Joyful Anticipation

Since it is December 24^th, I read today 3 Nephi 1 in the Book of Mormon which is, in a way, a Christmas Eve chapter. I say that because it tells of the day before the Savior was born. Nephi, the prophet among the Nephites, received these words from the Lord through the Spirit: “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given” (3 Nephi 1:13-14). We can sense the anticipation in the Savior’s words to finally come to earth and fulfill the mission He had been foreordained to accomplish. And there was certainly great anticipation in the believers of that day who “did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which would be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain” (3 Nephi 1:8). And for us today Christmas Eve is indeed all about anticipation as people, especially little children, look forward with great expectations for Christmas and its celebrations. As we look back today in reverence and worship towards the Baby in the manger, we can also look forward with anticipation towards the days ahead and ultimately for the return of the Savior to the earth. Alma’s words of expectation are applicable to us today: “For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people” (Alma 7:7). Indeed, the day is not far distant for us when the Savior will come again among His people.      

            The words of President Nelson often encourage us to look forward with anticipation for the days ahead, despite the prophesied difficulties that we will experience before the Second Coming. For example, in one recent general conference talk he said, “We live in a glorious age, foreseen by prophets for centuries. This is the dispensation when no spiritual blessing will be withheld from the righteous. Despite the world’s commotion, the Lord would have us look forward to the future ‘with joyful anticipation.’ Let us not spin our wheels in the memories of yesterday. The gathering of Israel moves forward. The Lord Jesus Christ directs the affairs of His Church, and it will achieve its divine objectives.” The phrase “joyful anticipation” comes from this statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith about the time in which we live when the gospel has been restored: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.” President Nelson expressed that continued anticipation which we should feel for what is yet in the future in these words in his first general conference as the prophet: “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory.” That certainly gives us a lot to look forward too! He commented later that year with these now-famous words: “We're witnesses to a process of restoration. If you think the Church has been fully restored, you're just seeing the beginning. There is much more to come.… Wait till next year. And then the next year. Eat your vitamin pills. Get your rest. It's going to be exciting.” Like children on Christmas Eve, as disciples of Jesus Christ we have much to anticipate in the days ahead as He performs His “mightiest works.” Like the people of Nephi at the time of the birth of the Savior, we too can expect that the coming days will “[bring] glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which [will] come to pass, according to the words of the prophecy of all the holy prophets” (3 Nephi 1:26).