AprilandJake.com

Mike Otterson has a great way of putting the motivation and emotions involved in proxy ordinances. In his great post about baptisms for the dead:

"[Ordinances for the dead], as Mormons view it, rests on the premise that those who have passed on have the choice to accept or reject the gesture. I knew when I performed the proxy baptism for my father that he was a devout Christian, christened as a baby in the rites of the established Church of England. My gesture in his behalf took nothing away from him, the life he lived and who he was at his core. If there is an afterlife - a belief clearly shared by both of us - then I added opportunity to the goodness of a short but purpose-filled and worthy life. In the doctrines embraced by my particular faith, my offering opened up eternal possibilities, including the eternal “sealing” of his marriage to my mother. Far from slighting my father’s religious persuasions, he retains every ounce of his own free will and moral agency to accept what I did on his behalf. In my own heart, I want to believe he accepted it, but I cannot know that now. What I am certain of, however, is that in whatever cognizance of this life that exists in heaven, that my father will not be offended for a gift generously intended and sincerely given by his son. The worst I can imagine is a “Thanks, but no thanks.”

A World of Faith is an awesome book that we found out about from a recent Mormon.org video about Kathleen Peterson, the artist. The book has great art and great, straight-forward introductions to many major religions from around the world. The purpose of the book, as stated inside, is to show the commonalities between many religions as well as show some of the unique aspects of each. It does a great job there.

In addition, my own view was solidified that the restoration of the Church really is a marvelous work and a wonder. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is both a collection of people that follow good, righteous ways of living and are helpful to their neighbors, and it is more: it is the kingdom of God on the Earth, with priesthood authority given by the Lord to receive His Word as it continues to be revealed and to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm grateful for all people who are faithful to the principles they hold true, who follow God's teachings as best they know how, and therefore have a great influence on their neighborhoods and societies around them.