44. Eternal Glory

CHAPTER 44

ETERNAL GLORY

Hadn’t this been the specific request of his father!?  How could he have been so negligent?  This was something he had promised his father that he would surely do!  He felt ill.  This failure was his fault.

Now he had simultaneously disappointed both his father and Jesus!

But Jesus did not reprimand, nor did He chastise.  Instead, He commanded simply and compassionately that it should be written.

Nephi left immediately with his records to complete this overlooked commandment.

Jesus looked with compassion on Nephi as he departed for the temple.  He saw in the son Nephi the reflection of his father Nephi.  The son was now the father, and the father was the son.  He smiled in loving recognition of their sacrifices --- the father at the time of His birth, and the son at the time of His resurrection.

Jesus smiled to know that, although in different lands and at different times, they had been united with Him.  They were one.  Both Nephis had His image in their countenances.

Nephi races to the temple in the land Bountiful with his records.   He will keep the commandment given him in the temple.  The temple is located at the top of a small hill not far away.  As he approaches the wall surrounding the temple, he ponders how and what he should write in his record.

Wasn’t it marvelous how all the prophecies of Samuel had been fulfilled?  Especially the prophecy that many saints would arise from the dead and be seen by many.  How should he write about that?  Should he write about who the loved ones were who had died?  Mothers had been reunited with daughters, sisters with sisters, brothers with brothers, and fathers with sons.

How specific and detailed should his record be?  Yes, angels had appeared.  But should he identify who some of the angels were who had come to minister?  The list was impressive.  King Benjamin, King Mosiah, Abinadi, Ammon, Abish, Omner, Himni, Enos, Captain Moroni, and so many others had come to minister.

Nephi arrives at the wall of the temple, his mind full of thoughts about how his record might convey the true emotion of such sacred events.  He wants his record to be no more and no less than what both his father and Jesus desire.

He hurries through the gate carrying his records and enters the beautiful garden surrounding the temple.  In the garden are trees of every kind.

A young couple sitting and holding hands under a large fruit tree in the garden awaits Nephi’s arrival.  The man looks to be about twenty and two years old, with a remarkable resemblance to Nephi when he was of similar age.  The woman also looks to be around twenty years old.  She wears a long, white dress.  Her long, straight hair flows over her shoulders to mid-way down her back. 

The couple sees Nephi and stands up excitedly to see him coming.

Nephi notices the couple stand up and thinks it is curious that such a lovely couple is not among the rest of multitude listening to Jesus.  Especially since the woman looks at him with such shiny, bright eyes that radiate joy.  However, his mind quickly returns to his mission to write in his record about the saints who were seen as ministering angels.  Until ---

The young woman standing in the flowing white dress raises her hands high over her head; her back arches slightly backward.  She gives Nephi the brightest and biggest smile imaginable.

“Mother!!??”  Nephi bursts out.  He drops his records and runs like a little boy into his mother’s outstretched arms.  With tears and hugs, they hold each other tightly.

“And father!?”  He reaches out to embrace his father.

“Neffy!”

Father, mother, and son all throw their arms around each other!  They fall on each other’s necks and cry with joy!  They hold each other tightly for a long time next to the fruit tree.  It is a joyous reunion!  Never have they felt such exceeding happiness.

A pure white light containing all the colors of the sun surrounds the reunited trio.  It is as if all the beautiful sunsets that ever were are combined in this single moment.

“Jesus thought it best we meet you here,” explains Nephi’s mother.  “This way, we’re away from the rest of the multitude.”

“Jesus knew you were here, didn’t He?” realizes Nephi.

“That’s right,” says Nephi’s mother.  “He knew you would come here to write about the fulfillment of Samuel’s prophecy in your records.”

“And sure enough, obedient as always!” adds Nephi’s father.

The trio sit and talk together for a long time in the garden.  It feels like time itself no longer exists.  The years of separation simply vanish and evaporate.  Every so often, one of them laughs at a story that is told.  They share story after story and tell each other about their experiences.  Everything is the way it was always meant to be.

Father Nephi tells his son about crossing the many waters.  He glosses over the pirate attack when they finally reached land.  He tells his son how exciting it was to recognize the Samaritan merchant’s map as the same map in the plates of Lehi.  He tries to express the emotion he felt when he first saw the city of Jerusalem.  He tells his son about preaching the same sermon at the temple in Jerusalem that he needed to preach from his tower in Zarahemla.  He explains about joining up with Zenos, and Zenoch, and the others who were also following the star in search of God’s Only Begotten Son.  He mentions meeting king Herod in his palace.

“Those were all remarkable adventures, son.   But nothing could compare with the experience of being with The Holy Child.  We had a Passover meal with Mary and Joseph that night in the upper room.”

Father Nephi says nothing about what happened the next night.

Nephi asks his father, “What happened to Zenos, and Lumech, and Cleopas, and the others after you brought your gifts and worshipped the Son of God?”

“They returned to their own countries.  They never went back to Jerusalem or saw Herod again.  They were able to bear testimony as personal witnesses and taught their people about Christ.  Although their people may be referred to as the lost tribes of Israel, they are not lost to the Father.  Jesus will visit the people in their lands just like He is doing now in ours.  Eventually all shall hear His voice and be numbered among His sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd.”

“Speaking of our land, father, I did my best.  I tried.  I cried repentance to them every day.  But there was so much wickedness.  Most did not listen to me.”

“I know, I know.  You did everything right.  You make me so proud that you have always been faithful.”

“Oh father, do you know about Moriancom and his people?”

“Yes.  The testimony and example of one righteous individual can influence others for many generations.”

“Father, did I do the right thing in blessing He'·Lives with a new name?”

“Yes, of course.  His name is a testimony of our resurrected Lord and Savior.”

“Why did you speak to He'·Lives before coming to me?  I waited so long for you to return.  I could understand how Timothy saw you when he was dead.  But it seems so unfair for me to be the last one to see you again.”

“Everything happens according to the will of the Father, Neffy.  Don’t question the Lord’s will or the Lord’s time.  There is a purpose for everything happening when it does.  I made it to Jerusalem just in time to assist Mary and Joseph flee into Egypt with the young Child.  He could have been killed.”

“Oh, Father!  Jesus told me that Mary talked a lot about you when He was growing up.  Mary told Him stories about you that He used during His ministry.  And Mary told Him that you saved Him!”

“Actually, He saved me!  At certain times, I wondered if I was really going to make it.”

“But you did make it!  Your mission was a success!  You found your way to Jerusalem --- and, through the grace of God --- THE WAY BACK!  Maybe I would like to go to Jerusalem too.  Maybe I’ll ask Jesus if he’ll let me linger here on earth to minister longer, maybe even until He comes again.”

Nephi’s mother then remarks, “Timothy and his son are thinking about asking Jesus the same thing.”  And she explains, “Anyone can go to Jerusalem, no matter where or when they live.  Going to Jerusalem means coming unto Christ, and being perfected in Him.”

Hasai enters the garden, apparently searching for Nephi because he has been away from the multitude longer than she expected.  She hesitates when she sees that Nephi is still talking to a young couple under the tree.

Nephi sees Hasai approaching and bids her forward by waving his arms.  Hasai joins them at the tree.

Nephi takes his wife by the hand and says, “Hasai, may I introduce you for the very first time to my extraordinary mother and father.”

The sacred record eventually written by Nephi contained an account of the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Samuel, the Lamanite.  The record did not, however, personally identify any angel who appeared to minister to his people at that time.  Neither did it record the purpose or the result of his father’s last mission.

And there are also many other things which Jesus, and Nephi the father, and Nephi the son, and others did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.  Amen.

END OF PART 3