July 1, 2011
To: My beloved family
From: Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc.
Re: Salvation of the Dead
One of the greatest proofs that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church of Christ and the only true church, is His plan, in His church, to save every soul no matter, when or where they lived. Inasmuch as certain ordinances have been designated by him as essential to salvation such as baptism. Then it is obvious that his perfect plan would be so designed as to reach all the dead, before the final judgement, who have died without ever hearing the gospel and when converted receive the saving ordinances. And this part of his great gospel plan is called, “Salvation for the Dead” every soul will hear it wherever they are, and when they accept it, mortals, who are faithful members of His Church, may go to a sacred place built for that purpose, called a Temple of God. There they vicariously are baptized, confirmed, males receive the Melchzedek Priesthood, Washed and anointed and receiving the highest ordinance of all “Eternal Marriage.”
Every soul that has died and will die ‘til all consigned to this planet have done so will be in the Paradisaical glory - a transition place until the resurrection and judgement is completed.
Those who have the Priesthood authority (The authority to act in the place or name of God) will be called to missions there to teach and preach the saving ordinances and those who receive them will then have these ordinances performed here on earth that they will be able to receive all the blessings including eternal marriage by proxy. Proxy is someone living doing something for the dead that they can’t do for themselves. That they may enjoy all the blessings that the faithful have here on earth. No one will be forgotten. Remember the Lord said to the repentant thief on the cross: “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” meaning that the thief would there be taught the great plan of Salvation which if he accepts it will be validated by one on earth that he too may be cleansed of his sins and receive all the blessings. What a fantastic doctrine. And I repeat, ALL other churches both Christian and non Christian haven’t any plan that approaches it. In fact they have NO plan. How could anyone of them then make any valid claim to being the true church of God.
“Work for the dead is taught solely by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for it is one of the vital signs of the true church of Jesus Christ, and all men may be perfectly assured for it is a divine truth; where this doctrine is not taught and practiced, there the true Church is not to be found.” Doctrines of Salvations Vol. II page 138
If belief alone were sufficient, as taught by most if not all so called Christian churches, then even the devils, who fear and tremble would be saved. They recognized the Savior and declared on several occasions that he was the Son of God. And the devils in the days of the sons of Sceva declared that they knew Jesus and Paul, yet they were far from the road to salvation.
Ibid 139
The story is told in “Rise of the Dutch Republic” by Motley. When Christianity was taken to the tribes of Europe, Radbod a Trisian Chief, was apparently converted and ready for baptism. Just before the ceremony was to be performed a singular thought crossed his mind, and he asked, “Where are my dead forefathers at present?” Wolfran, the Catholic bishop replied, “In hell, with all other unbelievers.” Mighty well,” said the heathen chieftain, “Then I will rather feast with my ancestors in the halls of Woden, than with your little starveling band of Christians in heaven. The Trisian converts were being made Lucifer-like, without agency, at the point of a sword, yet Radbod maintained his personal integrity to the end. “Entreaties and threats”, Motley says, “were unavailing and he went to his death rather than enter into a rite that would separate him from his ancestors.” Ibid 137
I had a somewhat similar incident in Kiribati Islands. I was trying to teach, with a language barrier, work for the dead and how their dead ancestors could receive all the ordinances “vicariously.” these were new converts and had not yet heard of such a thing. When they finally understood, pandemonium broke out as they all excitedly chattered to each other. When peace was restored one old man named Iakoba (Yakoba or Jacob) came up and demanded that I show him how baptism could be done for his dead father. Before he would sit down I had to run him thru a dry baptism. Standing by him in the customary stance for baptism for the living. I repeated that I was now baptizing him, calling him by name for and calling his dead Father by name, and then simulating the immersion in water. He seemed to understand and went back to his seat (on the floor, no furniture.) And was weeping with joy. I could only hope that he understood that it was just play acting and I think he did. What a fantastic and beautiful doctrine.
The world scoffs at the idea of vicariously doing something for someone else that they can’t do for themselves and the whole message of the gospel is “vicarious.” Beginning with our Savior hanging on the cross to save all from death and redeem all that believe. What a fantastic example of “vicarious”. For we couldn’t do it for ourselves. He did it for us!
In the world itself we practice this principle thru our elected officials and in the business world, following proper procedures we can receive what is called, “Power of Attorney”, with that authority we can perform all business transactions for the company or individual we are empowered to represent. We are doing it vicariously!
In fact our own salvation can only come by securing ourselves to our departed ancestors by vicariously searching them out, performing all the ordinances for them AND HAVING OURSELVES SEALED TO THEM.
The last two verses of Malachi and it’s the last in the old testament recorded about 400 B.C. says: “behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. And the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
“What would the curse be? Why no one could inherit it in the resurrection neither we nor our ancestors for the family only can do so, and the family has to extend in an unbroken line back to our first parents in the Garden of Eden. The earth will be cleansed and celestialized and become the Eternal “Heaven” of the family of Adam down to the last person to be born and die upon it WHO HAVE proven themselves. So work for our dead is as vital to us as it is to the dead. For they without us cannot be made perfect and neither can we without them.
Now perhaps you can understand why for the past fifteen or so years I have spent countless hours as an ordinance worker in the Temple. And Carolyn has spent endless hours collecting the names of our dead ancestors and many of you have spent many many hours seeing that all our ancestors are receiving the saving ordinances that we perform. The work for them fills our responsibilities. Whether they accept it or not is their choice.
Who was Elijah? He was the last prophet to hold the sealing power for the living and the dead and lived about 900 B.C. The Bible says he was caught up into heaven in a fiery chariot.
Moses, was also translated, so they could return to earth in their mortal bodies and restore their keys or authority. Moses holds the keys to the gathering of Israel. Elijah holds the keys to the sealing of the living and the dead and the Lord, who holds all the keys has specified that these keys must be passed from mortal to mortal. Hence, when the keys are taken from the earth because of wickedness the last one to hold them must remain in the flesh until a new dispensation.
April 3, 1836 Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (two witnesses) bowed in humble prayer in the newly dedicated Temple at Kirtland, Ohio, the first Temple in this dispensation. At the conclusion of the prayer, “ the veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened.
We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah saying. “I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father. Behold your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice...for behold I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.
Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.
Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house.
And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so Amen.
After this vision closed Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the North.
After this Elias appeared and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.
After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death stood before us, and said; “Behold the time has fully come, which was spoken by the mouth of Malachi - testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come - to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.- Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.” Doctrine & Covenants 110
The keys held by Elijah and restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery are the keys of the sealing power of the Priesthood which makes all the ordinances pertaining to the eternity of the family possible. And the righteous family meaning those who keep all the commandments are the only ones who can expect eternal life and to dwell on this celestialized earth with the Savior forever. And this applies to the DEAD as well as the living. Oh my dear family and anyone else who may read this, be sure your house is in order, be sure that you are sealed to your husband / wife and your children, be sure that
you are living by every word that has come from our Savior. (Remember too that if a spouse didn’t keep their covenants, Heavenly Father will still honor your personal covenants as you keep them and all will work out.) Oh what weeping what sorrow what despair will come upon those who at the judgement bar of God are dammed - meaning everything stops for them. They can go no further now and eternally and the best they can hope for is to be resurrected alone and single and spend eternity as servants to those who obeyed.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. The gift of the atonement has been given us by our Savior. We can repent of the things that we have done wrong and we can by making and keeping sacred covenants be with our families and with Jesus Christ eternally. Live for it! Embrace the plan of happiness and have joy in this life and in the life to come.
All My Love,
Dad, Grandpa Pratt (Richard Marden Pratt)
The following is from memo #115 a comment that was submitted. I thought you’d enjoy it!
I was so excited to find this website last evening. Richard Pratt, your father and grandfather, was along with one other person, the man most responsible for my coming into the Church, and his stirring testimony the thing I remembered most any time I was struggling in my early years in the Church.
After teaching seminary all those years he was assigned to teach Institute of Religion for his last year of his CES career (as I remember it), at age 65(?).
As a non‑member I was invited to attend his Book of Mormon class by my roommate, Dale Thompson, of Tremonton, Utah. At the end of the class I was walking out of the classroom when Brother Pratt stepped in front of me blocking my way. Toe to toe he looked me square in the eyes, indeed, looking right through me. He then bore the most powerful testimony I ever heard, which was simply this. With a thrilling fervor he said, "Steve, This Church is True!"
I walked down the hall and remember saying to myself, "I don't know if this Church is true; but I know, that man is not lying."
As I alluded to already, any time I was doubting or struggling whatever the cause, I saw him, his eyes looking right through me, bearing that testimony ... and all was well again.
Such is the power of a man who qualifies for the Spirit and bears his testimony with all his heart. I can honestly say, few are there that would have the courage to bear such a bold and powerful testimony to a total stranger. He did; and I will forever be grateful for it!
God bless you and your family. I was moved to indescribable tears of joy to find this website, and tears of sorrow to realize I missed a chance in this life to say thank you again.
I've book marked this blog and intend to read through his many notes. How stirring they are! What an additional blessing to find out that we are on the same page with our political convictions, which was something important to me shortly after my conversion. It made me feel like I was in some small way thanking him through my work as a political writer and editor.
Thanks again to the Pratt family! God Bless You all!
Steve Farrell
You may want to go back and read some of the memos again. Enjoy.
