TheDiscipleMD
“Beam me up Scottie!”, Captain Kirk used to bark to the engineer of the Star Ship “U.S.S. Enterprise”. Then by the power of the “transporter”, he and his crew would return from their exploration of a newly found planet. A “transporter” would convert a person or object into an energy pattern, then “beam” it to a target, where it would be reconverted into matter. This fictional teleportation machine played an important part in the success of the short lived (Sept. 1966 to June of 1969), but long living original TV series called “Star Trek”. As a boy of ten it was fascinating to think of such a machine. In a blink of an eye you could go from one place to another, no matter the distance. Wow! That machine could even “transport” you to other worlds. It had the ability to completely take apart every molecule of your body; and then reassemble it somewhere else in perfect condition. What a machine! Well, I knew that it was just “science fiction”, but it was really exciting to think of the possibilities. While the “transporter” machine is a work of fiction, what it was purported to accomplish is not.
“Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead…Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead. Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God knoweth the time which is appointed…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. And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets-” (Alma 40: 1, 4, 23-24).
Alma, like me, was also very intrigued by the ideal of a “transporter”. He didn’t use that word, but as he was diligently trying to teach his son he revealed something interesting. He said to his son, “There are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know- that is concerning the resurrection”. (vs. 3)
Alma then goes into detail regarding the mystery of the resurrection; about the reassembling of the body after it has died. His desire to understand the mystery of how the body and soul will be reunited is a basic doctrine of our church. That is an astounding point to ponder. The “transporter” is God! How He accomplishes such work may not be fully understood, but then again, I still don’t really understand how electricity is harnessed. Yet, I am a beneficiary of its wonder through the intellect of others.
Now it is important to note the most important part of “transporting”. Alma expounded on this most important point.
“…the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish-good for that which is good: righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just, merciful for that which is merciful. Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren: deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually, and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgement restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. (Alma 41:13-15)
Alma taught that our body and souls wouldn’t be “dissemble”, (death), and then reassembled differently. He taught that our restoration would be just that, a restoration! To restore something means to “return” it back to it’s original condition; oft time it even means to “improve” it. Such will be the case with our bodies. They will be improved. But improved doesn’t mean changing the basic nature. Soon enough, all of us must lay down our bodies in the cold ground. The great hope is found in the resurrection, the “transportation” of our physical bodies from dust to their proper frame. Thus, it is only through the Savior, that we are able to rise again from our graves and be with our loved ones for eternity. He is the “Great Transporter”. It is a doctrine worthy of a lifetime of study.