear proof that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that God’s “Plan of Happiness/Salvation” (Plan A) is truly God’s plan for the eternal future of all His children. And what better news than that beautiful, just, loving, compassionate, and fair plan of salvation from God? – – And that provides the blessed opportunity for loving families to be together forever.

Please note that I consider myself a fairly typical active member of our Church, but certainly not one of our Church’s leaders or scripture scholars, who are far more knowledgeable than I am about the details of our Church’s doctrines. I have certainly made some mistakes in this book about some details of our Church’s doctrines, and I alone am responsible for any errors I may have made. Nothing I have written in this book is in any way authorized or approved as official doctrines or teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Furthermore, I don’t want to offend anyone in any of my writings. I certainly understand why most modern Christian clergy believe that our Church is not a Christian Church and is evil, because that is what they were ignorantly taught in Bible colleges by teachers who have also been taught these same false rumors against us for almost 200 years, and were taught to avoid us and the Book of Mormon like the plague, and to teach those in their congregations to do the same. I believe that most Christian pastors who believe the wide variety of negative false rumors about our Church and the Book of Mormon are good people who have good intentions, but they simply assumed the false rumors they were told about us were true, so they never prayerfully and openly studied what our Church and the Book of Mormon actually teach.

I lovingly implore each of you readers to review what “The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ” truly teaches and is, and to listen to our dedicated and loving young missionaries instead of relying on false and derogatory slander. You will be very glad you did, as are the millions who decided to check it out. Visit our Church website: ChurchofJesusChrist.org, and you can request a free Book of Mormon and/or Bible, and learn many important truths on that website about what our Church truly teaches and is.

Approximately 20,000 people choose to make a baptismal covenant each month to make a more focused effort to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. Imagine how many thousands or tens of thousands more would enter into a committed relationship with Jesus Christ each month if together we can help everyone know the truth about the beautiful teachings we teach from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon vs. 200 years of lies and slander that the devil and his team have been spreading around the world. Consider how the Plan of Happiness is far more appealing and motivating in helping people who are new to Christianity desire a close relationship with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, than the One Heaven and One Hell plan that the devil and his team began spreading centuries ago. God doesn’t seem like a very fair or loving individual, does He?

If you have been taught and believed that “Plan B, the Heaven and Hell Plan,” is from God, and you still want to believe in that plan after prayerfully reading this article, then please understand that I don’t want to offend any of you or turn anyone away from Christianity. Although Plan B doesn’t sound very loving or fair, God is loving and far more than fair. The Bible is true and teaches us many beautiful truths, even though many changes were made to the Bible before and after it was compiled, and many important truths were lost. And it is misinterpreted in many areas.

If you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ who has been or is being driven away from the Church by false slander, look deeper into the real facts, study the Book of Mormon prayerfully, and ask God if it is from Him and true. And if you are being driven away, where will you go?

After prayerfully reading the Bible verses and information in my article titled “Powerful Bible Quotes, Etc., That Help You Know You Are a Dearly Beloved Child of God,” where else in Christianity will you find the beautiful truth that we lived as spirit children of God before coming to our earthly school and probationary period?

Without understanding where we come from as spiritual children of God, why He sent us here on earth, and where we go after we leave this life, it’s difficult to find a true purpose in our lives and fulfill that purpose.

And where else in Christianity will you find the beautiful truths taught about “God’s plan of happiness for the eternal future of all of God’s children”? Can you honestly say that you prefer and believe that God prefers the “One Heaven and One Hell Plan” for the eternal future of all of God’s children?

Where else will you find living prophets and apostles? And why wouldn’t God have living prophets and apostles today?

If you don’t know what they teach and whether or not they are truly living prophets and apostles, then start listening to their Conference talks on our Church’s website: www.ComeToChrist.org   to discover the beautiful truths they truly teach.