By Ali Williams
The Nephite people received ?one of the most powerful events that ever occurred on planet earth? because they wanted it, said Clyde Williams, associate professor of ancient scripture, in his Education Week address Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006.
That event, recorded in 3 Nephi 17, was the culmination of Jesus Christ?s ministry on his first day with the Nephites after his resurrection. Earlier in the day Christ had revealed himself to those at the temple, allowed them to touch his wounds, retold the Sermon on the Mount and uttered the Lord?s Prayer.
?We don?t know exactly how many people were there to begin the day, but we do know that there were 2,500 people by the end of it,? Williams said. ?If there were indeed 2,500 people, and they each took 10 seconds to meet with Jesus, this would have taken seven hours. It was so important to the Savior that all these people had an eye witness, it surely had to have been a large portion of the day.?
After all that, it appears the Savior is going to depart, Williams said. He has spent a long day with the Nephites and intends to leave them to rest until he comes again the next day.
He quoted 3 Nephi 17:5: ?And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if to tarry a little longer with them.?
?They got chapter 17 because they wanted it,? Williams said. ?They had gone the whole day without eating. Surely they could have been thinking about going home to get food. But they were so desirous for Jesus to stay that they got this great blessing. May I suggest if we want more spiritual outpourings, this is how it will come. Because we really want it.?
During his extended stay, the Savior healed the sick.
?The environment was quiet,? Williams said. ?There were tears, probably a gasp or two, but it was solemn and sacred, and you feel it.?
The Savior then prayed to the Father in language that the Book of Mormon says cannot be written. Williams said Christ might have spoken in a sacred language, like the Adamic, that the Nephites were given to understand through the gifts of tongues. They understood but didn?t have the words to convey it in scripture. Or perhaps, Williams said, the prayer was so sacred it couldn?t be written. Probably both, he said.
Third, Christ wept with the Nephites.
?For once, he [Christ] is weeping, not because of wickedness,? Williams said. ?As it says in verse 20, his joy was full. Finally, somebody wanted it so much, that he could give them so much more.?
Much like their parents earlier in the day, at this time the Savior gathered little children and blessed them individually.
?Why would he do it? Because the Savior wanted them to remember this,? Williams said. ?He wanted the day so embedded in their minds that we get more than one generation that remains faithful [after Christ?s visit].?
At the conclusion of the day, angels came and ministered to the people.
?I suggest that even though you and I weren?t there, as we read the account and the spirit touches our heart, we can add that 2,501 saw and heard and felt.?
