Description

Have you seen the new Disney and Pixar movie Soul? What did you think? I thought that it was interesting that there was a pre-earth life and an afterlife. 

• In today’s episode we talk a little bit about the afterlife.
  
  
• Like many people, I’ve always been fascinated with our pre-earth life and the afterlife.
  
  
• It is pretty core to our belief system in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  
  
• Over the holidays we watched Soul on Disney+
  
  
  • I won’t spoil anything that you won’t find on the movie’s description,
    
    
  • It’s a Pixar animated film
    
    
  • Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher
    
    
  • life hasn't quite gone the way he expected
    
    
  • His true passion is jazz
    
    
  • The movie talks about “the Great Before” which can be compared to the pre-existence, a doctrine found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But that’s about it. It’s not doctrinal and doesn’t look much like what we know of the pre-existence. But, hey, it’s kind of cool that they talk about it.
    
    
  • The movie has a message, although a bit fuzzy, on the simple joys of life and of living.
    
    
  • I’ve heard many times to stop looking forward to the destination and live in the moment. Enjoy the ride there. 
  • I think that’s an underlying message of the film. I could be wrong. I’m not a movie critic. In fact I’d be a terrible movie critic.  I sleep through most movies. I’ve seen dozens and dozens of beginnings and ends to movies.
    
    
  • I think that you’ll like it.
    
    
  • It gets 96% rotten tomatoes rating and 8.2/10 on IMDB
    
    
• Beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  
  
  • Pre-earth life
    
    
  • Mortal probation
    
    
  • Spirit World
    
    
  • Resurrection
    
    
• President Joseph F. Smith said, “Our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their friends and relatives upon the earth again, bringing from the divine presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof or instruction, to those whom they have learned to love in the flesh”
  
  
• President Russel M Nelson shared a visit his grandfather had from his father who had passed.
  
  
  • I wanted to share part of that experience.
    
    
  • "'Father, is it natural to die?'
    
    
  • "'It is just as natural to die as it is to be born, or for you to pass out of that door.'
    
    
  • "'Father, is the gospel as taught by this Church true?'
    
    
  • The gospel of Jesus Christ has within it the power of saving every man and woman who will obey it, and in no other way can they ever obtain salvation in the kingdom of God. My son, always cling to the gospel. Be humble, be prayerful, be submissive to the priesthood, be true, be faithful to the covenants you have made with God. Never do anything that would displease God. Oh, what a blessing is the gospel. My son, be a good boy.'"
    
    
  • Tune in to hear the full episode.
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