“A Book of Mormon Christmas,” New Era, Dec. 1993, 20
A Book of Mormon Christmas
When Christ was born in the Old World, the New World received a marvelous witness. As you read the account, may you a receive a witness of your own.
The words of Luke ring like the voice of an old friend—familiar and reassuring: “Firstborn son … in a manger … shepherds abiding in the field … glory to God in the highest.” They are words so familiar we can almost quote them at will from memory.
But what of the words of Nephi? He saw in vision the birth of the Savior 600 years before it happened. What of Samuel the Lamanite’s brave prophecy? Against the arrows of the wicked, he foretold the coming light. What of the stirring account in Third Nephi? The Savior spoke comfort to a troubled prophet: “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; … on the morrow come I into the world” (3 Ne. 1:13).
The Book of Mormon brims with words of comfort and reassurance, with powerful witnesses of Christ. In the next few pages, we share some favorite passages. Feast upon them. Make them as familiar as the words of Luke. Go to the book itself, and discover your own favorites. The Book of Mormon is a gift to you from God.
1 Nephi 10:4
“Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.” [1 Ne. 10:4]
2 Nephi 17:14
“Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” [2 Ne. 17:14]
“And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem, which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.”
Helaman 14:10, 12
“[I] have spoken unto you the words which the Lord hath commanded. …
“… that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name.” [Hel. 14:10, 12]
3 Nephi 1:13
“Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.” [3 Ne. 1:13]
2 Nephi 26:3
“And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection.” [2 Ne. 26:3]
2 Nephi 33:11
“And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.” [2 Ne. 33:11]
2 Nephi 25:26
“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” [2 Ne. 25:26]
“And now if Christ had not come into the world, … there could have been no redemption. …
“But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.”
3 Nephi 9:22
“Whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.” [3 Ne. 9:22]
Background illustrations by Frederick Catherwood
Inset: The Nativity by Lorenzo Lotto
Inset: Behold I Am Jesus Christ by Ronald Crosby