My Testimony: He Lives!
I know technically many don't celebrate Christmas time until after Thanksgiving, but it has been on my mind a lot lately. I love Christmas time, I love everything about it. I love the snow, the music, the time spent around family and friends, and that almost palpable Christmas feeling in the air that is created by remembering why we celebrate this time of year. So, as it has been drawing nearer, my mind has been drawn towards Christ more than usual (I'm still working on keeping that all year round).
In my Book of Mormon class this week, we have been reading and discussing 3 Nephi, when Christ visits the people in the Americas. I love this part of the Book of Mormon and I have learned to love it even more this week. Some of the verses that really struck me this week were 3 Nephi 11:14-15 and 3 Nephi 9:13-14. Chapter 9 takes place before Christ appears, he is speaking in these verses to the people of the Americas, the verses read:
"13 ...will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
While chapter 11 takes place when Christ appears to the people, he bids them to come unto him in these verses:
"14 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.
15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come."
The imagery of those last two verses is simply incredible. It has not been long since Christ paid the greatest sacrifice that could ever be made in behalf of these people. The love that he must feel for them is incredible. The image of him beckoning them unto him to show them the signs of his sacrifice and the evidence that it really is him. I cannot imagine the feelings that they must have felt in those precious and personal moments with him. It is incredible to me to imagine that he did so on a one by one basis, but then again, how else would he have done it? Christ's whole life was spent doing things for people on an individual basis. He served with individual people, serving individual people, and in the end, suffering for everyone who had or who would ever live on a one by one basis.
I love the in chapter 9 verses his offer to heal the people and really, to heal us. "Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" Christ wants to help us and to heal us. I have felt that personal healing power in my life, more times than I count or recollect. I almost feel like I feel it every day.
We all have a need to be healed. It is the most incredible and indescribable feeling. I may be young and have little life experience, but there are some things that I have learned and that I know. I spent two years of my life declaring the truths that I know to everyone that would listen. However, I refuse to be done. There are things that I wish all who ever meet me to know about me.
I know that there is an all powerful and all knowing God of the universe and we are His children. I know that His son, Jesus Christ is the great Jehovah, I know that he lived as Jesus of Nazareth, and that he is resurrected and still lives today. I know that he paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that we could return to live with him and our Father in Heaven after this mortal life. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Just as the ancient followers of God did, we have a prophet today as well. I know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that one day, I will get to meet Him again. It is true, it is all true, it always has been and always be, and I will forever be grateful to those who introduced me those truths and those who continue to help me remember what is truly important.
In my Book of Mormon class this week, we have been reading and discussing 3 Nephi, when Christ visits the people in the Americas. I love this part of the Book of Mormon and I have learned to love it even more this week. Some of the verses that really struck me this week were 3 Nephi 11:14-15 and 3 Nephi 9:13-14. Chapter 9 takes place before Christ appears, he is speaking in these verses to the people of the Americas, the verses read:
"13 ...will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
While chapter 11 takes place when Christ appears to the people, he bids them to come unto him in these verses:
"14 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.15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come."
The imagery of those last two verses is simply incredible. It has not been long since Christ paid the greatest sacrifice that could ever be made in behalf of these people. The love that he must feel for them is incredible. The image of him beckoning them unto him to show them the signs of his sacrifice and the evidence that it really is him. I cannot imagine the feelings that they must have felt in those precious and personal moments with him. It is incredible to me to imagine that he did so on a one by one basis, but then again, how else would he have done it? Christ's whole life was spent doing things for people on an individual basis. He served with individual people, serving individual people, and in the end, suffering for everyone who had or who would ever live on a one by one basis.
I love the in chapter 9 verses his offer to heal the people and really, to heal us. "Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" Christ wants to help us and to heal us. I have felt that personal healing power in my life, more times than I count or recollect. I almost feel like I feel it every day.
We all have a need to be healed. It is the most incredible and indescribable feeling. I may be young and have little life experience, but there are some things that I have learned and that I know. I spent two years of my life declaring the truths that I know to everyone that would listen. However, I refuse to be done. There are things that I wish all who ever meet me to know about me.
I know that there is an all powerful and all knowing God of the universe and we are His children. I know that His son, Jesus Christ is the great Jehovah, I know that he lived as Jesus of Nazareth, and that he is resurrected and still lives today. I know that he paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that we could return to live with him and our Father in Heaven after this mortal life. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Just as the ancient followers of God did, we have a prophet today as well. I know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that one day, I will get to meet Him again. It is true, it is all true, it always has been and always be, and I will forever be grateful to those who introduced me those truths and those who continue to help me remember what is truly important.
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