Book of Mormon Images - Page 4

Jesus Christ Appears to the Nephites

(3 Nephi 8:12, 3 Nephi 8:14, 3 Nephi 8:19-23; 3 Nephi 11:1-12)
Behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him. (3 Nephi 11:8)

At the time of Jesus' Crucifixion there were great storms and earthquakes in the land of the Nephites. An earthquake shook the whole earth. Many cities were destroyed and many people killed. The storm and earthquake lasted for about three hours. Then thick darkness covered the land for three days. After the darkness ended, many Nephites gathered at the temple in Bountiful. They were amazed at the great changes in the land and were talking about Jesus Christ and the signs of His death. (3 Nephi 8:12, 3 Nephi 8:14, 3 Nephi 8:19-23; 3 Nephi 11:1-2)

Then the Nephites heard a voice come from heaven, but they did not understand it. The voice was not harsh or loud but was a quiet, small voice that made their hearts burn. The second time the voice spoke the people still could not understand it. But when they heard the voice a third time, they understood it. The voice was Heavenly Father saying, "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him" (3 Nephi 11:7; 3 Nephi 11:1-6).

The Nephites looked up toward heaven and saw Jesus Christ dressed in a white robe, descending from heaven. He came and stood among the people. They were afraid to speak because they did not understand what was happening. They thought Jesus was an angel. (3 Nephi 11:8) He stretched forth His hand and said, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world" (3 Nephi 11:10; 3 Nephi 11:9).

Then the multitude remembered the prophecies that said Jesus would appear to them after His Resurrection. The Nephites all fell to the ground and worshiped Jesus. (3 Nephi 11:12)

Summary

When Jesus was crucified, there were great storms and earthquakes in the land of the Nephites. Thick darkness covered the land for three days. After the earth grew quiet and the darkness ended, many Nephites gathered at the temple. There they heard the voice of Heavenly Father introducing His Beloved Son. As they looked upward, they saw the Savior descend from heaven. He stretched forth His hand and declared that He was Jesus Christ. For many years the prophets had testified that Jesus would appear to them after His Resurrection. Now the Nephites remembered the prophecies, and they fell down to worship Him.

Artist, Arnold Friberg

Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere

(3 Nephi 11-27; 3 Nephi 28:12)
Arise and come forth unto me, ... that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth. (3 Nephi 11:14)

After Jesus' Resurrection, He visited the Nephites in the land of Bountiful. Jesus had the people come to Him one by one to feel the prints of the nails in His hands and feet. He wanted them to know He was the resurrected Savior. The Nephites fell down and worshiped Him. (3 Nephi 11:8-17)

Jesus gave Nephi and eleven other men the power to baptize and give the gift of the Holy Ghost. He taught them how to baptize (3 Nephi 11:18-27; 3 Nephi 12:1; 3 Nephi 18:36-37) and told them to teach the gospel to the Nephites (3 Nephi 11:41).

Jesus asked the multitude to listen to these twelve men and be baptized. He then taught them what He had taught the Jews in the Sermon on the Mount. (3 Nephi 12:1-48; 3 Nephi 13; 3 Nephi 14) Jesus said the Nephites were the other sheep He had spoken of in Jerusalem (3 Nephi 15:21).

Jesus healed the sick and prayed with the people. As He blessed their children, angels came down from heaven and ministered to them. (3 Nephi 17)

Jesus taught the Nephites about the sacrament (3 Nephi 18:1-11). He told them to pray for themselves, their families, and others (3 Nephi 18:15-23).

At the end of the day, Jesus left the Nephites. The next morning Jesus' chosen disciples divided the multitude into twelve groups and taught them. Nephi was baptized, then baptized the other eleven disciples. They were then filled with the Holy Ghost. Angels came and ministered to them, and suddenly Jesus appeared and ministered to them. (3 Nephi 19:1-15)

Jesus had the multitude kneel and asked the disciples to pray. Then He also prayed. During one of His prayers the Savior's words were so marvelous they could not be written or spoken by mortals. (3 Nephi 19:16-36)

After administering the sacrament again (3 Nephi 20:3-9), Jesus continued teaching the Nephites. He told them about the importance of the scriptures (3 Nephi 23). He talked about His Second Coming and commanded the people to pay tithes and offerings (3 Nephi 24). Jesus taught the Nephites for three days and met with them many times after that (3 Nephi 26:13).

One day the disciples were fasting and praying, trying to decide what to call the Church. Jesus appeared to them and told them that because it was His Church, it should be named after Him. (3 Nephi 27:1-10)

Jesus ended His ministry among the Nephites by blessing His disciples (3 Nephi 28:12).

Summary

After Jesus was resurrected, He came to the Nephites. He invited the people to feel the prints of the nails in His hands and feet so they could know He was the resurrected Savior. Jesus chose twelve disciples to minister to the people and gave them the power to baptize and give the gift of the Holy Ghost. He taught His gospel to the Nephites, offered the sacrament, healed the sick, prayed with the people, and blessed the children. He taught them about the scriptures, tithing, His Second Coming, and naming the Church after Him. Before leaving, Jesus blessed the disciples.

Artist, John Scott

Jesus Healing the Nephites

(3 Nephi 17:1-10)
And it came to pass that ... all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him. (3 Nephi 17:9)

The first day the Savior was among the Nephites, He taught them many things. As Jesus looked at them, He could tell they did not understand all of His teachings. So He told them to go home and think about His words. He told them to pray to Heavenly Father for understanding and to prepare their minds to receive more teachings. He then promised He would return the next day and teach them again. (3 Nephi 17:1-3)

The people did not want Jesus to leave them. Tears filled their eyes as they looked longingly at Him. They wanted to ask Him to stay. Jesus knew what they were thinking, and He wanted to help them. (3 Nephi 17:5-6)

He asked, "Have ye any that are sick among you? ... Bring them hither and I will heal them" (3 Nephi 17:7). Jesus could tell that the Nephites had enough faith to be healed (3 Nephi 17:8).

The multitude brought their sick to Jesus—the lame and crippled, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the lepers, those who had all kinds of illnesses. Jesus lovingly healed every one as they were brought to Him. (3 Nephi 17:9)

All the people Jesus healed and all who were well knelt down at Jesus' feet and worshiped Him. Those who could get close enough kissed His feet and bathed them with their tears. (3 Nephi 17:10)

Summary

At the end of His first day with the Nephites, Jesus could see that the people wanted Him to stay. Feeling compassion for them and knowing they had great faith, He asked them to bring their sick or suffering and He would heal them. The people came forward with all who were sick, lame, blind, deaf, or afflicted in some other manner. Jesus lovingly healed each one. All who were healed and those who were well bowed down together to worship the Savior. As many as could reach Him bathed His feet with their tears.

Artist, Ted Henninger

The Brother of Jared Sees the Finger of the Lord

(Genesis 11:3-8; Ether 1:33-43; Ether 23; Ether 6:2-3)
The veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord. (Ether 3:6)

Jared and his brother* were righteous men who lived in a city called Babel. Most people were wicked. They even started to build a tower to heaven, but the Lord stopped them. (Genesis 11:3-8; Ether 1:33-37)

The Lord told the brother of Jared to gather his family and friends and journey northward (Ether 1:38-42). The Lord led them through the wilderness to the seashore, where they lived for four years (Ether 2:5-6, Ether 2:13).

While the Jaredites camped by the sea, the Lord chastised the brother of Jared for not praying. The brother of Jared repented, and the Lord forgave him. (Ether 2:14-15)

The Lord told the brother of Jared to build barges to take his people to the promised land (Ether 2:16-17). After eight barges were finished, the brother of Jared brought two serious problems to the Lord. There would be no fresh air and no light. The Lord told the brother of Jared to cut a hole in the top and the bottom of each barge. The holes could be opened to let air in and closed to keep water out. (Ether 2:18-20)

The Lord asked the brother of Jared to think of a way to have light inside the barges (Ether 2:22-23, Ether 2:25). The brother of Jared formed 16 small stones that were clear like glass. He asked the Lord to touch the stones so they would give light. (Ether 3:1, Ether 3:4)

The Lord touched each stone with His finger. When the brother of Jared saw the Lord's finger, he fell down with fear. (Ether 3:6) The Lord said, "Arise, why hast thou fallen?" (Ether 3:7). The brother of Jared answered that when he saw the Lord's finger, he was afraid. He did not know the Lord had a body. (Ether 3:8)

The Lord told the brother of Jared that because of his faith he had seen that the Lord would someday receive a body of flesh and blood. The Lord then asked the brother of Jared if he had seen more than His finger. The brother of Jared answered, "Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me" (Ether 3:10; Ether 3:9).

The Lord showed Himself to the brother of Jared and explained that all men were created in the Lord's image (Ether 3:13-15). What the brother of Jared was seeing was the body of the Lord's spirit. When born on earth, Jesus would receive a physical body that would look the same as His spirit. (Ether 3:16)

The brother of Jared took the stones and placed one in each end of the barges. They gave light to the Jaredites as they traveled to the promised land. (Ether 6:2-3)

Summary

Jared and his brother were righteous men who lived at the time of the tower of Babel. The Lord said He would lead them and their family and friends to a promised land. The group traveled until they came to the seashore, where the Lord instructed the brother of Jared to build barges to take them across the sea. The eight barges had no light, so the brother of Jared prayed. The Lord told him to think of what to do. The brother of Jared prepared 16 clear stones and asked the Lord to touch them so they would shine. When the Lord touched the stones, the brother of Jared saw the Lord's finger. Because of the brother of Jared's great faith, Jesus showed him His spirit body. Afterward, the brother of Jared placed the stones in the barges to give the Jaredites light.

Artist, Arnold Friberg

Mormon Bids Farewell to a Once Great Nation

(Mormon 6-7; Mormon 8:2-3; Moroni 1)
O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. (Mormon 6:17-18)

Mormon knew he was getting old and that the Nephites would soon fight their last battle against the Lamanites. He did not want the Lamanites to destroy the sacred records of his people, so he hid part of them in the Hill Cumorah and gave the rest to his son, Moroni. Mormon gathered all the Nephites to the land of Cumorah for the last battle. (Mormon 6:6) The fighting was fierce, and by the end the Lamanites had killed all but 24 of the Nephites (Mormon 6:11).

As Mormon looked at the tens of thousands who had been killed, he cried out:

"O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! ... how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!

"Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen" (Mormon 6:17-18).

Mormon then wrote to the Lamanites of the latter days, telling them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. He told them to stop waging war, to be baptized, and to receive the Holy Ghost. He said if they would do these things, they would be blessed in the Day of Judgment. (Mormon 7:1, Mormon 7:3-5, Mormon 7:8, Mormon 7:10)

The Lamanites hunted and killed the remaining Nephites, including Mormon. Only Moroni was left. (Mormon 8:2-3; Moroni 1)

Summary

Mormon gathered his people to the land of Cumorah for one last battle with the Lamanites. Because the Lord had commanded him to protect the records of his people, Mormon hid in the Hill Cumorah all but a few plates. He gave these last records to his faithful son, Moroni. Nearly all of the Nephites were killed during the final battle. Mormon was filled with sorrow, for he knew the Nephites were destroyed because they rejected Jesus Christ. He wrote to the Lamanites of the latter days to tell them to repent and believe in Jesus. Eventually the Lamanites killed the remaining Nephites, including Mormon. Only Moroni survived.

Artist, Arnold Friberg