We may receive an answer to a prayer before we realize that we have received an answer to a prayer. God explained to Oliver Cowdery that he had been enlightened many times by the Spirit of Truth. Jesus declared that a group of Lamanites had been baptized by fire without being aware of it. They had experienced the miracle, but they didn't yet have the gospel context to fully grasp its meaning.
“I Am Jesus Christ”
When the Savior visited the people at the temple in Bountiful, He introduced Himself concisely and powerfully. He provided context for His arrival, identified what He does for us, and explained the atoning sacrifice He had offered on our behalf.
Promised Light
After three days of darkness, when the light returned, the mourning of the Nephites and the Lamanites was turned into joy. Some of our "nights" may last weeks or months, but the promise remains: Morning will come; there will be joy.
There Was Silence
After the natural disasters which coincided with the death of Jesus Christ, and after hearing His voice, the survivors sat in silence for many hours. What would we experience if we took the time to reduce the noise in our lives and sit in silence?
What Does Darkness Feel Like?
The ninth plague was darkness so thick it could be felt. The Nephites experienced a similar darkness after the death of Jesus. But they heard Him declare that He is the light of the world, and their mourning was replaced by joy when the light returned.
Jesus Quoting Abinadi
Jesus quoted Abinadi twice, once just before He was born, and once just after His death. Nephi, whose great-great-great-grandfather Alma had heard Abinadi speak those words, may have recognized this as an endorsement of Abinadi's testimony.
Mercy
1. God is merciful. 2. He extends "arms of mercy" toward us. 3. The Savior's bowels are filled with mercy because of what He suffered. 4. He earned the right to offer us mercy. We claim that mercy by repenting. 5. Mercy is central to God's plan for us.
Jesus Is the Christ
The Greek word Christos means "the Anointed One." It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah). Lehi taught his children that the Messiah would be the Savior of the World. Nephi and Mormon testified that Jesus is the Christ.
Faith Halls of Fame
Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon provide lists of people who exercised great faith. These lists illustrate that God provides various blessings through faith, that people can exercise faith together, and that faith can help us grow closer to God.
A New Covenant
Jeremiah prophesied that God would make a new covenant with us. He wants this covenant to be "written in our hearts." That's because covenants are all about relationships. We need to view our covenants as relationships, not merely a set of requirements.