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Our Heavenly Father has given us this mortal life to enable us to become more like him. There are two major obstacles to this goal. The first is physical death--the separation of the spirit from the physical body. Although the spirit continues to live on, the imperfect, mortal body dies. This physical death is overcome through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with a glorified, immortal body. Because of Christ, all of us will be resurrected.

Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the mortal body:

Ecclesiastes 12: 7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."

Alma 40:11 " Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life."

Because of the resurrection of Christ, we all will overcome physical death:

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

2 Timothy 1:10 "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: "

Alma 11:42 "Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death."

Resurrection is the uniting of the spirit with the glorified, immortal body:

Alma 11:43-44 "The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil."

Alma 40:21-23 "But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works. Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame."

Copyright 1986 by Corporation of the President of THE CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.