Autobiography
Harold R “Hal” and Mary Kay Southwick Bunderson
And Biographical Profiles of Our Parents, Siblings and Grandparents
The family history part of our genealogical research
DEDICATION
Dedicated to my late wife, Mary Kay - And to those who believe or who want to believe that their mortal life is not the totality of their existence. If you believe you existed before mortal birth and will continue to live after mortal death; that is good, because it is true. Each person has a divine heritage and destiny. (Appendix 1).
We are spirit children of heavenly parents. Under the direction of our eternal Father in Heaven, our magnificent Savior, Jesus Christ created “worlds without number.” This earth was created to be our “proving ground.” We enter mortality without memory of our life and relationships before our mortal birth; but we retain our agency to choose: “… and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell. And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”
So, what motivates our Father in Heaven, our Savior and the Holy Ghost; why do they do what they do? Love! “For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son that whoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s purpose: “… this is my work and my glory -to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Jesus Christ asked us to “ask, seek and knock;” find the truth and keep God’s commandments. But in our “worldly world,” many people have little interest; as if to ask, “Why would we want to do that?”
Our Savior gave the most compelling answer; love! “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Have you ever thought; does our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ keep their own commandments? Answer: Well of course they do; it is their persona, they “can’t (even) lie.” What would it be like if we couldn’t lie? Short newscasts, I suspect.
If we conform our plan to God’s Plan, we will not limit our growth, rather, we will live in God’s environment and progress eternally. It’s our choice; if we desire to be with our eternal family, we will repent, forgive and strive to be like them. When we slip; repent and move forward.
Because of Jesus Christ’s infinite love and redeeming sacrifice that began in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he bled at every pour for us; and ended on the cross; we can be redeemed. If we repent and forgive. If we do, he has promised to forgive us - and make us clean.
Because of his literal resurrection; every person and creature will also be resurrected; “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” In the resurrection, the flesh and bone (not blood) elements of our mortal body will be inseparately connected to the elements of our immortal spirit body, the same as Jesus Christ; thus, we can “receive a fullness of joy.”
After the resurrection, we will be judged according to our desires, choices and actions. (Revelation 20: 12); then assigned to live eternally on a world of glory; “Celestial, Terrestrial or Telestial.” Analogous to the sun, moon and stars, in relative brightness. (Appendix 1)