Ministering in 3 Nephi

One of the themes of the book of 3 Nephi is ministering, and the word minister is used in this book more than any other in the Book of Mormon.  First and foremost we are told how the Savior ministered.  Mormon introduced the visit of Christ in these words, “after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter” (3 Nephi 10:18-19).  In the introduction to the next part of 3 Nephi, which was part of the writing on the plates, Mormon similarly wrote that Jesus “did minister unto them.”  He spoke to them about how He had “been to minister” to others not in their land or in the land of Jerusalem (3 Nephi 16:1).  After the first day of His visit the people spread the word that they “had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them” (3 Nephi 19:2).  When Jesus came back the next day, the very first description was this: “Behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them” (3 Nephi 19:15).  Later Mormon described one of the most touching scenes of His visit among them when Jesus “did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude” (3 Nephi 26:14).  The Savior throughout His visit among the Nephites blessed the children, healed the sick, taught the principles of His gospel, administered the Sacrament to them, and simply spent time being with them.  He gave us the perfect example of what it means to truly minister to others.                      

             In 3 Nephi we also see how the disciples followed His example and ministered to others.  When the Savior introduced the twelve disciples to the multitude, He said, “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants” (3 Nephi 12:1).  After some of His teaching, Jesus reminded the Twelve, saying, “Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people” (3 Nephi 13:25).  After Christ left the first day, we read that the Twelve prayed and then “arose and ministered unto the people,” and part of that service was to “minister those same words which Jesus had spoken” (3 Nephi 19:7-8).  They clearly took the lesson to heart, for after the Savior left them, Mormon recorded that “they did go forth upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching” (3 Nephi 28:18).  They did serve and teach and bless the people according to the mandate they had received, even so much that the three who remained and did not taste of death were still ministering to others hundreds of years later when Mormon and Moroni were on the scene, the latter of whom wrote, “But behold, my father and I have seen them, and they have ministered unto us” (Mormon 8:11).  In the Lord’s Church, it is the responsibility first and foremost of the leaders to minister and serve others. Christ, the head of the Church, ministered more than any other, and He commanded His apostles and prophets to follow the same example.  Even when He sends angels to help us, there job is the same, as they showed when they came to the Nephites: “and the angels did minister unto them” (3 Nephi 17:24).  All of us who seek to follow Him have the responsibility to minister to God’s children in whatever capacity we can.