I have been enjoying the study of Third Nephi. These chapters provide great insight into the kindness, patience and wonders available to all followers of Jesus Christ. In these special chapters, Jesus expands upon the truths He taught while living in Galilee, during his mortal ministry.
Within days of His triumph over death, in Jerusalem, Jesus is found teaching a humbled group of survivors in America. Jesus also mentions going to visit other sheep, in other locations. One of those visits could have been to Peru, as there are local Peruvian legends describing a white, bearded God, who visited the ancestors of the Andean Indians. He taught the people, healed their sick and walked on water. In the legend, the white God arrived and healed the people after a period of great darkness and suffering.
In Third Nephi, when speaking about His other sheep, chapter seven, verse four, Jesus teaches us how to receive answers to our questions. Jesus said to ask the Father in the name of Jesus, in order to receive knowledge from the Holy Ghost. Specifically, Jesus said to ask for information concerning the lost tribes.
https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/3nephi/7
In chapter nine, verse four, Jesus prays for His disciples, who had received the Baptism of Fire (right after their Baptism in water). These disciples were also recently purified in Jesus, which purification, engulfed their bodies and their clothes in glory.
In the same verse, Jesus is praying for His disciples, as Jesus wants to become one with His disciples. He wants to be in them, as the Father is within Jesus.
Jesus teaches that becoming one with his disciples, will allow Jesus to be glorified in them. This is the same process Jesus experienced during his moral life, where Jesus was able to become one with His Father, and receive the Father within Himself, which glorified the Father.
In verse five, Jesus explains the people were blessed to participate in so many miracles because of their great faith.
https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/3nephi/9
In chapter twelve, Mormon explains the information given in Third Nephi, describing Jesus visiting the people, is only a small part of what was recorded. The remaining truths which are much greater, will be given to the descendants of this people, if they accept the truths Jesus provided in the Book of Mormon. I find these verses interesting as the greater truths are not given to the Gentiles!
A state of Zion is described, in verse three of the same chapter, which lasted for two generations. Zion existed from the time Jesus visited the people, after his resurrection, for about two hundred years. During this period of time, the people shared all things in common and enjoyed miracles from heaven. About 200 years after the Birth of Christ, the people began to separate into classes and discontinued the practice of sharing with each other, and keeping all things in common. Hardly anything is recorded in Third Nephi regarding this amazing period of time. The bulk of this Zion material is waiting to be revealed. Waiting for members from the House of Israel, to believe in Jesus. https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/3nephi/12
Next, Moroni is writing the words he received directly from Jesus. Found in the first chapter of Ether, verse nineteen: He that will not believe my words will not believe me, that I am. And he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father. I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world. Come unto me, O ye gentiles, and I will shew unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you because of unbelief. Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you. https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/1
From Moroni Ether chapter five, verse eight: And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren, whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another, in mine own language, concerning these things. And only a few have I written because of my weakness in writing. And now I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you for ever. Amen.https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/5
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