What do the dead and the butterfly in common? Do they have something to do with the person's life, his second life? Whatever you know or believe?
In one of the Sunday school classes I attended in our Church, the teacher discussed about the revelation received by the Prophet on the redemption of the dead. This modern-day revelation provides an opportunity for the dead who have not received the gospel of Jesus Christ and have not been baptized to His Church, to be saved through baptism by proxy performed by his family, relatives and kin inside the temple of the Lord. This is the so-called baptism for the dead.
By the way, to redeem the dead is one of the 3-fold missions of our Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The other 2 missions are to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord (Missionary Work), and to perfect the saints (Church Education System, Sunday School Classes, Seminary and Institute).
While our class is going on, I have noticed a small brown butterfly alighted to be left side center of my necktie. I didn't mind it for a moment for I know it won't stay there for long. I was wrong. It remained there for 30 minutes until I pinched its folded wings to bring it to the nearest window and have it go. It flew and made several rounds, alighted to shoulder to shoulder of those people inside the room. It finally settled to the corner wall of the room. I got nearer to it and finally got hold of its wings. I gently brought it to the window. I opened the crystal window and released it. It didn't fly right away. Instead it slowly walked to and fro and flew to the air and had gone nowhere.
What is the message?
Is it true that the dead is reincarnated through another medium like an animal, an insect?
I don't believe it. What I know is that the dead's physical body is laid on the grave as their final resting place, while their spirit stays at the spirit world. This sounds incredible, but it is true as revealed by the scripture.
The butterfly has just drifted to the room for one of the windows has been left open. And it was closed, thus it was unable to get through it. Since it has no capacity to help itself to get out from the room, it needs someone superior than itself like the human. And I did it for itself.
In fact this is the second time that I had helped a butterfly which has been stranded to a closed room and it is a coincidence that it was the same room before when I was a custodian of the Church sometime in 1990, that was 13 years ago.
By the way, while I was writing this blog, one of my grandchildren was reading this and he told me that while he was inside their classroom in Science this afternoon, a small white butterfly alighted on his right arm while he was writing. He just left it out and by and by it went out the room. He asked me what is the meaning of it?
I replied that there are superstitious beliefs that butterfly may represent. It may be referred to the dead. It may also refer to a life and a resurrection. It may depend on the doctrine which a person adheres to.
The Spiritual Message
The dead need the help of the living in order for them to be saved and entered the Celestial World through an ordinance inside the temple of the Lord. That is, baptism by proxy. They are inferior. They don't have the power to save themselves. They have died without the opportunity of hearing the Gospel, without the opportunity to be baptized to the Church of God. Saving the dead is LDS spiritual responsibility, making their own family to live forever. Thus, they strongly believe that families could together forever.
The butterfly is too inferior. It has a less life span to exist. Since it is being trapped inside the closed room, with no open windows to get out, it needs a someone who has the strength to open the window for it as what I did.
I may use this analogy. We are like the butterfly. We do struggle to help ourselves to stay from the wrath and pangs of the work of the devil, but we keep on falling, backsliding to our old sinful ways. Therefore, we need someone who is sinless, spotless to help us get out from the quagmire of sin. And that is, Jesus Christ what we need. He died for us sinners. For without Him. we are nothing.
The Big Hope
The dead could be saved now. They have the greatest chance to be in heaven to join with their families for eternity, if their families will work out for their salvation.
We, the human beings, are sinners. We all come short of the glory of God. We have sinned for we allow ourselves to be tempted, to yield to the arms of flesh. Nevertheless, we are not yet condemned forever. Our Heavenly Father loves us. Thus, He sent His Only Begotten Son to save us from our sins. As what the scripture says "For God so loved that world, that He gave his only begotten son. That whatsover believeth in him shall not perish, but have an everlasting life."
By the way, to redeem the dead is one of the 3-fold missions of our Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The other 2 missions are to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord (Missionary Work), and to perfect the saints (Church Education System, Sunday School Classes, Seminary and Institute).
While our class is going on, I have noticed a small brown butterfly alighted to be left side center of my necktie. I didn't mind it for a moment for I know it won't stay there for long. I was wrong. It remained there for 30 minutes until I pinched its folded wings to bring it to the nearest window and have it go. It flew and made several rounds, alighted to shoulder to shoulder of those people inside the room. It finally settled to the corner wall of the room. I got nearer to it and finally got hold of its wings. I gently brought it to the window. I opened the crystal window and released it. It didn't fly right away. Instead it slowly walked to and fro and flew to the air and had gone nowhere.
What is the message?
Is it true that the dead is reincarnated through another medium like an animal, an insect?
The butterfly has just drifted to the room for one of the windows has been left open. And it was closed, thus it was unable to get through it. Since it has no capacity to help itself to get out from the room, it needs someone superior than itself like the human. And I did it for itself.
In fact this is the second time that I had helped a butterfly which has been stranded to a closed room and it is a coincidence that it was the same room before when I was a custodian of the Church sometime in 1990, that was 13 years ago.
By the way, while I was writing this blog, one of my grandchildren was reading this and he told me that while he was inside their classroom in Science this afternoon, a small white butterfly alighted on his right arm while he was writing. He just left it out and by and by it went out the room. He asked me what is the meaning of it?
I replied that there are superstitious beliefs that butterfly may represent. It may be referred to the dead. It may also refer to a life and a resurrection. It may depend on the doctrine which a person adheres to.
The Spiritual Message
The dead need the help of the living in order for them to be saved and entered the Celestial World through an ordinance inside the temple of the Lord. That is, baptism by proxy. They are inferior. They don't have the power to save themselves. They have died without the opportunity of hearing the Gospel, without the opportunity to be baptized to the Church of God. Saving the dead is LDS spiritual responsibility, making their own family to live forever. Thus, they strongly believe that families could together forever.
The butterfly is too inferior. It has a less life span to exist. Since it is being trapped inside the closed room, with no open windows to get out, it needs a someone who has the strength to open the window for it as what I did.
I may use this analogy. We are like the butterfly. We do struggle to help ourselves to stay from the wrath and pangs of the work of the devil, but we keep on falling, backsliding to our old sinful ways. Therefore, we need someone who is sinless, spotless to help us get out from the quagmire of sin. And that is, Jesus Christ what we need. He died for us sinners. For without Him. we are nothing.
The Big Hope
The dead could be saved now. They have the greatest chance to be in heaven to join with their families for eternity, if their families will work out for their salvation.
We, the human beings, are sinners. We all come short of the glory of God. We have sinned for we allow ourselves to be tempted, to yield to the arms of flesh. Nevertheless, we are not yet condemned forever. Our Heavenly Father loves us. Thus, He sent His Only Begotten Son to save us from our sins. As what the scripture says "For God so loved that world, that He gave his only begotten son. That whatsover believeth in him shall not perish, but have an everlasting life."
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