It Did Cause Their Hearts to Burn

To my son, 

                When I was a missionary we often gave a copy of the Book of Mormon to people. We would usually invite them to read a few passages on their own. Instead of telling them to start from the beginning, we typically encouraged them to read 3 Nephi 11 because it is such a powerful chapter telling the Savior’s visit to the Nephites. This week we are studying that chapter with the Come, Follow Me program, and we read yesterday as a family these words of the Savior to introduce Himself: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world” (3 Nephi 11:10). President Jeffrey R. Holland said this about these words and this chapter in general: “That appearance and that declaration, constituted the focal point, the supreme moment, in the entire history of the Book of Mormon. It was the manifestation and the decree that had informed and inspired every Nephite prophet. … Everyone had talked of him, sung of him, dreamed of him, and prayed for his appearance—but here he actually was. The day of days! The God who turns every dark night into morning light had arrived.” I want to encourage you today, just as I invited countless people on my mission, to read and study this chapter of the Book of Mormon. We are so blessed to have this account of the Savior to add another witness to the four gospels showing that Jesus is the Christ and the light and the life of the world who took upon Himself the sins of all.

                As you read this chapter, look for three things in particular. First, before the Savior came down among them, you’ll read about how the people in the land Bountiful heard a voice in heaven: “And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn” (v3). This experience of the people hearing a voice that caused their hearts to burn can teach us a lot about how we can hear the Holy Ghost in our own lives. Notice how they did not understand the voice at first, but when they did “look steadfastly towards heaven” they finally comprehended the words of the Father introducing His Son. As we seek to understand the Holy Ghost, we may not understand His voice immediately, but as we open our ears to hear and look to heaven, the Holy Ghost will touch our hearts too. Second, notice what the Savior did first among the people after He introduced Himself. You’ll see that He invited all the people to come to Him, leaving no one out: “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (v14). They did all go forth and learned for themselves that He was indeed the Son of God whom the prophets had testified would come into the world. You too can know for yourself that He is your Savior and that He died on the cross for you. Lastly, look for what He taught about contention towards the end of this chapter: “He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention… such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30). We should strive to heed His counsel and git rid of all contention in our lives, in whatever form it comes in. That is a teaching the world especially needs today!

                As we would give a Book of Mormon to people, inviting them to read 3 Nephi 11, we of course also invited them to pray and ask God to know if it is true. As you read this chapter and others in the Book of Mormon, pray to know for yourself that it is a true account of the Savior Jesus Christ. As you do so, you too can hear the voice that will pierce to the center and testify that it is true. I have felt the power of this book in my life and know from it that Jesus is our Savior and that Joseph Smith who translated it is a true prophet of the Lord. Know that a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon will be a powerful anchor in your life!

Love,

Dad