And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
The whole point of life is to die rejoicing. We are going to die one way or the other. We can be fearful about it, or miserable, or full of dread; or we can look forward to it as a welcome rest and a step in our progression. If we believe, as these people did, that Christ has redeemed us through his atonement and we have received a remission of sins and have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, death does not have to be a terror. If we accept Christ's resurrection as proof not only of his divinity but as surety for his promise that we shall all live through him, we can have peace now until the end. We may even find ourselves longing for that transition, even as we might look forward to going home after a long and arduous trip through unfamiliar territory. Although the natural man within us will war with our spirit and try to convince us that this mortal life is all there is, our spirit knows better. We know the power of God is overcoming the natural man in us when the desperate need to cling to the mortal body diminishes, and what lies ahead is exciting and joyful. We were never meant to remain in mortality in corruptible bodies for ever. When the semester is over and the final exam is done, it is time to go home. We may be sad to leave our school chums, but how marvelous it will be to once again be in the presence of our Father, Mother, and Brother. Should such a reunion not cause us to rejoice?
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