Beliefs > Question & Answer > Heavenly Kingdom

Question

I heard that the only way a person can obtain the highest "mansion" in heaven was through marrying in a temple ceremony and raising a family in the Mormon church. If that is true, what happens to people like Mother Theresa or the Pope? What about all the zillions of people all over the world who have never even heard of the Mormon Church?

Response

First of all, it would be absurd for a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to believe that they have a better opportunity to receive, what you refer to as the "highest mansion" in the Celestial Kingdom, and all those wonderful people who aren't members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or those who never even heard of the true Gospel would be denied that privilege. We believe that everyone will be given equal opportunity to hear, understand and accept or reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ either in this life or the next, except the sons of perdition, and choose for themselves the kingdom they wish to live in by the lives they live here on earth and in the post-earthly spirit world. Now, you may ask, why not wait until the post-mortal life and take care of everything there. Our knowledge will be perfect, we will be able to make wise decisions and have a so called, second chance. Well, there is no such thing as a second chance to gain salvation by accepting the gospel in the spirit world after rejecting, declining, or refusing to accept it in this life, particularly if those individuals have had a witness of the truth and a testimony at one time. We must understand that God will not be mocked. True, there is the principle of repentance, and I'm sure that the Lord will understand everyone's situation according to his or her own circumstances. There may be a second chance for some to hear and accept the gospel, but those who have willingly and defiantly rejected the truth, procrastinated their acceptance of the truth and altogether turned away from the truth after receiving it, will not gain salvation in the Celestial Kingdom or "highest mansion" of God. "All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel," the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also, all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts." So, you see, everyone will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, either on earth or in the post-earthly spirit world, and have the opportunity to demonstrate the extent of their acceptance. (D&C:138; 1 Pet. 4:6) This is why we build temples. During this mortal life, we have the opportunity to do ordinance work vicariously for those who have departed this earthly life and never had the chance to hear the Gospel. They can have those blessings given to them if they so choose to accept, thus becoming heirs of salvation on the same basis as though the gospel truths had been obeyed in mortality. (D&C:128:5) How do we know truth when we hear it? Free agency is an eternal principle that our loving Father in Heaven has given to everyone. (D&C:93:30-32) When we are born here on earth, we all are given the inherent ability to discern right from wrong. This is called the Light of Christ, which, if followed, will lead us to the truth of the gospel. (John 1:1-13; Alma 12:9-11; Moroni 7:14-19; D&C:84:45-48) This Light of Christ works in everyone, including wonderful people like Mother Theresa and the Pope. They do so much good in this world for spreading Christianity and a true message of Christ. Anyone who promotes and brings souls unto Christ in one way or another possesses truth. As the Savior himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) The saving ordinances that are performed in our temples however, allow us to have a fullness of the truth or the ability to live again with our Eternal Father in the Celestial Kingdom. Unless we observe to hold fast to the truth and not stray from it, these blessings cannot be realized. For example, it is absurd to think that a couple married in the temple, who aren't faithful to each other, deserve a place in our Father's kingdom - this highest heaven, so to speak, and that He would cast out a couple who were always kind and dear to each other their whole lives and were united together in a Catholic ceremony. Where is the fairness in this? One cannot suppose that this would be the act of a fair God. I honestly believe that people like Mother Theresa, the Pope, and many other wonderful individuals, regardless of their religious persuasion, have a much better chance to live again in our Heavenly Father's Kingdom than some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I know who don't live their lives righteously. It's not just being LDS, it's how we accept and live the truth. Sincerely, Donny Osmond See related multimedia presentations

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