Hi, what do Mormons believe happens to families that are not sealed? I read on here that “Your family is still your family in heaven but love Is the eternity” I’m confused. Could you please explain the Mormon belief on this? Thanks!
3 Responses to “Hi, what do Mormons believe happens to families that are…”
Pamela Bonta
2013-04-18 15:09:39
The San Diego temple in San Diego, California.
One goal of temple worship Is to unite all families together. LDS.org states, "People who have died without these essential gospel ordinances may receive those ordinances through the work done in temples. Acting in behalf of ancestors and others who have died, Church members are baptized and confirmed, receive the endowment, and participate in the sealings of husband to wife and children to parents."
For those whom it is not possible, we believe that a kind and loving Heavenly Father will see that all works out to the benefit of those who are faithful. I, for example, have a 20 year old whom I am not sealed to, as her father and I were never married and were only together for about 3 years. Nor am I sealed to my 8 year old step-daughter, as she is sealed to her biological mother. Heavenly Father will ensure that what should be, will be.
Vicente Bravo
2013-04-21 15:47:20
Members of the Church believe that marriages performed in temples are sealed, or blessed to last for eternity.
Hi anonymous. Thanks for the question. I confess that that phrase confused me a bit as well. I went ahead and edited that answer to avoid confusion in the future.
Mormons believe that a religious ceremony (ordinance) called a "sealing" is essential so families can be together even after death. It seems obvious to me that members of all families will continue to love each other after death, but for them to continue to progress spiritually as a family, the sealing ordinance is critically important.
It's best to be sealed in this life, but people can be sealed vicariously after death if they didn't have the opportunity while living. Truth be told, at this point I suspect more people have been sealed vicariously than have ever been sealed while living.
Best of luck to you.
Jeff
2013-04-18 11:43:50
Anonymous, I haven't read the answer that includes that phrase, so I can't speak to what that person was talking about. However, the short answer to your question is that those who are not sealed cannot become like our Heavenly Parents, receiving all They so desperately desire to give us. As such, those who accept only part of God's plan will only receive part of those eternal blessings that are predicated on that acceptance. This portion will still be more beautiful and amazing that we can currently comprehend, but it will nonetheless be incomplete, compared to what they could have had.
Temples are considered houses of God, places of holiness and peace separate from the preoccupations of the world.
Now, here's the long answer: thanks to the restoration of temples and the proxy ordinances performed therein, everyone--absolutely everyone--will have the opportunity to accept the gospel and receive the sealing ordinances. Yes, some will reject it, but no one will be condemned without first having make a conscious decision to accept or reject the Savior and His gospel. Thus, it ultimately doesn't matter whether or not a person had the opportunity to be sealed while in mortality; that person will have the opportunity eventually.
For those whom it is not possible, we believe that a kind and loving Heavenly Father will see that all works out to the benefit of those who are faithful. I, for example, have a 20 year old whom I am not sealed to, as her father and I were never married and were only together for about 3 years. Nor am I sealed to my 8 year old step-daughter, as she is sealed to her biological mother. Heavenly Father will ensure that what should be, will be.
Mormons believe that a religious ceremony (ordinance) called a "sealing" is essential so families can be together even after death. It seems obvious to me that members of all families will continue to love each other after death, but for them to continue to progress spiritually as a family, the sealing ordinance is critically important.
It's best to be sealed in this life, but people can be sealed vicariously after death if they didn't have the opportunity while living. Truth be told, at this point I suspect more people have been sealed vicariously than have ever been sealed while living.
Best of luck to you.