Jesus Came and Visited Me, NBD.

Q: Read the Third Book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Within this book is narrated the visit of Jesus Christ to the people of Nephi. Consider the way this event is presented and write about how it might be received by Americans living in the 19th and 20th centuries. What in their world might be challenged or better understood after reading this. Make sure you cite and comment on at least one passage.


A: The whole story of Jesus visiting America and all that he does there is immensely interesting, but I am going to focus on one aspect of it in particular: Jesus making a visit from Heaven after death.

"And it came to pass as they understood, they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and 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, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
And it cam to pass that he stretched forth his hand, and spake unto the people, saying, behold I am Jesus Christ, of whom the prophets testified shall come into the world: and behold I am the light and the life of the world..." (p. 485)

This might not seem like a huge deal; Jesus has been known to make appearances. But think about reading that scene from the perspective of a 19th century American. If you were searching for the "one, true" religion in this place that was still relatively "new," I think that this book would make it pretty easy for you to pick one. Obviously, a lot of people stuck with the religions of their families, but enough didn't that it allowed Mormonism to take off. And I understand why.

Somehow, I don't think that the shades are authentic...

I find this scene to be so important because Jesus made a special trip, after death, to visit these "first" Americans. Is this historical? Well, I'll let you be the judge of that but without history books, it would certainly give an American something to think about. I imagine that early Americans who read the Book of Mormon felt really special and important. The idea that the Son of God took time out of his afterlife to come and deliver a message to these people in particular is really singling them out, and must have given any 19th century American a real sense of import and true pride in being from the "Promised Land."