1) Latter-day Saints have the responsibility to perform temple ordinances by proxy for those who have died, so that all people can have the opportunity to accept the gospel and achieve salvation. 2) Temple ordinances like baptism must be performed vicariously for those who died without having received the ordinances in life. 3) Members should feel a sense of urgency to perform temple ordinances for their ancestors who may be waiting in the spirit world to progress further after death.

1. The Redemption of the Dead Chapter 31
Introduction D. Latter-day Saints have the authority and the
responsibility to perform temple ordinances in
“Some of us have had occasion to wait for behalf of the dead.
someone or something for a minute, an hour, a 1. Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland
day, a week, or even a year. Can you imagine how Temple and restored the power to seal through
our progenitors must feel, some of whom have priesthood ordinances the fathers to the children,
perhaps been waiting for decades and even both the living and the dead (see D&C 110:13–15;
centuries for the temple work to be done for them? Malachi 4:5–6; D&C 2).
I have tried, in my mind’s eye, to envision our 2. Latter-day Israel cannot be made perfect without doing
progenitors who are anxiously waiting for those the ordinance work for their dead, nor can the dead be
of us who are their descendants and are members made perfect without this work having been done for
of the Church on the earth to do our duty toward them (see D&C 128:15, 18, 22; Hebrews 11:40).
them. I have also thought what a dreadful feeling 3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
it would be for us to see them in the hereafter and and its members have the responsibility to keep a
have to acknowledge that we had not been as record of the work done in behalf of the dead (see
faithful as we should have been here on earth in D&C 127:6–9; 128:24).
performing these ordinances in their behalf”
(Spencer W. Kimball, “The Things of Eternity— Supporting Statements
Stand We in Jeopardy?” Ensign, Jan. 1977, 7).
A. In accordance with the plan of salvation,
Doctrinal Outline everyone will at some time hear the gospel.
■ “The Lord has made it known that his mercy
A. In accordance with the plan of salvation, extends to the uttermost bounds and that every soul
everyone will at some time hear the gospel. is entitled to hear the gospel plan, either in this life
See Doctrine and Covenants 1:2, 4; 90:11. or in the spirit world. All who hear and believe,
repenting and receiving the gospel in its fulness,
B. The way has been opened for those who die
whether living or dead, are heirs of salvation in the
without the gospel to receive it.
celestial kingdom of God” (Joseph Fielding Smith,
1. After His Crucifixion and before His Resurrection, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:133).
the Savior preached the gospel to the righteous in
the spirit world and sent messengers to preach to B. The way has been opened for those who die
the spirits of the wicked (see 1 Peter 3:18–20; D&C without the gospel to receive it.
138:18–21, 27–30). ■ “Before the crucifixion of the Lord there was a
2. The gospel is preached to the dead so that they can great gulf fixed separating the righteous dead from
be judged by the same standard that will be used those who had not received the Gospel, and across
to judge those who hear the gospel in mortality this gulf no man could pass. (Luke 16:26.) Christ
(see 1 Peter 4:6; D&C 138:31–34, 57; 76:73). bridged that gulf and made it possible for the
3. Those who would have received the gospel in this word of salvation to be taken to all corners of the
life had the opportunity been given to them will kingdom of darkness. In this way the realms of
inherit the celestial kingdom (see D&C 137:7–8). hell were invaded and the dead prepared for the
C. Ordinances performed vicariously provide the ordinances of the Gospel which must be performed
dead with the opportunity to receive full salvation. on earth since they pertain to the mortal probation”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, 165).
1. Those who desire to enter the celestial kingdom
must receive the essential ordinances of the gospel C. Ordinances performed vicariously provide the
(see Articles of Faith 1:3; D&C 138:58; 132:4–6; 131:1–4). dead with the opportunity to receive full salvation.
2. Ordinances performed in mortality by the power of ■ “And so we have two great churches, one in
the priesthood are valid both here and in the spirit heaven, the other upon the earth. They are moving
world (see D&C 128:8–9; 132:46; Matthew 16:19). along parallel lines, and the temple of God, it
3. The Lord has commanded that vicarious baptisms appears to me, is the connecting link that connects
be performed to enable those who receive the the heavens with the earth, because it is through the
gospel in the spirit world to enter His kingdom temple that we will be able to reach our dead, and
(see 1 Corinthians 15:29; D&C 128:1, 5; 138:32–33). not otherwise. To pray for the dead may not be of
any real assistance to them. To actually help them
we must do a work for them” (Rudger Clawson, in
Conference Report, Apr. 1933, 77–78).
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2. Chapter 31
■ “We have been authorized to perform baptisms “It matters not what else we have been called
vicariously so that when they hear the gospel to do, or what position we may occupy, or how
preached and desire to accept it, that essential faithfully in other ways we have labored in the
ordinance will have been performed. They need Church, none is exempt from this great obligation.
not ask for any exemption from that essential It is required of the apostle as well as the humblest
ordinance. Indeed, the Lord Himself was not elder. Place, or distinction, or long service in the
exempted from it” (Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Church, in the mission field, the stakes of Zion,
Report, Oct. 1975, 147; or Ensign, Nov. 1975, 99). or where or how else it may have been, will not
■ “We know by the scriptures that the gospel is entitle one to disregard the salvation of one’s dead.
preached to the dead and the dead are to be “Some may feel that if they pay their tithing,
judged according to men in the flesh and live attend their regular meetings and other duties, give
according to God in the spirit. Thus baptism is of their substance to the poor, perchance spend one,
necessary for those who, during their lifetime, two, or more years preaching in the world, that
had not opportunity for this ordinance of baptism they are absolved from further duty. But the
by immersion for the remission of sin” (N. Eldon greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the
Tanner, in Conference Report, Mar.–Apr. 1979, 20; dead” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:148–49).
or Ensign, May 1979, 15). ■ “Those who are acquainted with Latter-day Saint
D. Latter-day Saints have the authority and the scriptures and the process of genealogical research
responsibility to perform temple ordinances in will recognize that the extraction program is but a
behalf of the dead. first step in the overall program of preparing a
■ “The third point included in the mission of the Church book of remembrance ‘worthy of . . .
Church is our responsibility to redeem the dead acceptation.’” (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference
by performing vicarious ordinances of the gospel Report, Sept.–Oct. 1978, 41; or Ensign, Nov. 1978, 30).
■ “Our responsibility to compile our books of
for those who have lived on the earth.
“Our members need to be taught that it is not remembrance, including the submission of the
sufficient for a husband and wife to be sealed in the names of our ancestors for at least the first four
temple to guarantee their exaltation—they must generations, and to have the temple ordinances
also be eternally linked with their progenitors and performed in their behalf has not changed” (Ezra
see that the work is done for those ancestors. ‘They Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Sept.–Oct.
without us,’ said the Apostle Paul, ‘cannot be made 1978, 41; or Ensign, Nov. 1978, 30).
■ “There are other things we can do collectively
perfect—neither can we without our dead be made
perfect’ (D&C 128:15). Our members should as a church. We microfilm records worldwide.
therefore understand that they have an individual We establish libraries for use of members and
responsibility to see that they are linked to their nonmembers. We build vaults to store records.
progenitors” (Ezra Taft Benson, regional As a Church we develop forms and procedures
representatives’ seminar, 3 Apr. 1981, 2). to help in research. We prepare research manuals.
■ “Elijah! what would you do if you were here? We program conferences, meetings and seminars
Would you confine your work to the living alone? to motivate, instruct and inspire.
No: I would refer you to the Scriptures, where the “Nevertheless genealogical and temple work
subject is manifest: that is, without us, they could are basically individual responsibilities” (Boyd K.
not be made perfect, nor we without them; the Packer, The Holy Temple, 227).
■ “We know that the spirit world is filled with
fathers without the children, nor the children
without the fathers. the spirits of men who are waiting for you and
“I wish you to understand this subject, for it me to get busy—waiting as the signers of the
is important; and if you will receive it, this is the Declaration of Independence waited. ‘Why,’ they
spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and asked President Wilford Woodruff, ‘why do you
connect ourselves with our fathers which are in keep us waiting?’ That question continues to be
heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the asked of us also, by our own people.
first resurrection; and here we want the power of “We wonder about our progenitors—
Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-
who dwell in heaven. This is the power of Elijah grandparents, etc. What do they think of you
and the keys of the kingdom of Jehovah” (Joseph and me? We are their offspring. We have the
Smith, History of the Church, 6:252). responsibility to do their temple work, and the
■ “It is not only necessary that you should be beautiful temples of the Lord stand day after day,
baptized for your dead, but you will have to go yet we do not fill them always. We have a grave
through all the ordinances for them, the same as responsibility that we cannot avoid, and may
you have gone through to save yourselves” stand in jeopardy if we fail to do this important
(Smith, History of the Church, 6:365). work” (Kimball, “Things of Eternity,” 5).
■ “The responsibility [of doing work for our
dead] rests with equal force on all, according to
our individual ability and opportunities.
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