Christ Visits the Native American People

One of the true gems of the Book of Mormon is when Christ comes to visit his people, the Nephites and Lamanites on the American continent. 

What can I say that hasn't already been said or say to even try to understand how amazing this event was? 

Let's break it down into 3 key events: 

• Showed and Testified of Himself
• Established and Organized the Priesthood
• Healed the Sick/Afflicted and Blessed the Children

Showed and Testified of Himself

The very first thing Jesus says when he descends upon the American people is to come unto him: 

"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." 

I see this statement as literal and figurative. He wanted them to see him, feel him and know for sure that he was the Christ that had been prophesied about. But I also believe figuratively, he was also saying, come unto him in the gospel and choose light over darkness, good versus bad. 

This must have been an amazing experience and truth be told, I have a hard time trying to fully visualize what this event truly was to experience. I do feel like the people who did come unto him and felt him were spiritually prepared to be in his presence. I would imagine there might have been some who felt ashamed because they weren't living the gospel and just watched from afar. 

So when Christ returns again in these last days for the last time and if I'm still alive to experience it, I hope I am prepared to meet him and bow down and bathe his feet in my tears. 

Established and Organized the Priesthood

Now that the law of Moses was fulfilled, Christ established and organizes the priesthood, in which they received the priesthood. After some research I found this on the churches website: 

"President Joseph Fielding Smith explained what “order” of the priesthood the Nephites exercised: “The Nephites were descendants of Joseph. Lehi discovered this when reading the brass plates. … Therefore there were no Levites who accompanied Lehi to the Western Hemisphere. Under these conditions the Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them”" 

The way I read this is" by virtue" they officiated the melchizedek priesthood, but it wasn't until Christ's arrival that they could fully operate under the melchizedek priesthood. Please correct me if I don't understand this quite clearly. 

As in the east and as in our day, Christ established His church with prophets and apostles. During his visit he called 12 apostles to administer in His church. 

Healed the Sick/Afflicted and Blessed the Children

It was said that there was 2500 people in the multitude, yet He had compassion and love for them that he wanted to heal them: 

"7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy." 

What an amazing thing to experience. It must have been incredible to once have been crippled or blind and suddenly able to walk or see. And the joy that must have been felt by the loved ones of those sick and afflicted. I have family members who are afflicted with a sort of sickness and what joy would fill my soul to have that affliction removed. Wow! 

He also had the children come unto Him and blessed them: 

"11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought. 

12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him." 

And how can this experience be explained? Well it cannot: 

"17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father." 

And: 

"24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them." 

Amazing! 

It will be truly amazing what we will experience when someday, all of us will have a chance to meet him at the judgment seat. I just hope and pray that I'm ready to come unto him.