Essays TOC

The Resurrection-Additional Info.

Comments Compiled by
Robert Hyatt
June 1998


Bodies will be resurrected as there were laid down:

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Four 1839–42, p.199
As concerning the resurrection, I will merely say that all men will come from the grave as they lie down, whether old or young; there will not be "added unto their stature one cubit," neither taken from it; all will be raised by the power of God, having spirit in their bodies, and not blood. Children will be enthroned in the presence of God and the Lamb with bodies of the same stature4 that they had on earth, having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; they will there enjoy the fullness of that light, glory and intelligence, which is prepared in the celestial kingdom.

Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p.448
…… The elements which compose this temporal body will not perish, will not cease to exist, but in the day of the resurrection these elements will come together again, bone to bone, and flesh to flesh. The body will come forth as it is laid to rest, for there is no growth nor development in the grave. As it is laid down, so will it arise, and changes to perfection will come by the law of restitution.—Improvement Era, Vol. 7, June, 1914, p. 619.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.293
RESTORATION TO PERFECTION THROUGH RESURRECTION. What a glorious thought it is, to me at least, and it must be to all who have conceived of the truth or received it in their hearts, that those from whom we have to part here, we will meet again and see as they are. We will meet the same identical being that we associated with here in the flesh—not some other soul, some other being, or the same being in some other form, but the same identity and the same form and likeness, the same person we knew and were associated with in our mortal existence, even to the wounds in the flesh. In speaking about the resurrection at the funeral of Sister Rachel Grant, President Joseph F. Smith said that the same person, in the same form and likeness, will come forth "even to the wounds in the flesh. Not that a person will always be marred by scars, wounds, deformities, defects or infirmities, for these will be removed in their course, in their proper time, according to the merciful providence of God."

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.293 - p.294
President Smith was in full accord with Amulek and Alma. He taught that the body will be restored as stated in Alma 11:42-45 and 40:22-23. While he expresses the thought that the body will come forth as it was laid down, he also expresses the thought that it will take time to adjust the body from the condition of imperfections, This, of course, is reasonable, but at the same time the length of time to make these adjustments will not cover any appreciable extent of time.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.294
President Smith never intended to convey the thought that it would require weeks or months of time in order for the defects to be removed. These changes will come naturally, of course, but almost instantly, We cannot look upon it in any other way. For instance, a man who has lost a leg in childhood will have his leg restored. It does not grow in the grave, but will be restored naturally, but with the power of the Almighty it will not take extended time for this to be accomplished.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.294
RESTORATION TO PERFECTION ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS. When President Smith declares that "the body will come forth as it is laid to rest, for there is no growth in the grave," he has in mind this: Infants and children do not grow in the grave, but when they come forth, they will come forth with the same body and in the same size in which the body was when it was laid away. After the resurrection the body will grow until it has reached the full stature of manhood or womanhood. He did not intend to teach that the adult who loses a leg will come forth without that leg until it can be grafted on after the resurrection. Rather, his body will come forth complete in every part. Deformities and the like will be corrected, if not immediately at the time of the uniting of the spirit and body, so soon thereafter that it will make no difference. We may be sure that every man will receive his body in its perfect frame in the resurrection.

We will eventually look like our Heavenly Parents:

Discourses of Brigham Young, p.374
We bear the image of our earthly parents in their fallen state, but by obedience to the Gospel of salvation and the renovating influences of the Holy Ghost, and the holy resurrection, we shall put on the image of the heavenly, in beauty, glory, power and goodness. Jesus Christ was so like the Father that on one occasion in answer to a request, "Show us the Father," he said, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." 11:123.

Resurrected Dead and Clothing:

Burton, ed., We Believe, Resurrection
Then he showed me the resurrection of the dead—what is termed the first and second resurrection. In the first resurrection I saw no graves, nor anyone raised from the grave. I saw legions of celestial beings, men and women who had received the Gospel, all clothed in white robes. In the form they were presented to me, they had already been raised from the grave. After this, he showed me what is termed the second resurrection. Vast fields of graves were before me, and the Spirit of God rested upon the earth like a shower of gentle rain, and when that fell upon the graves they were opened, and a immense host of human beings came forth. They were just as diversified in their dress as we are here, or as they were laid down. ("Obtain the Spirit of God," Millennial Star, Sept. 28, 1905, p. 612) TLDP:564

Discourses of Brigham Young, p.374 - p.375
In the resurrection everything that is necessary will be brought from the elements to clothe and to beautify the resurrected Saints who will receive their reward. I do not trouble myself about my dead. If they are stripped of their clothing, I do not want to know it. 9:192.

Resurrected bodies will eat:

Discourses of Brigham Young, p.375
Our bodies are now mortal. In the resurrection there will be a reunion of the spirits and bodies, and they will walk, talk, eat, drink, and enjoy.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.269
Further to convince them, he partook of the fish and honeycomb. He ate in their presence and convinced them by a practical demonstration that it was he himself, that the uneducated may read and understand; and yet the wise men in all their learning, close their eyes against these truths.

Explanation of the physical resurrection:

John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p.23
NATURE OF THE RESURRECTION.—….. But all must come forth from the grave, some time or other, in the selfsame tabernacles that they possessed while living on the earth. It will be just as Ezekiel has described it—bone will come to its bone, and flesh and sinew will cover the skeleton, and at the Lord's bidding breath will enter the body, and we shall appear, many of us, a marvel to ourselves.

Children will be resurrected as children:

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.293
CHILDREN RESURRECTED AS CHILDREN. Of course, children who die do not grow in the grave. They will come forth with their bodies as they were laid down, and then they will grow to the full stature of manhood or womanhood after the resurrection, but all will have their bodies fully restored.

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