During the Savior’s ministry on the American continent, He taught the people, but He also served them in other ways, including:
- Healing the sick (3 Nephi 17:6-10)
- Blessing their children (3 Nephi 17:11-12, 21-24)
- Praying with and for them (3 Nephi 17:13-20, 3 Nephi 19:15-36)
- Administering the sacrament (3 Nephi 18:1-16)
He also gave His twelve disciples some time to teach and to baptize before His return on the second day (3 Nephi 19:4-14).
Here are some principles I have learned from studying this portion of the Savior’s ministry:
How to minister
- We follow the Savior’s example by serving others in an active, practical way: What Does It Mean to Minister?
- We should focus on individuals, learn to respond to their verbal and non-verbal messages, find ways to relieve their suffering, and empower them to teach and serve effectively: What Can I Learn from Jesus Christ’s Ministry on the American Continent?
- Even if we can’t see them, angels are nearby, providing guidance, encouragement, and support: What Is the Ministering of Angels?
- The Savior feels compassion and empathy deeply and intensely: What Are “Bowels of Mercy?”
- We need to pay attention to the people around us, see them as they really are, and not take them for granted: Behold Your Little Ones – 3 Nephi 17:23.
How to pray
- Our prayers need not be limited to words alone: The Things Which He Prayed Cannot Be Written – 3 Nephi 17:15-17
- Leave space in your prayers to listen and to feel: They Did Not Multiply Many Words – 3 Nephi 19:24
- Family prayer can be a unifying and spiritually uplifting experience: What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Family Prayer?
- We should be vigilant—aware of the risks and the dangers we face—and ask God to help us with those risks and dangers: What Does It Mean to “Watch and Pray?”
- Follow the guidance of the Spirit as you pray, and strive to align your will with the will of the Savior: Why Did the Disciples Pray to Jesus in 3 Nephi 19?
- Some prayers are more formal than others. Those formal prayers can teach us to align our will more closely with the will of God: Why Are Some Prayers Fixed (the Sacrament Prayers, for Example) in Contrast to Our Normal Prayers?
How to partake of the sacrament
- Partaking of the sacrament frequently helps us remember the Savior and receive the Holy Ghost: What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Sacrament?
- The sacrament prayers consist of a petition, a statement of purpose, and a set of promises: What Can We Learn from the Sacrament Prayers?
- Participating fully in the sacrament can satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst and lead us toward eternal life: What Does It Mean to Eat and Drink the Bread and Water to Our Souls?
- Most of the words in the sacrament prayers come directly from the instructions the Savior gave when He introduced the sacrament to the Nephites and the Lamanites: Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?
- Prepare to receive the sacrament by examining yourself, contemplating your own spiritual progress, and repenting as needed: How Do I Know If I’m Worthy to Take the Sacrament?
How to manage my time
- It’s important to prioritize people over schedules and to-do lists: Bring Them Hither – 3 Nephi 17:1-7
- Be responsive to the needs of the people around you, even if it means adjusting your schedule: How Can I Manage Time More Effectively?
How to teach (and learn)
- Remember that learning is an active process. A good teacher helps the students fulfill their role in the learning process: Prepare Your Minds – 3 Nephi 17:1-3
- Take time to think deeply about the gospel and follow questions wherever they lead with a willing mind: What Does It Mean to Ponder?
How to participate in General Conference
- Listen with an open mind, and ask God for additional understanding: How Can I Prepare to Hear the Words of Prophets?
- Review what you learn, take time to fully understand, and fulfill assignments you receive: What Should I Do After I Hear the Words of Prophets?
How to receive the healing power of Jesus Christ
- Jesus can heal all of our wounds: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. We need to exercise faith in Him, ask Him to heal us, and then patiently trust that it will happen: How Can I Be Healed?
Blog Posts: September 29 – October 11
“My Time Is at Hand” – 3 Nephi 17:1
Near the end of the first day of the Savior’s ministry on the American continent, He announced to the people that it would soon be time for Him to leave. “Behold, my time is at hand,” He said, explaining that He was returning to His Father before going to visit another group of people (3…
“He Did Heal Them Every One” – 3 Nephi 17:9
After telling the people at the temple in Bountiful that it was time for Him to go, Jesus “cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them” (3 Nephi 17:5).…
“Offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness” – 3 Nephi 24:3
During the Savior’s visit to the American continent, He quoted two chapters from the Book of Malachi. The first passage of these chapters contains a prophecy that, before the Savior’s Second Coming, He will refine and purify His people, so that they can “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (3 Nephi 24:3, Malachi…
“Which I Have Shown unto You” – 3 Nephi 18:7
On both the first and the second days of the Savior’s ministry on the American continent, He blessed bread and wine and commanded the multitude to eat and drink, telling them that they should “always” do this in remembrance of His body and blood. (See 3 Nephi 18:1-11, 3 Nephi 20:2-9.) Moroni later recorded the…
“That We May Be One” – 3 Nephi 19:23, 29
At the Last Supper, Jesus offered a prayer which is often called the Intercessory Prayer, because He pleaded with His Father on behalf of His apostles. In the following passage, He pleads not only for them but for all who believe in Him: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through…
“Lay Hold upon the Word of God” – Helaman 3:29
In the opening session of the October 2020 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson extended an invitation, based on a passage from the Book of Mormon: As we gather to hear the words the Lord has inspired His servants to deliver, I invite you to ponder a promise the Lord made. He declared that “whosoever…
“He Cast His Eyes Round About Again” – 3 Nephi 17:5
After teaching the people at the temple in Bountiful, the Savior “looked round again on the multitude.” He saw that they had reached their limit. They couldn’t process any more of His teachings at that time. Consequently, He instructed them to go home, ponder His words, and prepare for His return on the following day.…
Ponder – 3 Nephi 17:3
After delivering the Sermon on the Mount and beginning a sermon about the gathering of Israel, the Savior saw that his listeners were exhausted. They had reached their limit, and they were unable to assimilate any more information. “I perceive that ye are weak,” He said, “that ye cannot understand all my words which I…
“Watch and Pray Always” – 3 Nephi 18:18-24
Jesus taught the Nephites and the Lamanites the importance of prayer. “Ye must watch and pray always,” He said, “lest ye be tempted by the devil…. Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:18-19). He promised that prayer would help them overcome temptation and that Heavenly Father would answer their…
“Tongue Cannot Speak the Words Which He Prayed” – 3 Nephi 19:32
On the first day of the Savior’s ministry on the American continent following His death and resurrection, He invited the multitude He was with to kneel on the ground. He offered a prayer to His Father, “and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him” (3…
“His Countenance Did Smile upon Them” – 3 Nephi 19:25
May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace. The “Priestly Blessing,” Numbers 6:24-26, New Living Translation The word “smile” does not appear in either the Old Testament or the New Testament in…
The Twelve Disciples
About 600 years before the birth of the Savior, the prophet Nephi saw in a vision that the Savior would choose twelve apostles to serve with Him during His mortal ministry (1 Nephi 11:29, 34-36). He also saw that, following the Savior’s death and resurrection, He would visit Nephi’s descendants, and that He would choose…
“I Know My Sheep, and They Are Numbered” – 3 Nephi 18:31
The Hebrew word paqad (פְקַד) has multiple meanings. It means “to count” or “to number,” and the word appears many times in conjunction with the Israelite census recorded in the Book of Numbers. It also means “to visit” or “to attend to.” After promising Abraham that his wife Sarah would bear a son, “the Lord…
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