At his coming a great many of the faithful dead will be resurrected and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And some of the righteous who are then living upon the earth will be changed from mortality to immortality in the twinkling of an eye to join that impressive company in the air. Certainly this is something to look forward to.
At the time of Adam’s fall, a curse was placed upon the earth, and since then it has existed in its fallen or telestial state. For nearly six thousand years it has brought forth thorns, thistles, and noxious weeds, while crime, corruption, war, and sin have flourished upon its face. But at the second coming of Christ, the earth will be cleansed by fire. It will then be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory as it is raised to the status of a terrestrial sphere.
via LDSLastDays.com.
Learned two new things in our companionship study this morning. Not only will there be the faithful dead who are raised from the dead at the coming of Christ and will be caught up to meet Him in the air, but also some of the righteous who are living will be translated at His coming and will be caught up to meet Him.
Also, hadn’t realized or thought about how the earth will be raised to the status of a terrestrial sphere at the coming of Christ. Relates a lot to the temple. The earth starts out in a telestial state of existence, changes or passes through to a terrestrial state at the second coming, and then finally will change to a celestial state at the end of its temporal existence.