3 Nephi 27:1

And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting.

Mighty prayer is not just plain old prayer. We do not dash off a mighty prayer for two minutes before we jump into bed at the end of a long day. A mighty prayer is a prayer of power, offered with sincerity and genuine desire, born of a heart felt need, and accompanied by total humility. A mighty prayer recognizes that no other source but God can supply the relief we seek. It has full confidence that the Lord can and will answer, but it also asks according to his will, guided by the Holy Ghost. A mighty prayer does not have to be long, but it must to sufficient to allow one to pour out his heart and say all that needs to be said, followed by time to listen and ponder. The Lord gives us hard problems and painful afflictions so we can learn mighty prayer.

3 Nephi 24:16-17

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Fear God and remember him: the two prerequisites to becoming one of the jewels of the Lord. He asks only that we love him and remember him. We do not have to perform some magnificent feat of bravery. We do not have to conquer an army, we only have to conquer ourselves. We do not have to be perfect, we only have to want to be perfect. There is no work we can do that will save us. We just have to love God, keep him and his plan in our thoughts, and do our best. We do not make ourselves jewels, Christ makes us precious gems through his Atonement.

3 Nephi 24:7

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But ye say: Wherein shall we return?

This is God's promise throughout the scriptures. When we turn to him, he turns to us. It is just that simple.

3 Nephi 23:13

And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Keeping a written record is an important principle. God does not give us blessings and miracles to just wash over us, be taken for granted, and then forgotten. If he puts the effort into the blessing, he wants us to remember, and that means we should write it down. Though we may not like journal keeping, writing is a sign to the Lord that we value the gifts he gives us.

3 Nephi 23:5

And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.

Salvation is free but not without stipulations and qualifications. We must learn and obey the commandments, receive the ordinance of baptism, and continually repent if we want salvation. It is not hard or complicated to understand, but it takes a lifetime and beyond to do it. The promise, however, is worth every effort.

3 Nephi 22:16

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

God has created all things. There is nothing our enemies, temporal or spiritual, can do that God cannot overcome.

3 Nephi 22:11

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

Though we have been afflicted with guilt, the Lord can make our lives beautiful through his Atonement.

3 Nephi 22:10

For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

God's kindness is more permanent and everlasting than the mountains. Though time and weather can erode even the mightiest mountain range, nothing can erode God's love for us.

3 Nephi 22:7

For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “The imagery of Jehovah as bridegroom and Israel as bride is among the most commonly used metaphors in scripture, being used by the Lord and his prophets to describe the relationship between Deity and the children of the covenant. … Christ has, on occasion, been rightfully angry with backsliding Israel, but that has always been brief and temporary—‘a small moment.’ Compassion and mercy always return and prevail in a most reassuring way. The mountains and the hills may disappear. The water of the great seas may dry up. … But the Lord’s kindness and peace will never be taken from his covenant people. He has sworn with a heavenly oath that he will not be wroth with them forever” (Christ and the New Covenant 1997, 290).

3 Nephi 21:22

But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance;

This prophecy is about those who accept the gospel and enter into the covenants of baptism and the temple. We are added to the Lord's chosen people because of our covenants, regardless of our birth heritage or DNA. We therefore share in the inheritance of the promised land with the rest of Lehi's descendants. The same is true of our spiritual homeland. We can be accepted into the celestial kingdom because of covenants, and because of the covenant Christ made with the Father to be our Redeemer, Mediator, and Savior.

3 Nephi 21:6

For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;

This verse outlines the conditions under which we become adopted among the chosen people of the Lord. We must have faith, repent, be baptized, and believe the true doctrine of Christ. God is no respecter of persons. If we live like the chosen people, he chooses us. To ignore righteous desires would be unfair. Life is unfair, God never is.

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Every person who embraces the gospel becomes of the house of Israel. In other words, they become members of the chosen lineage, or Abraham’s children through Isaac and Jacob unto whom the promises were made. The great majority of those who become members of the Church are literal descendants of Abraham through Ephraim, son of Joseph. Those who are not literal descendants of Abraham and Israel must become such, and when they are baptized and confirmed they are grafted into the tree and are entitled to all the rights and privileges as heirs” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. 1954-56, 3:246).

3 Nephi 20:29

And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people; and I have covenanted with them that I would gather them together in mine own due time, that I would give unto them again the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land unto them forever, saith the Father.

God's promises are sure and will be fulfilled as soon as we are ready to receive them. We have the Savior's word on it.

3 Nephi 20:24

Verily I say unto you, yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have testified of me.

The primary message of every prophet is his testimony of Jesus Christ. Not all spoke of him directly or by name, but all have testified one way or the other of the Redeemer, the Savior, our Advocate with the Father, the sacrificial Lamb, the resurrected Lord. All prophetic messages point us to Christ. Christ is the only One who can bring us to the Father, and true prophets always lead us to Christ. We thank the, O God, for a prophet, to lead us to Christ in these latter days.

3 Nephi 20:9

Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.

The end result of our partaking of the sacrament should be a filling by the Holy Spirit. If we make the covenants of the sacrament with sincerity, full purpose of heart, and real intent, we are promised to have Christ's Spirit. The Holy Ghost is the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ. It can come to us immediately, even as it did for the multitude who were in Christ's very presence.

According to the words of the sacramental prayer, we only have to be willing to make and keep the covenants. If we are willing at that moment, then in that moment we can be filled with his Spirit.

Now, the vicissitudes of life and the realities of mortality may break down our wills and thwart our desires, and chances are that we won't make it through the day without stumbling in our determination, and we may find ourselves withdrawn from the Spirit by degrees. We know we are going to fall from grace again, and God knows it. Nevertheless, in that precious moment, we can be filled.

The Lord will take whatever opportunity we give him, however brief and fleeting, to give us a taste of the spiritual banquet he has in store for us, in the hope that his gift will taste sweeter than the worldly satisfactions of the natural man. He is anxious for us to break the cycle of habit, weakness, and temptation and to turn to him. For every tiny step we take in his direction, he runs to us and takes us in his arms and cheers us on. He weeps for us when we lose our grip and stumble in the wrong direction, but if our heart is right, he knows we'll be back soon. And so he waits anxiously while we grope our way back to the sacrament table again and start over. He is so pleased when we try, even though we both know we will fail. The victory of mortality is in the trying. God blesses us when we try.

3 Nephi 19:35

And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.

Christ saw evidence of the people's faith in their diligent prayers. Humble, sincere prayer, led by the Holy Ghost, is one way we can show God our faith. When we pray in faith, we invite the Lord to do wonderful things in our lives. Without prayer, we cannot be aligned with God's will, and he will not exercise his full power in our lives.

3 Nephi 19:34

Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man.

Jesus twice prayed miraculous prayers filled with words, the understanding of which came by a gift of the Spirit but which the people could not speak themselves. They could not speak the language of God because they did not know it. This language must be filled with ideas that go beyond our mortal vocabulary, ideas and thoughts so pure and elevated that we cannot comprehend them without the assistance of the universal translator -- the Holy Ghost. Just as one language may have expressions and idioms that do not translate directly into other languages, Christ's celestial language would surely be full of expressions and ways of saying things that defy human translation. To pray in tongues is useless unless someone can translate. The Holy Ghost provided the translation, and the people were edified.

3 Nephi 19:29

Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.

We come unto Christ by faith. The Father, who recognizes our faith, gives us to Christ to purify and nurture. When Christ owns us, his goal is to purify us through his atonement to make us as much like him as he is like his Father. His glory is to bring us back to the Father purified, sanctified, and ready to dwell with him in the Father's presence. Notice who is doing all the work. Our job is to start the process through faith in Christ as evidenced by our desire and our obedience. Once we are turned over to him, he does the rest.

3 Nephi 19:28

Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me.

We can be purified through faith. We can become just as pure as the eyewitnesses of Christ's resurrection when we believe their testimony and exercise faith in Christ as the Savior. We exercise our faith through our repentance and obedience. We are just as acceptable to Christ as are the apostles. All the people in the multitude who prayed to Christ were purified and made white. His countenance shined on all, not just the disciples, and not just the stake presidents and bishops, and the parents who had at least ten children, and those who wore nice clothes. Station and appearance make no difference to the Savior. All he sees is the condition of the heart. Oh, that we could all have such a heart condition!

3 Nephi 19:24

And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.

As part of our prayer practice, we too can ask what to pray for. The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to do our bidding but to align ourselves with his will and to access blessings that he is already willing to give us but which are predicated on our asking. Thus, praying for what to pray for is a useful exercise. What the natural man thinks we need and what God knows we need are diametrically opposing views of us. The key to a successful life s to overcome the natural man and accept the will of God. Prayer holds that key for us.

3 Nephi 19:23

And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.

Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. He prays to the Father for us. How comforting to know that when I pray my imperfect prayer, Christ backs me up with his perfect prayer!

3 Nephi 19:9

And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

Though these people had been in the very presence of the resurrected Christ and had heard him speak with his own voice, they wanted more than anything to have the Holy Ghost. Why? Because the Holy Ghost is the manifestation of the spirit of Christ, which he had promised they could always have with them. As life-changing as seeing the Savior would be, the Holy Ghost can change our lives even more. He does not address our eyes and ears but rather our minds and hearts. He will work continuously, if we let him, to change us and purify us and sanctify us. Though we may see with our eyes that Christ lives, that is no proof that we will live. The Holy Ghost testifies to us, however, that we will live, and it is that testimony, combined with faith in Christ, that gives us hope. These disciples wanted that hope that comes through the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 18:29

For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.

Let's be clear: no one is worthy to partake of the sacrament. We come to the sacrament table in introspection and repentance, acknowledging that we failed to keep our covenants perfectly during the preceding week. We renew our covenants of the sacrament weekly because weekly we fall short of our desires to be faithful and righteous. Therefore, to partake worthily does not mean to be without sin but to be without hypocrisy. We partake worthily when we truly want to keep the covenants we make and are willing to strive to be obedient. The point of the sacrament is not to be perfect but to have the intent to become perfect through the continuous atonement of Christ.  Jesus warns his disciples about those who partake of the sacrament for show or to be socially acceptable or to hide rebellion and intentional sins. For such, the sacrament is a curse rather than a blessing. If one does not intend to keep the covenants, it is best that he not pretend to make them in the first place. For the rest of us, we just have to keep trying.

3 Nephi 18:25

And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.

Jesus invites us all to come and feel and see. This invitation has meanings on many levels. We come unto Christ through the saving ordinances of the gospel. We feel his spirit and influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. We see him work in our lives through powerful evidences. We repeat, remember, and grow until the day comes when we come into his presence, feel his wounds with our hands, and see his countenance with our eyes. First spiritual and then physical. He will turn no one away or deny anyone who approaches with humility and real intent. We do not have to be perfect, for he will make us perfect. We do not have to be worthy, for he will make us worthy. But we must come to him worthily, meaning with the right desire and attitude, with a willingness to submit. He cannot ignore anyone who comes to him in this way.

3 Nephi 18:24

Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

Christ is the perfect example in all things. He knows who he is, and he invites us to come to know him and to emulate him in every respect. No one else can claim such loyalty from us. No one else is deserving of such loyalty.

3 Nephi 18:21

Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

Praying for others is an essential element of Christian discipleship. It is more than a suggestion or a good idea, it is a commandment. If our daily prayers do not include the seeking of blessings for others, our petitions for ourselves are in vain. Prayer is like ripples in a pool. They tend to start in the center with ourselves and then spread out in concentric circles to take in first those who are closest to us, then our extended family, neighbors and friends, our acquaintances, the broader community, our leaders (both secular and religious), the nation, and eventually even our enemies. Jesus teaches us here to begin with our immediate family and then work our way out. We pray in his name because we always try to pray his prayer -- the kind of prayer he would offer in our circumstance. When we learn that kind of prayer, nothing will be withheld from us.

3 Nephi 18:20

And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

One of the most frequently repeated promises in scripture is "ask and ye shall receive." The caveats are that we must ask the Father; we must ask in Christ's name, which means we must pray as he would pray; we must pray for the right thing, which will be revealed to us by the Holy Ghost; and we must truly believe that God can and will answer our prayer, which is to ask with real intent. Answers to prayers are not capricious or haphazard. God is anxious to bless us with all we can receive. The key is to ask. Faith, with an eye single to God's glory, and not our own vain ambition, turns the key.

3 Nephi 18:16

And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

We do not appreciate today the importance of light because we take it for granted. We live in a society of electric light available any hour of any day at the flip of a switch. The occasional power outage gives us an temporary glimpse into a dark world, but we endure the inconvenience because we know the lights will eventually come back on. They always do.

In the time of Christ, however, light was not so readily available. When the sun went down, it got very dark for the vast majority of people. Only the very rich could afford to burn oil lamps and tallow candles all night. For the rest, when the sun set, the day was done, and they had to wait for sunrise to receive light again.

Christ offers constant spiritual light. His light will never be dimmed by a blackout. Those who look to Christ will not be trapped by the long night of darkness. The light of Christ is always available at the flip of a switch called faith.

3 Nephi 18:15

Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.

The defenses against temptation and apostasy are watchfulness and prayer. To be on watch is to be on guard, to be vigilant, to be awake and aware and ready. Wise leaders set watchmen on towers so they can spot the enemy while he is yet a long way off. We need to be able to spot the enemy of our souls from a great distance so we can be prepared to mount a defense. If we wait until he is right next to us before we react, we may not be strong enough to fend him off. If we let him whisper in our ear, we may not be able to shut him out. We want to keep him as far away as possible. So we watch. We learn of his tactics, angles of attack, and deceptive maneuvers, and we learn the proper defenses so that when we see him coming, we know what to do. 
 
Nevertheless, even with vigilant faithfulness, we may not be able on our own to counter his every move. Satan has been at this game for a long time, and we are relative new comers to mortality. We need more power and wisdom than we can muster on our own to be victorious, and that is where prayer comes in. Prayer is like binoculars to help us see farther and clearer than our natural eyes alone can see. Prayer gives us intelligence and strength because it puts us in direct contact with the Commander and Chief of our souls. He can make up what we lack on our own and send reinforcements when we are overrun. 
 
We need both our own efforts through faithfulness and God's power through prayer. We cannot do it alone, and the Lord will not do it for us without our contributing effort. With both weapons, we can defeat the enemy and land safely home.

3 Nephi 18:10

And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.

Through the sacrament of the Lord's Supper we make a commitment. We fully intend to keep the Lord's commandments. In that sincere moment, we don't want anything to deter us or distract us. Yet even in that moment, we know we will fail. Because we cannot carry out our commitment as we would like, we have to repeat the sacrament weekly. Starting over does not detract from our correct intention the previous week. It just means that we are still mortal and ever dependent on the Savior's atonement.

3 Nephi 18:6

And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.

Christ's gospel is a gospel of action. The most important thing we can do is to follow and emulate the Savior. He did not sit in a monastery and think. He got out and worked among the people. He went about doing good, and he bids us to come and follow him.

3 Nephi 17:25

And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.

Thus must our testimonies be, each for himself. Just as Christ knows us individually and not as a collective, so we must come to know him individually. We meet together in congregations and classes and quorums to teach each other, strengthen each other, and serve each other, but at the last day the judgment will not be about our group participation, but about our individual conversion. We can share faith, but in the final analysis we must each have our own faith. I cannot be punished for another's sins, but I also cannot come unto Christ through another's repentance and humility.

3 Nephi 17:21

And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

Everything Christ does is individualized. It is personal for each of us as he ministers to us one by one. He never sees people as groups. The ninety and nine are each individually numbered, and he knows every name. He did not atone for the world as a mass but for each individual son and daughter of God in the world. He did not suffer for a mountain of sins but for each particular sin of each particular sinner. He will greet us and welcome us home not as a crowd in a parade but personally, singularly, one by one. That is how he knows us, and that is how he saves us

3 Nephi 17:20

And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

We bring Christ joy when we exercise faith in him. The greater our faith, the greater his joy. His joy is full when we are fully justified and sanctified. When he can completely trust us and does not have to worry about us, his joy is full, meaning available for full expression without reservation. That is the kind of joy we will have with God in the celestial kingdom.

3 Nephi 17:17

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.

Jesus prays for us constantly as our Advocate with the Father. Think about it. We may not hear his unspeakable words, but we can have joy and confidence that Christ is always pleading our case.

3 Nephi 17:10

And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

Healing applies not just to the one afflicted but to those who have love and care for him. Illness, afflictions, trials and hardships affect everyone. The caregiver may be under as much bondage as the person for whom she cares. The healing of one can free a whole family. Recall the man who brought his possessed son to Jesus. His plea was, "Lord, help us." Both the Father and the son needed Jesus's help. And Jesus healed and helped them both. Our prayers on behalf of those we love are always heard.

3 Nephi 17:9

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.

I love this phrase. Christ healed every single person who came to him for help. He turned no one away. He did not judge their worthiness, nor did he question their motive. He did not consider how their affliction came upon them. He did not say to any, "Sorry, but you need to suffer longer. It's not your time yet." He healed them all.

And so Christ will heal every single one of us -- physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually -- when he come to him in faith.

3 Nephi 17:8

For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

Apparently faith is measurable. God measures our faith by our faithfulness, humility, and patience. For our faith to have power, we must be "all in". He expects is to do all we can for ourselves first and then turn to him to complete what we cannot do on our own, and then wait for him to work. It is counter to faith to rush to the Lord first while keeping a back-up plan in our hip pocket in case God does not come through to our liking.

3 Nephi 17:3

Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

The Savior's first instruction to the people when he knew they were saturated and puzzled, was to go home. He did not tell them to go to the synagogue or the temple or the mountain top. He did not tell them to form a committee or hold a meeting. He told them to go to their homes with their families. He is saying in essence to go to their quiet places where they can think and talk as families. He did not demand some great feat or sacrifice--just go home. President Nelson has given us the same direction with the adjustments for a home-centered, church-supported curriculum. We are to go home, study, ponder, prayer, and prepare for great knowledge.

3 Nephi 17:2

I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

God will not give us more knowledge than we can handle. Because he knows us perfectly, he knows how much knowledge we are ready for and gives only that which will enrich us without overwhelming us. He is aware of our capacity and does not exceed it. If we want to know more, we must prepare ourselves and increase our capacity. We must sharpen our desires and make room for more by exercising faith and obedience to that which we already have. God wants us to know all things. He has promised to reveal all mysteries. He waits only for us to be ready to receive all he has to offer.

3 Nephi 15:5

Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

No clearer statement exists in the scriptures about who Christ is than this one. Christ is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament. How fitting, how logical that the One who gave the law should be the one who lived it perfectly and so earned the right to redeem the rest of us who fall short in keeping the law. He could pay the penalty for sin because he defined both sin and the penalty. He knew when he gave the law that he would have to be the one to fulfill it.  It us not fair that Christ had to pay for our sins, but it was the plan from the beginning, he knew it, and he willingly accepted the role of Savior.  Thanks be to the Father for having such a magnificent Son!

3 Nephi 14:25

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

The house built on the rock of Christ still experiences storms and fierce winds. We are not exempt from the trials and vicissitudes of life because we have faith and a testimony. We are never promised comfort and ease, but we are promised that we can survive the trials because the Rock will never desert us.

3 Nephi 14:9-11

Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

This has become one of my favorite verses of scripture. God does not give us stones or serpents. He gives only bread and fish. Granted we may want something else, like cake or steak, but God always gives us what we need and what is best for us. Always!

3 Nephi 14:7-8

Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

This is one of the most oft-repeated commandments in scripture: ask, seek, knock. Whole books could written on this topic. Here are just two thoughts:.

Jesus promises that everyone who asks, receives. Not just the smart people, or the rich people, or those with pioneer ancestors, or those who have perfect families, or those who have never sinned, or those who have important callings. Everyone means everyone. No one who asks in sincerity, humility and faith will be denied an answer.

The key is to learn to ask the right question, meaning the right question for you. It may take some time to learn, but the Holy Ghost will teach us if we ask for his help and listen.

3 Nephi 13:34

Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

Each day contains enough evil and temptation to keep our attention fully occupied without worrying about tomorrow's possible trials and afflictions. We are not to put our heads in the sand, but we are to get the most we can out of the day at hand. We have many opportunities each day to serve and do good. We must put everything we've got into making today the best day possible and don't leave any chips on the table. God gave us our strength for this day, and he will give us strength for the next day when it comes. One day at a time is all we can do.

3 Nephi 12:48

Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

Jesus commands us to be perfect. Now, we know that he gives no commandments unto the children of men save he prepare a way for them to keep the commandment with his help (see Nephi 3:7). We can therefore assume that he is ready to help us and that perfection is achievable. "Ask Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes you cannot develop them without His help" (PMG p. 115).

What he does not give us in this commandment is a timeframe. He doesn't say when we have to reach perfection. He gives no deadline. It takes as long as it takes, and we each move along the path to perfection at our own pace. As long as we are striving to stay on the path and make progress through the grace of Christ, we are keeping this commandment. It does not matter whether we achieve the goal in this life or the next. We are judged by trajectory, not speed. We must have patience and not get discouraged and give up. Christ is in this with us for the long haul.

3 Nephi 12:30

For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.

To take up our cross is to sacrifice the things of the world that take us away from Christ. We have to give up the sins for which he went to the cross to pay on our behalf. We take up our cross when we accept his cross.

3 Nephi 12:26

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while ye are in prison can ye pay even one senine? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Nay.

We are faced with a troubling paradox: we cannot get out of prison unless we pay the fine, yet we cannot pay the fine while we are in prison. What is the solution? Someone else must pay the fine for us. We cannot redeem ourselves. We need a mediator. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer.

3 Nephi 12:20

Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

We have to keep the commandments to be admitted into the heavenly kingdom where the Father and the Son dwell. But Christ knows we cannot do it on our own. So he invites us to come to him, lean on him, depend on him, draw strength from him, and accept his offer of redemption, justification, and sanctification. He will help us to qualify for eternal life. It is after all his work and glory. He can do almost everything for us except the one vital part of the equation -- we, and only we, can and must choose to come to him. If we will but make that one choice, he will do all in his infinite power to see to it that we succeed. No wonder the gospel is good news!

3 Nephi 12:19

And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.

The law of the gospel is simple to understand. The law, however, cannot be kept without gifts from God. Belief and faith in Christ are gifts. Repentance is a gift of the Christ's atonement. We cannot come fully unto Christ without the gift of the Holy Ghost. Nor can we manufacture a broken heart and a contrite spirit. God in his mercy gives us the law of happiness and then provides the gifts and means to keep it. Our test is whether we will choose his way and then ask for help.

3 Nephi 12:2

And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.

As marvelous as it would be to see the resurrected Christ face to face, we are just as blessed (even more so) if we can humble ourselves and believe without seeing. We are not second-class citizens of the kingdom because we have not seen Christ in open vision or heard his audible voice in our ears. Faith is not measured by what we have seen but by what we do.