Book of Mormon Feast
An Artistic Tour through 3 Nephi
3 Nephi 1
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
The Time Is at Hand -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon, 21
At a time when disbelief ran rampant among the Book of Mormon people, the not-
3 Nephi 1 – 17
BOOK OF MORMON CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Testaments – One Fold One Shepherd
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
This film weaves scenes of Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem with a fictional account of the history recorded in the Book of Mormon during the same time period. It culminates with the visit of the Savior to His sheep in the New World.
3 Nephi 1:9-
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus
Mabel Jones Gabbott and Grietje Terburg Rowley
LDS Children’s Songbook, 36
Prophets throughout the Old Testament had given hints and clues of the coming Messiah. Just five years before His birth, the Lord revealed to His Lamanite Book of Mormon prophet Samuel events that would happen in the New World at the Messiah’s birth, and later at His death.
This song was originally titled “Christmas in Zarahemla.” Illustrated.
3 Nephi 1:15
BOOK OF MORMON ART
At the Going Down of the Sun -
While in the Old World angels rejoiced and told the good news of the birth of the Savior, the Book of Mormon records that in the New World prophets had foretold a whole night of light in heavenly commemoration of His birth.
“And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.”
3 Nephi 8 – 11
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
How Oft I Have Gathered You -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon, 22
When Jesus visited the people of the New World after His resurrection, He lamented the destruction that had just taken place, and reiterated to them, as He did to the people of Jerusalem, that He had been and continued to be willing to gather them to Him in peace.
Marilyn Arnold, lyricist, and Maurine Ozment, composer, created “How Oft I Have Gathered You,” available in their book, Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon, 22.
3 Nephi 9:1,13
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Will Ye Not Now Return Unto Me -
The Book of Mormon records terrible destructions that occurred in the New World, after the crucifixion of Jesus in the Old World. After this, the resurrected Jesus spoke to the people: “O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?”
Symbolism in “Will Ye Not Now Return Unto Me”
Q: How does the composition express the particular moment chosen for the subject?
A: The composition presents a particularly intimate view of the Redeemer. When He first spoke to the peoples of ancient America, as part of His personal ministry among them, they had suffered cataclysm for three days. Their distress was dreadful. They were as yet engulfed in the close and complete darkness that had not only settled over the land, but was so dense that no fire could be kindled nor any light seen.
The Savior—in word, in deed, in every way—dwells above the darkness. He is the light of the world. When He came to the inhabitants of ancient America, He brought that light with Him. In this painting, He looks toward those who dwell in darkness beneath the storm clouds at the bottom of the painting. His countenance is the countenance of peace. He takes no pleasure in the soul that suffers, nor in the misery of anyone who perishes. He searches for those who need the light and life He alone can give.
In all the moments of our travail in the darkness by which we are so often surrounded in this world, He alone fills the heaven of our hope. As we suffer, the expansiveness of our own horizon shrinks until it narrows almost to the snuffing point at which the wick of our souls expires. This is a painting not only of the moment during which His voice was heard by all the inhabitants of the land; it is the moment in any of our lives when hope is all but gone.
3 Nephi 11, 15
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
Things Old Are Done Away -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon, 23
The Book of Mormon recounts how Jesus appeared to the people of ancient America, and taught them similar to His teachings in the New Testament.
This song celebrates His voice to these people, and the hope that He gives to all.
3 Nephi 11:6-
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
This Is My Beloved Son -
Children’s Songbook, 76
Heavenly Father has rarely spoken directly to people. He generally sends angels, commissions His Son the Lord, or speaks through the Holy Ghost. The New Testament tells us that God Himself, with His own voice, commended Jesus as His “beloved Son,” when Jesus submitted to baptism.
The highest point of the Book of Mormon is when Jesus, after His crucifixion and resurrection in the Old World, visited His people in the New World, His “other sheep.” God the Father introduced Him to these people at that time.
This song recalls these two times the Father spoke and introduced His beloved Son, and additionally when God spoke to young Joseph Smith, who was called to restore the fulness of the Lord’s gospel.
3 Nephi 11:8
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Jesus Appears unto the Nephite People
Arnold Friberg
The climax of the Book of Mormon is the wonderful visit of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America. This supernal visit, but dimly recalled in the Great White God legends
of many of these peoples, is recorded with crystal clarity in the Book of Mormon.
“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 they 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.”
Artist’s Notes:
The pinnacle of the Book of Mormon is portrayed in the next work, JESUS CHRIST APPEARS UNTO THE NEPHITE PEOPLE. Here we witness a glorious scene fulfilling the words of prophets and holy men from all the ages past; the sublime climactic event of the Book of Mormon. It is after the three days of darkness and the terrible destruction upon the whole face of the land that now the darkness lifts, a divine voice is heard, as the figure of the glorified resurrected Lord descends from heaven to an awestruck multitude below. It is truly the time foretold.
Here I sought to express in paint the transcendent spiritual glory of the wondrous thing that happened there that day. I painted the divine figure so high in the air to fulfill the written description, and yet small enough to avoid any criticism of trying to paint a likeness of the risen Lord.
Classic Scenes from the Book of Mormon
3 Nephi 11:8
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Minerva Teichert
“In this piece beloved by Latter-
3 Nephi 11:14
BOOK OF MORMON ART
That Ye May Know. Gary L. Kapp
The climax of the Book of Mormon is the wonderful visit of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America. He gave the people an invitation and an introduction:
“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 that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”
The artist’s sister, Janice Kapp Perry, described a special experience her brother had as he was painting this picture, in an article she wrote for Meridian magazine. (This painting is the 7th of 9 on the page.)
3 Nephi 11:15
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Other Sheep I Have -
Jesus told his ancient apostles, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd.” He did not explain to them who he was talking about.
The Book of Mormon answers the question of who these “other sheep” were. They were the people of Israelite descent who the Lord had led out of Jerusalem before the Babylonian captivity. These people lived the Law of Moses, but also understood that it pointed their hearts to their coming Messiah.
After Jesus’s glorious resurrection, He visited these “other sheep” in the Americas, as recorded in the Book of Mormon.
“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 gove 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.”
Artist’s notes:
The figure of the Savior appears clothed in white, as described in the ancient account. It is devoid of shadow and casts its own light on the figure of the woman. Such powerful whiteness is also described in the ancient narrative: And his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof (3 Nephi 19:25).
The rock upon which the Savior is depicted as standing is intended to remind the viewer that He speaks of Himself as the Rock of Heaven (see Moses 7:53) and, as one ancient American disciple declared: Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall (Helaman 5:12).
The grasses and wildflowers surrounding the figures bloom in the purest white, typifying the surety of the resurrection and the hope of eternal life.
3 Nephi 17
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
Come, Come, My Child -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon, 24
The people of the Book of Mormon had the transcendent experience of a personal visit from the risen Savior Jesus Christ, who showed them His love, taught them, prayed for them, and blessed them.
“Come, Come, My Child” is a sequel to “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus.”
Come, come, my child, and I will tell
the story that you love so well,
How Jesus came, God’s Holy Son,
and blessed the children one by one
As ‘round his feet they gathered there,
with heads bowed low to hear His prayer.
They saw Him weep for joy and love,
and when they raised their eyes above,
Down angels came in bursts of light,
fire transcendent, circling bright.
3 Nephi 17:1-
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Prepare Your Minds for the Morrow -
Jesus taught the people of the New World, as recorded in the Book of Mormon, after His resurrection. At the end of the first day He instructed them to go to their homes and ponder upon the things which He had said, and prepare their minds for the morrow, for He would come again and teach them.
3 Nephi 17:5
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Tarry a Little Longer. Gary L. Kapp
Jesus Christ told the people of the Book of Mormon that He would go visit other civilizations, as He was commanded by His Father.
“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 they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.”
In His compassion, He did change His plans and minister further to them.
3 Nephi 17:9
BOOK OF MORMON ART
He Did Heal Them, Every One. Gary L. Kapp.
The Book of Mormon records that when Jesus Christ visited the people of ancient America, He taught them wonderful things, some of which were similar to what He had taught during His mortal life in the Holy Land. Before He left that first day, He looked upon them with compassion, as He did through His mortal ministry, and invited those who were sick or hurt in any way to come to Him, and He would heal them.
“And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.”
(This painting is the 8th of 9 on the page. Scroll down.)
3 Nephi 17:11,12
BOOK OF MORMON ART
So They Brought Their Little Children -
In the Book of Mormon, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ made a glorious visit to the people.
“And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought. So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.”
Artist’s notes:
Symbolism in “So They Brought Their Little Children
When speaking of how we, too, can bring our children to the Savior, Cheryl C. Lant
explains: "Christ's invitation to seek Him is an invitation to know who He is, what
He has done for us, and what He has asked us to do. Coming to Christ, and eventually
seeing His face, comes only as we draw close to Him through our faith and our actions....It
is our sacred responsibility as parents and leaders of this rising generation of
children to bring them to the Savior so that they might see His face and the face
of our Father in Heaven as well" (Cheryl C. Lant, "That Our Children Might See the
Face of the Savior," April 2010 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-
Just as the young mother holds her child in her arms within the painting, so, too,
do parents, leaders, teachers, and family members, hold the seeds of their children's
faith and potential in their hands. By precept and by example we bring them to the
Savior's feet and point their souls to Him. M. Russell Ballard made this analogy
clear when he said: "Those of us who have been entrusted with precious children
have been given a sacred, noble stewardship, for we are the ones God has appointed
to encircle today's children with love and the fire of faith and an understanding
of who they are" (M. Russell Ballard, "Great Shall Be the Peace of thy Children,"
April 1994 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
The young one's earnest reaching for the Messiah also symbolizes the need for all mankind to "repent, and be baptized in [the Savior's] name, and become as a little child" (3 Nephi 11:38), for every soul is invited to reach for the Redeemer and "be converted, and become as little children [to] enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
3 Nephi 17:15-
BOOK OF MORMON ART
We Heard Him Pray for Us -
The Book of Mormon tells of a powerful prayer offered up by the Great Mediator, Jesus, when He visited the people of the New World:
“He himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold, he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.
“And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;
And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.”
3 Nephi 17:18-
BOOK OF MORMON ART
One by One -
When Jesus visited the people written of in the Book of Mormon, after His resurrection, “He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”
3 Nephi 17:24
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Look to Your Children – Minerva Teichart
This painting depicts the blessing of the children as recorded in the Book of Mormon at the time of the visit of the resurrected Savior to the New World. Done in Minerva Teichert's vibrant style, we see the great flow of heavenly beings descending from heaven to minister to the children. The Savior is near the center of the composition, reaching out to the children who come to express their love for Him. The rich, warm tones of the painting emphasize the feeling of warmth and love that filled this momentous scene.
3 Nephi 18:1-
BOOK OF MORMON ART
Minerva Teichert
“In this painting, against the backdrop of an elaborate Meso-
3 Nephi 19
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
I Was There When He Came -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon
Mormon has written some of the wondrous things that happened and things that Jesus said when He visited the people of ancient America, but the experience of the people present at that time surpasses anything that we can imagine. They made certain to certify, individually, that He came, that He lives, and that He redeems and loves. This song expresses some of the wonder of that supernal visit, as recorded in the Book of Mormon.
3 Nephi 28
BOOK OF MORMON MUSIC
We Three Were Caught Up -
Sacred Hymns of the Book of Mormon
When Jesus Christ visited the people of ancient America, he chose 12 men whom He designated as disciples, to organize His church and teach the people after He again ascended into heaven. During His time with these men, He granted unto each their own desire. Three of them desired to live on earth until He came again, so that they could continue to serve Him and minister to the world in the flesh. He took those three up to heaven for further instruction.