Current Lessons
Lesson No. Forty-Three 

No Righteous Person is Ever Taken Before Their Time

Introduction: President Nelson’s remarkable sermon entitled The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again concluded the October 2024 General Conference. It was inspiring and unique. He introduced the theme of his sermon saying: “Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.” He latter shared two personal experiences involving his first wife Dantzel and his second wife Wendy. It is easy to miss what he is teaching which he said helped him “weather the storms of life” which came even after he had committed his life to the Lord as one of His Apostles. (President Nelson’s words are bolded; my comments are italicized)

“First, when my wife Dantzel unexpectedly passed away, I could not reach any of our children. There I was, alone, devastated, and crying out for help. Gratefully, through His Spirit, the Lord taught me why my dear Dantzel had been taken home. With that understanding, I was comforted. Over time, I was better able to cope with my grief.”

What did the Lord teach President Nelson that gave him comfort? Among other things, I believe he knew that Dantzel was prepared, and that she had passed the test of mortality and had graduated with honors. He understood that her work on the earth was finished.

“When Wendy and I were on assignment in a distant land, armed robbers put a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. But the gun did not fire. Throughout that experience, both of our lives were threatened. Yet Wendy and I felt an undeniable peace. It was the peace ‘which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7).’”

I believe that President Nelson and Wendy were both given to know that their work on the earth was not finished, and they had a great work yet to do. They knew that the Lord is in control, and that no righteous person is taken before their time. This gave them the “peace which passeth all understanding.”

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught these profound doctrines at the funeral of Elder Richard L. Evans: I believe this short sermon is one of the greatest doctrinal dissertations of our dispensation. It is set forth in full below:

“Brother Evans has been taken by the Lord to another field of labor, where his great talents will be multiplied a hundred-fold; where he will continue to use them in the furtherance of the Lord’s work; and where they are now needed even more than they were here among us.

“And may I say for the consolation of those who mourn, and for the comfort and guidance of all of us, that no righteous man is ever taken before his time. In the case of the faithful Saints, they are simply transferred to other fields of labor. The Lord’s work goes on in this life, in the world of spirits, and in the kingdoms of glory where men go after their resurrection.

“Life and labor and love are eternal, and Brother Evans is now assigned to continue his work in the spirit world, until that day when he shall come forth in glorious immortality to receive his place in the mansions that are prepared.

“He held the holy priesthood in this life and was ordained to stand as a special witness of the Lord’s name; he holds that same priesthood in the world of spirits and is there assigned to continue his labors for the salvation of our Father’s other children who have passed on without a knowledge of the saving principles of eternal truth which have been restored in this day.

“The church on earth has lost the services of one of its most able and competent leaders who was endowed with special talents and abilities which are seldom equaled. But the same Church, which has an even more perfect and effective organization among the righteous dead, has gained another pillar of strength to use in the great labors that are performed there.

“His influence in this life extended to the ends of the earth, and we shall miss his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom as it was heard and felt among us. But in that sphere where the limitations and restrictions of mortality no longer curtail the spirit children of our Father, his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom will influence greater hosts who seek and need the words of life and truth found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Ensign, December 1971, p. 3, emphasis is mine).

Testimony – The temple, as well as President Joseph Fielding Smith, teaches that no righteous person is ever taken before their time, and that they will be able to finish their work on the earth. It thrills me that the Lord knows when our work on the earth is finished. Then if we are worthy we will receive a transfer to paradise in the spirit world where we will continue our service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “which has an even more perfect and effective organization among the righteous dead” (Ibid).

Released on November 2nd. 2024.