3 Nephi 30 Repent and Come Unto Christ

The Lord calls all of us to repent and come unto him.  In the Book of Mormon, “Gentiles” is the term used for those who are not descendents of Lehi.  So everyone who has come to the Americas who didn’t come on Lehi’s ship is considered a Gentile and the United States is considered a “Gentile Nation.”  However, because of the light that has been given us with the restoration of the gospel through the prophet, Joseph Smith, we know that many of members of the “Lost Tribes of Israel” have come to America.  Joseph Smith himself was a descendant of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brothers.  The members of our family are from this same Joseph, direct descendants of Ephraim, Joseph’s son.  But as members of a “gentile” nation, the words of the Savior are directed to my family.  “Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ…Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wick ways; and repent of your evil doings…and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”

 

3 Nephi 29 The Book of Mormon Is Flooding the Earth

When the Book of Mormon goes to the world, this is a sign that the Lord if keeping his promises.  His gospel is going to all the world in these latter days!  Soon, he will return to the earth and be with us here.  He told his followers long ago that he would descend to earth the same way he ascended.  This time it won’t be as a babe in a stable with a single star to mark his coming.  No, this time it will be with a great solar display and all the world will know the King of Kings has arrived in glory. 

3 Nephi 28 The Three Nephites are Translated

Christ’s twelve disciples were interviewed individually by Jesus.  Nine of them wanted to come directly to Jesus when there ministry on earth was completed.  Jesus touched these nine with his finger and told them they would live to be seventy two and then they would come unto him.  The other three were caught up into heaven and were translated.  They saw things they were not allowed to mention or write.  They were to remain on the earth ministering to God’s children until Christ would come again.  As translated beings they could not be injured or killed, neither could they be detained in prison.  If they desired to travel, they could pray and God would deliver them there instantly.  They have become known to Mormon history as the “Three Nephites.”  Their main role is missionary work.

3 Nephi 27 Ask, Seek, Knock--He Will Answer

I’m starting to understand “endure to the end” a little better; however, I think I’ve only scratched the surface in that department.  Jesus said, “…whosoever repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.”

 Jesus wants us to use the correct name of His church.

When he was about to depart for the final time he said, “And now I go unto the Father.  And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you.  Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.”

God loves to bless us, but he waits for us to ask.  It is his nature to bless us.  He has to do it; that is who he is.  We must humbly go before his throne and plead.  We must believe in him and trust him.  Put away our pride.  He will smile upon us.

 

 

 

3 Nephi 26 Wonder of Wonders

The miracle of Jesus’ visit to the ancient people of America has sunk deep into my heart.  He is my anchor.  I know this occurred.  “And he did expound all things even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory—yea, even all things which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the elements should melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll, and the heavens and the earth should pass away; And even unto the great and last day, when all people, an all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—If they e good, to the resurrection of everlasting life….”

3 Nephi 25 The Sealing Power

The Lord will burn the earth and its inhabitants when he returns.  Those that can abide his coming are those who love him and keep his commandments. They will not be burned.  Elijah the prophet restored the sealing keys to the earth.  He bestowed the keys upon the head of Joseph Smith in the Kirtland temple.  With the sealing keys once again upon the earth the great sealing process was begun again.  Since that time temple sealing ordinances have been done in holy temples by those with those keys.  Malachi said that without those keys the earth would be wasted at Christ’s coming.  However, the keys are here, and the earth will not be wasted.  The purposes of this earth along with all the purposes of the Lord will be fulfilled. We will be sealed to our families forever.

 

3 Nephi 24 Return Unto Me

The summer after my mission, Seals and Croft had a hit called, “Closer to You, Closer to Me.”  The lyrics went something like this: “Darlin’, if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.”  An ancient prophet, Malachi, made a similar plea.  Jesus quotes him:  “Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts.”  The way the Lord wants us to return to him is by paying our tithes and offerings.  Those who are willing to do this with an honest heart will be able to abide the day of Christ’s second coming.  The windows of heaven will pour out an immeasurable blessing upon us.  The Lord will “rebuke the devourer” for our sakes.     

3 Nephi 23 Isaiah is Cool

When Philip was commanded by the Spirit to seek out a man of Ethiopia, he found the man travelling by chariot back to his homeland after visiting Jerusalem.  The Ethiopian, “Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet.  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?  The Ethiopian represents most of us who have attempted to understand the writings of Isaiah.  Yet, Jesus told the Nephites, “Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.” Philip sat down with the Ethiopian, reading and explaining as he taught him about the Savior as found in Isaiah’s words.  The Ethiopian was converted and was baptized. 

We can have a similar experience with Isaiah.  As your teacher, let me give you a quick start:  The next time you attempt reading Isaiah, read the chapter headings first.  I have found that Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s inspired writing found in the chapter headings give you most of the important content clues you will need.  As you read, look for the things he tells you in the headings.  They will pop up.  You will be surprised how much easier it is to read it that way.  Then the Spirit will give you other little gems like the one I shared in the last post.

3 Nephi 22 My Kindness Shall Not Depart

The Lord quotes Isaiah:  “Strengthen thy stakes…sing…break forth into singing…fear not…forget the shame of thy youth…with great mercies will I gather thee…my kindness shall not depart from thee…great shall be the peace of thy children…In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near thee.”  And, Isaiah throws in this little word play (with a wink, wink):  “Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals.”  Tell me he is not saying “Joseph Smith will get the fire started.”  

3 Nephi 21 A Marvelous Work and Wonder

The day will come when a New Jerusalem will be built in Jackson County, Missouri, USA.  God has started that work.  It began with God and Jesus appearing to the boy Joseph Smith in grove of trees in New York.  The membership of the Church is now four million world-wide.  The events of the future will be high adventure.

3 Nephi 20 Christ Will Gather His People

As if to say “I will always be there for you to provide your needs,” Jesus miraculously provides bread and wine for the multitude.  It is true: He will never run out of blessings.  His arms will always be open to us.  He will keep all of his promises.  He loves us, really, and to the House of Israel, watch as his promises are fulfilled in our day and in the future.  The gospel is going to the entire world, to its four corners.  Great confidence is personally felt as we put our trust in Him Who is Mighty to Save.

3 Nephi 19 Sacred Things of the Heart

The evening was late and finally it was time for Christ to ascend to his father.  That night, the word was spread throughout the land as far as people could go.  They told everyone that Jesus had been with them and that he was coming again tomorrow.  The next morning, a great multitude gathered and the Twelve whom Jesus had chosen divided up and each one taught a group what they had learned so far.  Then Jesus appeared and angels came too.  The people pray to Jesus and Jesus in turn prays to The Father.  Some of his prayers are recorded by Nephi, who was evidently within hearing distance.  But Nephi also says that the words of a certain prayer given by Jesus were so sacred in content that only the people there were able to hear and discern the meaning in their hearts.  Nephi could not write the words for us.  Mary kept sacred things in her heart too.  We all have sacred things too private and too personal to share with the world so we keep all these things and treasure them in our hearts.

3 Nephi 18 Continue to Minister

Jesus institutes the sacrament.  I find it interesting that he is with them as a resurrected being and yet he wants them to eat bread in remembrance of his body.  It seems apparent he doesn’t want them to dwell on his broken body, but on his resurrected body.  When it is time for the wine, there is no blood for them to see.  Yet, they know he shed his blood in great drops of sweat.  Perhaps I can focus on the resurrected Lord—more so than the suffering, bleeding Lord—when I partake of the sacrament. 

Next, Jesus teaches them to not cast out members of His church who are faltering.  Instead, he teaches them to “continue to minister” to those in need. 

He adds what I consider a new beatitude: “And blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you.”  He bestows the power to give the gift of the Holy Ghost to those who have been baptized.  This is the Melchizedek Priesthood.  The Holy Ghost, according to Elder Dallin H. Oaks, is the Comforter, Direction Finder, Communicator, Interpreter, and Witness of Jesus and God the Father (April Conference Talk 1996).

3 Nephi 17 (part 2) Angels Did Minister To Them

When all of the children had been brought forward, Jesus kneeled and prayer for them unto the Father.  Imagine, this is God praying to his Father, who is also a God.  The words must have been unwriteable.   Sacred beyond measure, these words penetrated Nephi, and he could not reveal or write them for us.  We can only imagine.  As a result of the prayer, when Jesus stood up, “so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.”  Jesus, too, expressed his joy: “Blessed are ye because of your faith,” he said. “And now my joy is full.  And when he had said these words, he wept…and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them and prayed unto the Father for them.  And when he had done this he wept again.”  Then, the angels came out of heaven to minister to the children.  The children were encircled by the angels who must have brought treats, and drinks, and toys, and celestial songs to uplift and bless the children.  Minerva Tiechert, a gifted Wyoming artist, has painted this scene.  It is one of my favorites.  A copy of it hangs in one of the classrooms in the Laramie Institute of Religion.

Angels minister to us daily.  They speak to us by the power of the Holy Ghost.  We are receiving daily encouragement from our parents and grandparents from beyond the grave.  They are much close to us than we realize.  In our recent stake conference, Elder Richard G. Scott, of the Twelve Apostles, said that his departed wife communicates with him frequently.  He gave the example of one General Conference when he was sitting in his big red chair waiting for the meetings to start, he heard in his mind, “Rich, your cell phone is live; turn it off.”  He said it was from his dear wife.

 

3 Nephi 17 I Will Heal Them

The Great God Jehovah, The Light of the World, Jesus Christ the Resurrected Lord had come to the believers in America.  He had spent most of the day with them.  He had each person come to him and touch the prints of the nails in his hands and feet.  He had taught them the doctrine of Christ.  But they were tired and weary.  Jesus knew it and said he would come again in the morning.  Their longing faces and overflowing hearts told him that they didn’t want him to leave yet even though they were exhausted.  Having compassion, he asked them to bring their sick and afflicted forward so he could bless and heal them.  “Any manner” of affliction qualified for his healing touch.  I would have gone forward and received a blessing for my mental illness.  The depression and anxiety would have been forever gone.  But he wasn’t finished.  Now he wanted the children to come forward.

3 Nephi 16 Thy Watchman Shall Lift Up the Voice

Jesus tells the people that he will visit all the House of Israel, not just those at Jerusalem, and not just those he is currently with.  I hope someday we will be able to read an account of those visits.  Jesus concludes his words about the gathering of Israel by quoting Isaiah: “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.  Break forth unto joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.  The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.”

3 Nephi 15 The Light, The Law, The Shepherd

I quote from verses 9, 17, and 21: “Behold, I am the law, and the light.  Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.”  “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd….verily I say unto you, that ye are they of who I said: Other sheep I have….”