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Question

 

Dear Gramps,

I recently found out that my Grandparents (deceased and never asked of this, since they were already dead) were sealed in the Temple via my Dad’s widow. I feel very hurt by this as they were devout Methodists. My Grandfather was also a Mason. How can I have them unsealed. My Aunt just found this information out when they were going through some of my deceased Uncle’s boxes. He had hidden them away in shame. My Aunt is also very upset by this. My Uncle had a special head stone made that has the family back to the Mayflower on it and the Masonic symbols.

Marjorie

 

Answer

 

Dear Marjorie,

I am a little confused by your question. Since you are concerned about someone sealing your grandparents together as husband and wife for the eternities, I would surmise that you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and therefore do not believe in its doctrines and practices. If you believe that the vicarious work for the dead in the temples has no efficacy, I don’t quite understand your concern. If that were the case, your deceased grandparents would be completely unaffected by the action. The only result of such an action would be the archived record that it did occur. I don’t quite see the point in your interest in attempting to undo something that you think is not valid and is of no worth.

Now let’s suppose that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, as it claims to be, the true and living Church of Jesus Christ, with authority to administer in His name both for matters pertaining to time and matters pertaining to eternity, and that the sacred work that they do in the holy temples is valid, as they claim it to be. Let’s also suppose that your grandparents, living now in the spirit world retain their faith and belief as devout Methodists. Although the work done in the temple by priesthood authority is valid and recognized in the heavens, it is only valid if those for whom it was done are both willing and worthy to accept it. There should be no problem with their worthiness as devout Christians, but if they retain the beliefs to which they pledged their allegiance before they passed away, they would have no interest in accepting the work that was done in their names, and would, of course, be perfectly free to pursue whatever belief system they choose. Again, since as devout Methodists, they would be completely unaffected by the actions taken in their behalf in the temple, I still don’t understand your concern.

Let’s now suppose that the Church, as in the scenario above, is the true church, and that your grandparents, after they passed away, heard the gospel preached to them by other spirits who were authorized representatives of our Heavenly Father, acting in accordance with the scriptural injunction given by Peter in 1 Peter 4:6

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Further, let’s assume that your grandparents accepted the truths that they there were taught. Baptism, being performed by immersion in water, in similitude of the burial and resurrection of the Savior, must be performed while a person is yet alive. And baptism by immersion for the remission of sins by one who holds the authority of the holy priesthood is a firm and fixed requirement for membership in the church and kingdom of God. The justice of God would never allow the rejection of anyone from receiving the great blessings and rewards of membership in His Church if, because of the circumstances in which they lived in mortality, they had not heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or because they didn’t participate in the saving ordinances as a result of their belief in another system.

Therefore, when that vicarious baptism and the subsequent sealing together as husband and wife were performed, your grandparents would emerge from the spirit prison, would be accepted into the fellowship of the kingdom, and would again be legally authorized to renew their dissolved marriage relationship.
The disillusion of their marriage would perhaps also need a word of explanation. When they were married, as is the case with all marriages that are not consummated in the holy temples, the marriage covenant that they enter into is until death do them part. When one partner of such a marriage dies, the marriage is dissolved, and they are from henceforth single individuals. When one partner of such a marriage dies, that person enters the spirit world as an unmarried, single individual, because their marriage contract has been fulfilled and is no longer valid. The only marriage relationships that could possibly exist after this life are those marriages that are performed in the holy temples by the requisite authority of the holy priesthood “for time and for all eternity.”

Therefore, I think that the only valid concerns that one could have for the situation that you elucidate would be a simple lack of concern if you don’t believe, or unbounded joy and happiness if you do.

 

Gramps

 

 

 

 

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