FHE Lesson : Vicarious Work

What comes to mind when you first hear the term vicarious work? Those of us who are Latter-day Saints have heard this term on several if not many occasions within the church. The word vicarious means "performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to be the benefit or advantage of another." This means that one do something for and inbehalf or someone else. When we say vicarious work we do indeed mean "work." The vicarious work that we do is well put by Bruce R. McConkie, "Salvation itself is based on the vicarious atoning sacrifice of Christ. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection, immortality comes to all men and eternal life to those who obey the full gospel law. He acted on man's behalf, that is, vicariously, paying the penalty for our sins on condition of repentance, ransoming us from the effects of Adam's fall. In conformity with this pattern of vicarious service, the gospel law enables worthy members of the Church to act on behalf of their dead ancestors in the performance of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. Baptism is essential to salvation in the celestial kingdom, endowments and sealings to an exaltation therein. The living saints, acting on a proxy basis, perform these ordinances for and in behalf of those who have died and who did not have an opportunity while in this life to receive the ordinances personally."
There will be people who will say, "it is impossible for someone to do a vicarious action." But I would say to them, wasn't Christ's life a perfect example of Vicarious work? We too can and should find ourselves participating in such vicarious ordinances as is the plan of our Heavenly Father because this is the Plan of Salvation. Of this I do testify, Amen.