DEATH, PHYSICAL (Teachings of Joseph Smith)

Death Reminds Us to Repent — Wilford Woodruff (March 20, 1842)

(We should take warning & not wait for the deathbed to repent) As we se the infant taken away by death, so may the youth & middle as well as the infant suddenly be called into ​a great​ eternity, Let this then proove as a warning to all not to procrastinate repentance or wait till a death bed, for it is the will of God that man should repent & serve him in health & in the strength & power of his mind in order to secure his blessings & not wait untill he is called to die.

Discourse, 20 March 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 135, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Death of Children — Wilford Woodruff (March 20, 1842)

The moment that children leave this world they are taken to the bosom of Abraham The ownly difference between the old & young dying is one lives longer in heaven & Eternal light & glory than the other & was freed a little sooner from this miserable wicked world Notwithstanding all this glory we for a moment loose sight of it & mourn the loss but we do not mourn as those without hope.

Discourse, 20 March 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 135, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Presence of Death Increases Sensitivity to Eternal Consequences — Wilford Woodruff (March 20, 1842)

What chanc is their for infidelity when we are parting with our friends almost daily none at all The infidel will grasp at evry straw for help untill death stares him in the face & then his infidelity takes its flight for the realities of the eternal world are resting upon him in mighty power & when evry earthly support & prop fails him, he then sensibly feels the eternal truths of the immortality of the soul.

Discourse, 20 March 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 134-135, The Joseph Smith Papers

Why Innocent Children Die — Wilford Woodruff (March 20, 1842)

And in my leasure moments I have meditated upon the subject, & asked the question Why is it that, infant innocent children are taken away from us, esspecially those that seem to be most intelligent beings” Answer “This world is a vary wicked world & it is a proverb that the world grow weaker & wiser, but if it is the case the world grows more wicke & corrupt. In the early ages of the world A richeoos man & a man of God & intelligence had a better chance to do good to be received & believed than at the present day, but in this these days such a man is much opposed & persecuted by most of the inhabitants of the earth & he has much sorrow to pass through, hence the Lord takes many away even in infancy that they may escape the envy of man, the sorrows & evils of this present world & they were two pure & to lovly to live on Earth, Therefore if rightly considerd we have, instead of morning we have reason to rejoice, as they are deliverd from evil & we shall soon have them again,

Discourse, 20 March 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 134, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Never Feeling the Same After Losing Close Friends — Wilford Woodruff (April 9, 1842)

When we loose a near & dear friend upon whom we have set our hearts we can never feel the same afterwards Knowing that if we set our hearts upon others thay may in like manner be taken from us

Discourse, 9 April 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 145, The Joseph Smith Papers

Desire to Gather Friends Who Had Passed Away — Wilford Woodruff (April 16, 1843)

He remarked that should he live & have an opportunity of gathering his friends who had died together he intended to do it but if he should not live to do it himself he hoped that some of his friends would.

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 26, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Buried Bodies of Friends Close to One Another Will Rise in Unison at Resurrection — Wilford Woodruff (April 16, 1843)

. . . he said it was upon this principle that the ancients were so particular to have an honorable burial with their fathers as in the case of Joseph, before his death he made his kindred promise to carry his bones to the land of Canann & they did so they embalmed his body took it to the land of Canaan & buryed it with his fathers their is a glory in this that many do not comprehend, It is true that in the resurrection the bodies will be caught up to meet the Lord & the Saints will all be brought together though they were scattered upon the face of the whole earth yet they would not as readily salute each other as though they lay down & rose up together from the same bed, To bring it to the understanding it would be upon the same principle as though two who were vary friends indeed should lie down upon the same bed at night locked in each other embrace talking of their love & should awake in the morning together they could immediately renew their conversation of love even while rising from their bed but if they were alone & in seperate apartments they could not as readily salute each other as though they were together He remarked that should he live & have an opportunity of gathering his friends who had died together he intended to do it but if he should not live to do it himself he hoped that some of his friends would.

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 25-26, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Honor to Be Buried with the Saints & Rise with Them in the Resurrection — Wilford Woodruff (April 16, 1843)

President J. Smith Addressed the assembly of the saints at the temple of the Lord upon the subject of the saints death burial & resurrection of the saints. He had been requested to preach a funeral sermon by several persons who had died lost friends & he had Just Received information that Elder Lorenzo Barnes had died in England we received this information by a letter from Elder P. P. Pratt. After reading the letter he addressed the assembly in a vary feeling interesting & edefying manner among many other remarks he said he should have been more reconciled to the death of Elder [Lorenzo] barnes Could his bodey have been laid in the grave in Nauvoo or among the Saints, he said he had vary peculiar feelings relative to recieving an honorable burial with his fathers he Considered Nauvoo would be a burying place of the Saints & Should he die he considered it would be a great Blessing to be buried with the saints & esspecially to be buried with his father yes he wanted to lie by the side of his father that when the trump of God should sound & the voice of God should say ye Saints arise that when the tomb should birst he could arise from the grave & first salute his father & say O my father; & his father say O my son!! as they took each other by the hand he wished next to salute his brothers & sisters & then the Saints

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 25, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Prepare for Death by Being Sober & Diligent, and by Laying Aside Vanity & Folly — Willard Richards (April 16, 1843)

to Marcellus Bates, let me administer comfort, you shall soon have the company of your companion in a world of glory”— & the friend of Bro. Barns. — & all the saints who are mourning, this has been a warning voice to us all, to be sober & diligent & lay aside mirth & vanity. & folly. — & be prepared to die tomorrow.

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 148, The Joseph Smith Papers.

If No Hope for a Resurrection, Grief Would Cause Heart to Burst — Willard Richards (April 16, 1843)

. . . all your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection provided you continue faithful, by the vision of the almighty I have seen it. — More painful to me the thought of annihilation than death, if I had no expectation of seeing my mother Brother & Sisters & friends again my heart would burst in a moment & I should go down to my grave.

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, pp. 145-146, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Knowledge Revealed from God That Those Who Die Will Be Resurrected — Willard Richards (April 16, 1843)

God has revealed his son from the heavens. & the doctrine of the resurrection also. & we have a knowledge that these we bury here God bring them up again. clothed upon & quickened by the spirit of the great god. & what mattereth it whether we lay them down, or we lay down with them, when we can keep them no longer.

Discourse, 16 April 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, pp. 146-147, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Principle of Salvation is to Triumph Over All Enemies, Even Death — Wilford Woodruff (May 14, 1843)

Salvation is nothing more or less than to triumph over all our enemies & put them under our feet & when we  have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world & a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come then we are saved as in the case of Jesus he was to reign untill he had put all enemies under his feet & the last enemy was death

Discourse, 14 May 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 30, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Salvation Defined as a Man Who Is Saved from His Enemies — Howard Coray (May 21, 1843)

What is salvation. Salvation is for a man to be Saved from all his enemies even our last enemy which is death for David Saith, “and the Lord Said unto my Lord ‘Sit thou on my right hand until I  make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Discourse, 21 May 1843, as Reported by Howard Coray, p. 40-41, The Joseph Smith Papers.

No Salvation Until Triumph Over Death — William Clayton (May 21, 1843)

salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies. — until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved, knowledge will do this.

 Discourse, 21 May 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 215, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Disappointment at the Ressurection a More Painful Thought than Losing a Loved One — Willard Richards (August 13, 1843)

It is a Solmn idea that man has no hope of seeing a fried after he has lost him. but I will give you a more painful thought— the thought is simple and I never design to communicate no ideas but what are simple for to this end I am sent.— suppose we have an idea of a resurrection. &c &c and yet know nothiing at all of the gospel and could not comprehend one principle of the order of heavn. but found yourselves disapponted. yes. at last find yourselves disappointed in evrey hope or antiicipation when decison goes forth from the lips of the Almighty at last. would not this be a greter disappotmt. a more painful thought than annihilaton

Discourse, 13 August 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 45-46, The Joseph  Smith Papers.

Spirits of the Just Exalted to More Glorious Work after Death — Time & Seasons (October 9, 1843)

The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work — hence they are blessed in departing hence. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings and motions, and are often pained therewith.

Discourse, 9 October 1843, as Reported by Times and Seasons, p. 331, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Purpose of Birth, Life, and Death a Subject to Be Studied Frequently — Willard Richards (October 9, 1843)

All men know that all men must die.— What is the object of our coming into existence. then dying and falling away to be here no more? This is a subject we ought to study more than any other, which we ought to study day and night.— If we have any claim on our heavenly father for any thing it is for knowledge on this important subject— could we read and comprehend all that has been writtn from the days of Adam on the relation of man to God & angels. in a future state. we should know very little about it. could you gaze in heaven 5 minute. you would know more— than you would by reading all that ever was writtn on the subject.

Discourse, 9 October 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 121, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Comfort of Knowing That Friends Who Have Passed Will Rise Again — Wilford Woodruff (April 7, 1844)

. . . how consoling to the mourner when they part with a friend to know that though they lay down this body it will rise & dwell with everlasting burnings to be an heir of God & joint heir of Jesus Christ enjoying the same rise exhaltation & glory untill you arive at the station of a God.

. . . you who mourn the loss of friends are ownly seperated for a moment, the spirit is seperated for a little time, they are now conversant with each other as we are on the earth.

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 135–137, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Children After Death — Wilford Woodruff (April 7, 1844)

A question will Mothers have their Children in Eternity yes, yes, you will have the Children, But as it falls so it will rise, It will never grow, It will be in its precise form as it fell in its mothers arms. Eternity is full of thrones upon which dwell thousands of Children reigning on thrones of glory not one cubit added to their stature.

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 139, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Children After Death — Willard Richards (April 7, 1844)

Shall mothrs have their Children? Yes. they shall have it without price. redemption is paid possessing all the intelgen [intelligence] of a god. the child as it was before it died out of your arms throne upon thrones. Dominion upon domnins [dominions] just as you——

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 71, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Consolation of Knowing Loved Ones Who Have Passed Will Not Suffer or Die Anymore — William Clayton (April 7, 1844)

1st principles of consolation— how consoling to the mourner when calld to part with husband father wife child to know that those being shall rise in immortal glory to sorrow die nor suffer any more.

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton, p. 14, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Spirits, Though Separated from the Body, Are Coequal with God — William Clayton (April 7, 1844)

I know that my testimony is true. hence when I talk to these mourners what have they lost— they are only separated from their bodies for a short season. but their spirit existed coequal with God and they now exist in a place where they converse together as much as we do on the earth.

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton, p. 16, The Joseph Smith Papers.