Jesus Visits the Nephites

By Diane L. Mangum

For three days thick darkness covered the land of the Nephites. There was not a glimmer of sunlight or a twinkle of starlight. It was so dark that not even a candle would light.

The frightened Nephites had listened to the thunder and terrible storms and felt earthquakes shake the ground. Now in the darkness many people cried and howled. They wished they had followed the prophet Nephi’s teachings and repented!

Suddenly a voice was heard throughout all the land: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father in the beginning.”

Jesus said He had come to earth to save the world from sin. He had laid down His life and was now resurrected. He invited everyone to repent and be saved.

The Nephites were so astonished to hear the voice of Jesus that they sat silent for many hours, pondering what they had heard.

In the morning it was light again, and the people began to rejoice. Many people gathered around the temple in the land of Bountiful to talk about the amazing things that had happened. Then from heaven they heard a quiet voice. The voice caused their hearts to burn, but they couldn’t understand it.

The voice came again, but they still did not understand the words.

A third time the voice came, saying, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.”

The people looked up and saw Jesus coming down from heaven until He stood right there with them. The Nephites fell to the earth. They remembered the words of the prophets—that Jesus Christ would visit them after He had been crucified and resurrected.

Jesus let every person touch His hands and feet to feel the places where He had been nailed to the cross in Jerusalem. When all the people had seen and felt for themselves, they knew He was the resurrected Savior. They cried, “Hosanna!” and worshipped Him.

Jesus called for the prophet Nephi to come to Him. He gave Nephi and 11 other righteous men the authority to teach and baptize after He returned to heaven. These 12 became the disciples of Jesus Christ’s Church in the New World.