What Happens After we Die?

If you've ever visited a cemetery or been to a funeral, you've probably considered the fact that someday you will die.

This has caused some to despair. From our point of view it looks so final. Scientists dig up the old bones and find only pieces of what was once a living, breathing human being.

On the other hand, there is the feeling that each of us can't die. That there is something more to us than bones and sinews.

There is life after death.

As Latter-Day Saints, we believe that each individual is eternal. They have always existed, and always will.. in some state of happiness or misery.

Before we came to this world we were the spirit children of a loving Heavenly Father. (God the Father)

When we came to earth our spirits were clothed in a mortal body.

When we die, our spirits and bodies separate for a period of time. While our bodies are put in the grave, our spirits go to another place - the Spirit World.

The Spirit World has been called many different names. Jesus referred to it as "Hades" (Matt. 16:18 "Hell" here should be translated "Hades")

Hades was the term the Greeks used to describe the world of spirits, regardless if they were righteous or wicked.

Jesus also spoke of a certain place within the Spirit World called Paradise. (Luke 23:43)

The Book of Mormon gives us great insight about this place. There was an ancient prophet in the America's named Alma. Said he:

Alma 40:11-14
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.


Note here that this only describes what happens "until the time of their resurrection."

Many in the christian world understand these places to be heaven or hell. But they forget that the resurrection must still happen.

We believe these are the waiting places, but eventually every spirit will be united with it's body and a final judgment will take place.

While Alma calls the dwelling place of the wicked "outer darkness" Peter in the new testament describes this as a place where spirits are in prison:

1 Pet. 3: 19
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

We'll explore this scripture more in another post, but for now just know that this is why you might here a Latter-Day Saint refer to this place as "Spirit Prison"

You are going through a process of eternal progression. If you live up to the covenants you make with God, he will bless you with His grace and His Holy Spirit which will eventually lead you back to Him, not just to be with Him in His Kingdom, but to be like him.

Who are the righteous that get to go to paradise while they await the resurrection?

The simple answer to this is those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, are baptized for the remission of sins by the proper authority, are given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and endure faithfully to the end of their lives within the covenant.

These are the people who are received into paradise. These are they who will one day be received into the Kingdom of God. Not because they have "earned" it. But because they have been found within the grace of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

It's important also to understand the term "wicked". Alma breaks the spirit world up into two main groups namely the righteous and the wicked.

The term wicked is often used to describe evil or terrible people. Murderers, tyrants etc. And while it's true that this is an appropriate word for these people, in this context the term wicked is simply describing anyone who hasn't participated in the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel to gain access to the grace of Jesus Christ.

For "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23) and therefore if they die in sin they would be considered wicked.

So this spirit prison would include people of different levels of wickedness. It would include even noble people who like the rest of us are not perfect, but also never had the chance to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that a great many people of died since this world began that didn't even have a chance to know about Jesus Christ and His marvelous atonement. You probably have people in your own family who were great and good people, but never were baptized by the proper authority.

Would God be just in condemning them? No. God is Just and He does not condemn them. He has provided away for them to accept or reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fullness while they await the resurrection.

I will talk about this more in another post.

One more group of people need to be spoken of here. That group of people are little children who have died in the first few years of life.

Huge divisions in churches have occurred, over the question of weather you should baptize little children. Some have decided to baptize children while they are infants so that if they die while infants they will still have been baptized. Believing that they are born in sin.

Other churches have felt this is wrong, because the child hasn't had a chance to really gain faith in the Lord for themselves.

What of the Latter-day Saints?

We believe that little children are automatically born under the grace of Jesus Christ (not sin). They continue in this grace until they have had enough time to become accountable for their own sins.

Hear again, the Book of Mormon gives great insight:

Moroni 8:9-10
9 And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.
10 Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.


The age of accountability has been given by revelation. This was given to the prophet Joseph Smith from the Lord:

D&C 68: 25, 27
25 And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents.
• • •
27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.


We do not believe in infant baptism, but we do believe in baptizing when the child is old enough to be accountable.

So what does this have to do with where we go after we die?
If a child dies before they are eight years old, they are automatically received into paradise, regardless if they were baptized or not.

Just think of that. Through the history of the world how many children have died as infants or small children? -- all are saved automatically through the sweeping grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and are received into a state of Paradise until the resurrection where they will be able to receive a perfect body and grow to maturity.

So I'm sure that this post has given new insight. It has probably raised some more questions as well! I'm happy about that because I hope to answer those questions in future posts and in the comments you give.

I know that our Heavenly Father has a perfect and wonderful plan for us. He love's you. He want's you to partake of the fullness of His Gospel.

Act now and talk to the missionaries so you can request baptism! The blessings of the Gospel await.

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