BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Thoughts: Intimate Atonement
Letter to Author’s Sister
I am writing you early this week because I don’t want to forget the feelings I just had in class. I was incredibly tired, and prayed at the beginning of class to pay attention and feel the spirit. Oh boy, did I feel the tender spirit as we read through only half the chapter together as a class and discuss this unique passage of scripture. My hand didn’t stop writing until we watched a short video at the end of class.
There are three witnesses that occur in chapter 11 of 3 Nephi of the divinity of the Savior Jesus Christ. The first and most powerful in all scripture is the testimony of the Father, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7). Second, Christ testifies of himself. Finally, and most importantly, the Savior invited the multitude to, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know (3 Nephi 11:14, emphasis added).
Interesting that after the testimony of the Father and the Son, the personal confirmation of the Spirit is the most lasting testimony we can receive. Christ understands our mortal state and the effect of our senses to increase our knowledge and understanding of principles. But I truly believe that what the people needed most of all was to feel his love for each of them personally as it was conveyed by the spirit.
This is my favorite scripture among all latter-day revelation:
And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come (3 Nephi 11:15, emphasis added).
This scripture demonstrates the infinite and intimate nature of the Atonement. I know that Christ suffered for the sins of the world, but he also suffered for our infirmities, pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, etc., as stated in Alma 7:11-12.
My teacher made the statement, “When you come to Jesus he will be exactly what you need him to be.” If you need someone to cry with, he’ll weep with you, or smile with you, or comfort you. He knows what we need when we need it.
I know that you and I are daughters of God. I know that through sincere, consistent prayer I feel that the Savior is exactly the kind of friend, father, or brother that I need him to be. I have my struggles, like everyone does. The Atonement is how I take these to him daily, weekly, and monthly to reconcile, strengthen, and succor me through this life.
I love you and hope that this was understandable.
Hailey
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