The Spirit World

    Three days after the death of the Savior, His apostles and friends find the tomb He was buried in to be empty. As we read in the account of John Chapter 20 in the Bible, Mary Magdalene is found weeping at the tomb because she, and many others weren't sure what happened to Christ because they didn't know the reality of a resurrection yet. As Mary is crying by the tomb, Jesus comes and says to her in John 20: 15, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Mary then replies in the same verse, "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." Mary doesn't know its Christ Himself talking to her, till in verse 16 He says, "Mary." Mary then turns and realizes it is in reality Jesus Himself says continuing in verse 16, "Rabboni; which is to say, Master."
     Mary realizes it is Jesus Christ alive again! As we can conclude from reading verse 17 of John 20, Mary must have reached out to Christ as to give Him a greeting with a hug or some sort, because Jesus stops her and says, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:..." If Jesus had not yet gone to His Father, where did He go in the meantime?...

 

     After Christ was resurrected, and just before He ascended to God the Father, He went to a place what's called the Spirit World. The Spirit World may be compared to what most people call, Heaven and Hell. The Spirit World is like a waiting room, where our spirits go, once we have gone out of this life. In the Spirit World are two places, Spirit Paradise, and Spirit Prison. There are a few verses in the Book of Mormon that explains who goes where in the Spirit World. The scripture comes from Alma Chapter 40, verses 11-14.

     " Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

  "And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

 "And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

  "Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection."

     Now, what's great about the Spirit World is the gospel is being preached to those who are in "Prison". What a wonderful tender mercy of the Lord to give people a first (for those who never heard about Jesus Christ) and second chance to accept His gospel.

     The Bible tells us that those who have passed on will have the gospel of Jesus Christ taught to them. 1 Peter Chapter 4 verse 6 reads. "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

     I can testify that there is in fact life after death. The Spirit World is the place where we will go after we pass on from this life. Those who accepted Jesus Christ and lived His gospel will live in a state of peace and happiness and they will teach those who are in Spirit Prison and give them an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and His true gospel there. We will be in the Spirit World until the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, where we will all then be resurrected.