DAY 38 of #100daysofJesus
About 550 B.C. a prophet named Jacob in the Book of Mormon prophesied of Jesus' coming and taught powerfully about His life, mission, death, and resurrection.
Jacob taught that "death hath passed upon all men" because of the Fall of Adam and Eve and that Jesus would come "to fulfill the merciful plan of the Great Creator."
He taught that "because man became fallen, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord." But because of Jesus, death is only temporary:
"Wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel."
Another Book of Mormon prophet, Alma, similarly taught about the resurrection nearly 100 years before Christ's birth. He taught that in the resurrection we would be physically perfected:
"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."
I'll have a full head of hair again!! 
The resurrection should bring hope not just to us bald guys, but to everyone who suffers physical or mental limitations, disabilities, or illnesses. The imperfections of our physical bodies and minds will not remain with us in the resurrection.
As have most of you, I've had loved ones pass on from this world, leaving their suffering and broken bodies behind. How much peace this gives me to know that they live on, free from the pains and sorrows of mortality, and will one day be resurrected with a perfect, immortal body!
Death is not the end.
Along with this joyous teaching Alma shared a warning:
"Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness...that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored."
Similarly, Jacob, hundreds of years earlier had taught "that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still."
In summary, because of Jesus, we will ALL be resurrected, a reuniting of our spirits to our (newly perfected) bodies; however, our hearts (personality, desires, demeanor) will remain the same.
I take hope and comfort in the miraculous resurrection that awaits and thank God for sending Jesus to earth to make it all possible.
(References: 2 Nephi 9, Alma 40-42)
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