Q. I am a Christian and go to the First Christian Church here in town, am I wrong? I was wondering if you believe that I am damned to hell if I don’t switch to your Church.
Will you go to hell for not being a Mormon? Heavens no. You’ll get a heaven very much like the one that is taught in your church—a glorious place, beyond imagination, where Jesus Christ reigns and you live throughout eternity as an angel, singing praises to Him.
So why, you may ask, are you Mormons so insistent that everyone else join your church? I’ll tell you: “In [our] Father’s house there are many mansions” (John 14:2) and the heaven that most of Christianity is yearning for isn’t even all that the Father wants to give us. Even the very lowest level mansion (or kingdom) is beyond our imagination in terms of splendor and glory and beauty and happiness. But what He really intended for us for eternity is exaltation, not just salvation. He wants us to have eternal families—meaning you, your spouse and children will stay together as a family unit for eternity, not just until death. He wants us to return to Him, He wants us to have everything that He has.
Those blessings of exaltation are only available through living the Gospel valiantly, through the ordinances performed by His priesthood here on the earth, (which priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith) and, most importantly, through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to earth to save us all. Not just the Lutherans or the Baptists or the Mormons. His atonement is big enough to save everyone who will come unto Him and accept His help (2 Nephi 26:23-28, 1 Cor. 15:22). However, if we reject His sufferings in our behalf, we will have to suffer for our sins ourselves (read about that here). But when all of the suffering is over and Christ’s work is done, salvation will be given to all.
The object of our Church and its doctrines is to make our entire existence joyful. Live on earth more compassionately and wisely, avoid unnecessary suffering and sin, enjoy our time in Paradise before we are resurrected because Christ will have already suffered for our sins, and then return to live with God forever, with our families. The alternative has a happy ending too, but with a lot of unnecessary sadness and misery on the way (and no families forever).
“Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he that commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.” (2 Nephi 26:27)
For more information on this incredible topic, read these:
D&C 76 (the vision given to Joseph Smith describing the kingdoms of glory)
D&C 19 (talks about suffering for sins—both Christ’s and what we will have to do if we don’t accept Him)
D&C 45 (Christ talking as our advocate before the Father)
“Salvation and Exaltation” by Russell M. Nelson (talks about the differences between the two)
“Our Father’s Plan – Big Enough for All of His Children” by Quentin L. Cook (talks about how Mormons are different from most other Christians in that they don’t see everyone but them going to hell)