A Momentous Occasion

What might have been a day just like any other day ended suddenly when the sky darkened, like a thick blanket was tossed over the sun, blocking its light. The air felt thick and heavy, and the world suddenly became silent, as the animals and even the elements braced themselves for the tempest to come. With a crack of lightning and a resounding thunderous boom that shook the planet, the skies opened and down plummeted the deluge. Water poured down in torrents, quickly flooding the earth, followed by hurricane strength winds with a force that brought down buildings and trees. Fires begun by lightning and fanned by the torrential winds raged in spite of the rain, and entire cities were quickly engulfed. Some cities were swallowed up in gaping sink holes while others were buried as mountains drunkenly staggered over them. Ocean waves heaved out of their beds to drag towns and villages out to sea. After three hours of heaving and tossing, the land finally settles, the rain eases, the winds calm, but the darkness remains. And out of the darkness comes a voice: Wo to this people, for the devil laughs and his angels rejoice because of the wicked who have been slain.

In institute this morning we studied 3 Nephi 8-15, which tells about the signs of Christ's death in the Americas, and Christ's visit to these people. The imagery that the Book of Mormon writers used in this section is powerful. This was the climax of the Book of Mormon, the point at which everything that the Prophets had been foretelling since the beginning of time was all going to happen. Here was where Christ taught the Nephites that the outward performances of the law of Moses were replaced with the inward ordinances of the New Covenant. Here was where Jesus taught the beatitudes, which the Prophet Harold B. Lee taught were Christ's autobiography, and a map that we need to follow in order to come to Christ and be perfected in him. (See Striving For Perfection for more on the beatitudes.)

When Christ talks to the people in the darkness, he compares them to chickens that he wanted to gather under his wings, but they would not. We watched this short clip entitled "Chicks and Hens" which describes this (for us non-farm people).

 

Our teacher also wanted to show us this video, entitled Another Testament of Christ. It is a slideshow of beautiful photographs depicting a reenactment of Christ's visit to the Nephites. Because it is a YouTube video, it was blocked at the church, but you can see it here:

In Jesus' Sermon at the Temple (so similar to the Sermon on the Mount), he also uses a lot of imagery. Here is another video, this one of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing, "Consider the Lilies".

Christ's visit to the Nephites was a momentous occasion. I am grateful that we have a record of it.