In his General Conference talk on the morning of Sunday, October 7, 2018, President M. Russel Ballard spoke of a vision President Joseph F. Smith had had a hundred years prior, almost to the day. On October 3, 1918, President Joseph F. Smith saw a vision called The Vision of the Redemption of the Dead, which is now recorded in Section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
This vision must have been especially important to President Smith because it came after a long series of deaths in his family, not to mention the tens of millions of deaths caused by the the Great World War and a flu pandemic. At that time in President Smith's life, it must have been especially comforting to him to be reminded that life goes on well after death and that God has an eternal plan that includes all those who have passed on.
Thanks to our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, we know that death isn't the final step. It isn't even permanent! God's plans for us extend far beyond our mortal lives and deaths, and our family relationships can extend beyond death as well, meaning that, in most cases, death doesn't have to be as tragic as it sometimes feels. Knowledge of God's Plan can be a great comfort to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, as I'm sure it was to President Smith. I'm grateful that God has provided us with visions and doctrine that explain His plan and give us the hope that we have for a peaceful life in the world hereafter.
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