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!