Listen to the Small Voice and Feel Christ

Any active Latter-day Saint is familiar with the story of 3 Nephi 11. However, since I hope at least some member of another faith is reading this, I will share the basis of this climatic tale of the Book of Mormon, and follow with a new insight I recently had on the story.

At the beginning of the chapter, the Nephites are in a state of panic after much calamity and destruction in Chapter 9. As the people are scurrying around, they hear a voice, but they couldn't understand it. 3 Nephi 11:3 reads:

"It was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center... yea, it did pierce them to the very soul and did cause their hearts to burn."

Anyone familiar with Luke 24 might take particular notice of the phrase "cause their hearts to burn," but even if not, it's worth mentioning that the Holy Ghost is often described as the "still, small voice."

As I said, the Nephites couldn't actually understand what the "small voice" was telling them. In Verse 4, they hear it again, yet still don't know what it's saying.

Finally in Verse 5, the Nephites not only hear the voice, but they understand it. In Verse 7, the voice says,

"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well please, in whom I have glorified my name--hear ye him."

As they heard this, "they saw a Man descending out of heaven," who later declares that he is "Jesus Christ... the light and the life of the world." As the Nephites look at Jesus in shock, He invites them each to come and touch the scars in His side, His palms, and His feet. He then follows with one of the clearest, most beautifully spoken sermons on His doctrine.

Now, we often almost ignore the introduction of this chapter, and skip right to the good stuff. We want to read about the Savior coming to the Americas! We don't need to pay attention to the minutes leading up to it! I have often been the same, so no worries. My most recent time reading it, though, I found a deeper meaning in those first few verses, though.

We established that the "small voice" is very symbolic of--if not literally being--the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Notice that it is only after the Nephites recognize this voice that they truly understand what Heavenly Father wanted them to hear. Even more, as soon as they did, they could see and even feel Christ! They could know of a surety that He was their Savior, and could learn how to really use the Atonement which He had made for them.

In 4 Nephi 1:16, shortly following Christ's ascension from the Americas, we learn of the Nephites and Lamanites,

"Surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God."

Now, who doesn't want that?! How do you get there? Easy. Heed the Holy Ghost, hear what Heavenly Father is telling you, and feel Jesus Christ.