One of my best students from that first year stopped by today during my prep time, and we somehow got into a very involved religious discussion. She brought up Mormons and seminary in the morning, which led to my asking her if she felt she could adequately answer questions about her own catholic faith. She said she did, so I started with a very basic question, "Where were you before you lived on Earth?" She had a little trouble articulating her response. So, I drew a simple diagram of the Plan of Salvation on my whiteboard, which led to 45 minutes of my explaining the following;
- Before we lived on Earth, we were spirits dwelling with Heavenly Father.
- We came to earth for two reason: (1) to gain a physical body, (2) to be tested and prove that we will do what God tells/asks us.
- God tells/asks us to do things through his prophets--men like Moses, Noah, and others.
- When we die, we either go to a spirit Paradise or Prison.
- Whether we go to Paradise or Prison depends on how we lived our lives on Earth, and whether or not we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and tried to live his teachings.
- In order for God to be fair, and a just God, He had to provide a way for everyone to hear about Christ, and have an opportunity to choose to follow him. Those who spent their entire life on Earth and never encountered such knowledge must be given this opportunity in the Spirit Paradise/Prison.
- The Holy Ghost comforts, guides, and testifies of all truth. It is through the Holy Ghost that we know all truth, and that we gain personal testimonies of the truths of Christ's gospel. (This part brought tears to her eyes.)
