Mormons accept the doctrine of resurrection laid out in the scriptures in "a most literal fashion," professor of ancient scripture Byron Merrill taught at BYU Education Week on Monday.

When ancient prophets wrote that not a hair of a person's head would be lost, that's really what they meant, said Merrill, who spoke on the resurrection and the spirit world. Merrill lectured in place of professor Robert J. Matthews, who underwent surgery a few weeks ago and is recovering.

Many Christian denominations hold that immediately following death, a person is welcomed into the presence of God. While even certain verses of Mormon scripture might lend themselves to this thinking, it's the wrong interpretation, Merrill said. Alma 40:11 states that people who die are "taken home to that God who gave them life," but Merrill said that doesn't mean the deceased meet God right away, and all latter-day revelation supports this.

"There's no sense that we go into the immediate presence of God," Merrill said. "We must be resurrected first."

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