Serving the Dead at Bradley Cemetery

This week, our wonderful Manassas 2nd ward helped to clean the Bradley Cemetery. Once overgrown, now the headstones have been cleaned, weeds have been weed whacked, and wood has been wood chipped. Everyone pulled together, and the work went quickly; it was a fun project, and it honored those who have passed away.

Of course, we can do more to honor our dead. I write of temple work! The scriptures say,

“You may think this order of things to be very particular; but let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel. … 

“… For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (D&C 128:5, 15).

The doctrine that we can do essential work for our deceased relatives is one of the most comforting aspects of the gospel. Everyone, no matter when or where they lived, will have the opportunity to accept Christ. This is a principle of love!