3 Nephi 28

 With general conference coming up, the words of the Savior have more meaning - 

"...wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last day..."  (3 Nephi 28:34)

3 Nephi 27

Two points.  First, the Savior said to his Church leaders - 

"Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you..."  (3 Nephi 27:9)

As leaders, we must call upon the Father in the Sons name to be heard.

Second, the Savior provides the requirement for exaltation teaching - 

"...no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end."  (3 Nephi 27:19)

Very thought provoking!

3 Nephi 26

 Mormon tells that -

"...now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;

7 But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people.

8 And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken."  (3 Nephi 26:6–8)

Adding - 

"Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people."  (3 Nephi 26:11)

Obviously, there are many more teachings that Christ gave that we presently may not have.

3 Nephi 25

 The Savior speaks of the righteous after His second coming - 

"...ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts."  (3 Nephi 25:3)

It will be a special day when the wicked will be present.

3 Nephi 24

 In this chapter, where some might say that the Savior was quoting Malachi, it is really He quoting His own words given the Malachi.  The Savior then quotes many of the people - 

"Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered."  (3 Nephi 24:14–15)

Because of agency, the Lord then declares of patience - 

"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.

17 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.

18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."  (3 Nephi 24:16–18)

I find this very moving.

3 Nephi 22

 Referring to the prophesies of Isaiah  and the gathering of Israel, the Savior promises - 

"Behold, they shall surely gather together against thee, not by me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake."  (3 Nephi 22:15)

As we watch wickedness and the denouncing of religion, it brings comfort that eventually they shall fall.

3 Nephi 21

 The Savior himself prophesied concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon - 

"...when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel."  (3 Nephi 21:7)

And this gathering -

"...shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward."  (3 Nephi 21:29)

In my mind, this will be a calm and gradual event.

3 Nephi 20

 As the last message that the Father gave the Savior to deliver to the Americas saying - 

"Behold now I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel."  (3 Nephi 20:10)

Then referring to Isaiah, He states - 

"...verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.

13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them."  (3 Nephi 20:12–13)

I believe this gathering will be more spiritual than physical.

3 Nephi 19

 After having received the Holy Ghost, we learn of the people that  - 

"...tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed.

33 And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed."  (3 Nephi 19:32–33)

Obviously, it is the Holy Ghost that helps understand the things of eternity.

3 Nephi 18

 The Savior said of partaking of the sacrament - 

"this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you."  (3 Nephi 18:7)

And - 

"...this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you."  (3 Nephi 18:11)

The Savior it declaring that if we always remember Him, we will have the Spirit with us.

3 Nephi 17

 This morning I read the Savior saying - 

"...Behold your little ones.

24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them."  (3 Nephi 17:23–24)

The thought came to me of who might these angels be.  And then came also the thought - 

"...he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers."  (Doctrine and Covenants 2:2)

3 Nephi 16

 The Savior explained what he means of gathering in the last days as He tells the people in the Americas - 

"I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer."  (3 Nephi 16:4)

"Brought in" or gathered is those that possess a knowledge or testimony of their redeemer.

3 Nephi 15

 The Savior taught His Church leaders - 

"Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people..."  (3 Nephi 15:12)

Those that have been entrusted with priesthood keys and delegated authority should keep this in mind.

3 Nephi 14

While I have heard many saints suggest that the Lord is merciful to all, the Savior specifically taught - 

"Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  3 Nephi 14:13–14)

Church doctrine is very importanat.

3 Nephi 13

 The Savior Himself taught that our attitude must be - 

"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  (3 Nephi 13:10)

...in order to become like Him.

3 Nephi 12

 As the Savior teaches the "higher laws", He says - 

"...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.

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."  (3 Nephi 12:19–20)

Obviously, this higher law is required for eternal life, not he Mosaic law.

3 Nephi 13

 The Savior taught in the Americas - 

"...if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."  (3 Nephi 13:14–15)

One doctrine we need to be constantly reminded of.

3 Nephi 11

 Each week, as we take the sacrament, we are promised the Spirit if we keep the conditional covenants.  The Savior also promised - 

"...blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."  (3 Nephi 12:6)

Oh that my heart would increase in hunger and thirst after righteousness.

3 Nephi 11

 In this past general conference, President Dallin H. Oaks taught the one of purpose of the restored Church we to establish doctrine.  One of the first things the Savior taught with His visit to the Americas was - 

"...there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been."  (3 Nephi 11:28)

That is why the Lord revealed in modern day - 

"...behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses."  (Doctrine and Covenants 28:2)

And it remains the same today.

3 Nephi 10

I find it interesting that after the people in the land heard the voice of the Savior and before his appearance - 

"...there was silence in the land for the space of many hours;

2 For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours."  (3 Nephi 10:1–2)

We know just before His second coming that - 

"...there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour..."  (Doctrine and Covenants 88:95)

It seems to me that this is a sign of humility and pondering.

3 Nephi 9

Recently, we witnessed the shooting and killing of a political supporter by a group of opposing protesters and anarchist.  After such, the opposing protesters applauded and celebrated the shooting and death.  This morning I read the truthful words of the Savior after the death of many - 

"Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people..."   (3 Nephi 9:2)

Anyone's death aught to be disturbing.