I felt the intent of the statement. No need to overcomplicate Christmas! During the busy season, simpler plans often enable the spirit of the season to permeate more powerfully.

However, every time I saw that statement, my disagreement with the first Christmas being simple grew. (Although I believe the intent of the statement concerns the logistics of baby Jesus being born inside a manger in a cattle stall.)

What Does Simple Mean?

What does simple even mean? I love words, so I googled its definition.

1. easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty, used to emphasize the fundamental and straightforward nature of something.
2. plain, basic, or uncomplicated in form, nature, or design; without much decoration or ornamentation, humble and unpretentious.
3. composed of a single element; not compound.
4. of low or abnormally low intelligence.

Again, I believe the intent of the statement concerned the baby inside a manger in a cattle stall. But to me, the only definition that applies to the nativity is humble.

The Events of Jesus Christ’s Nativity

Think about it. Considering just the events on that night, what occurred?

• • Joseph and Mary had to quickly find a place suitable for having a baby without any of the comforts of home or the familiar. I’ve unexpectedly scrambled to find housing in an unfamiliar town. There was nothing simple about locating a place to stay, even with a smartphone. Also, I wasn’t trying to find shelter while in labor.

• • Did Mary expect to receive guests soon after giving birth? How late did they arrive? How long did they stay? Exactly how many people came to witness the Savior’s birth is unknown. Theirs was a culture of immense hospitality. Is that anticipation and entertaining “expectation” simple? It’s not simple for me, but maybe it wasn’t an issue for Mary and Joseph.

• • Shepherds received an angelic birth announcement. Did the angel rehearse the legendary lines or ad-lib in the moment? Who wrote the script? On Sunday, experienced soloists sang to our ward. Their performances were amazing. The music seemed to flow effortlessly, but I’ve learned of the behind-the-scenes concerns for soloists and their voices. Even in an “easy” performance, more is involved than meets the eye.

• • Heavenly hosts appeared and sang to the shepherds. How many angels were needed? Did the choir practice? What details were involved in planning what song to sing? When was the song composed? Was it just the vibrational sounds of the heavens? I can’t imagine anything heavenly just being tossed together at the last moment. The details of the Savior’s birth were known for hundreds of years in advance!

• • The shepherds left their flocks and searched for the Savior. Was the plan to leave their sheep easily executable? How long it took to find Jesus and other details of their effort to witness His birth are unknown.

• • A new star shone in the sky. A new star shone in the sky! Seriously. A new star in the sky doesn’t fit into any of the definitions of “simple.” The new star had to be more than a localized comet. The new star led the wise men from the East to the Savior in Bethlehem. My mind boggles considering all of the planning, execution, and time needed for a new star to appear in the sky at the precise moment in the precise spot to herald the Savior’s birth.

• • In the Americas, the sun set on the night the Savior was born, but there was no darkness. No darkness at all. This simple miracle saved the lives of every believer. It testified of Jesus Christ’s birth on another continent. Again, what and how many elemental principles launched to enable this result at the perfect moment? What do you think would cause a night of light to occur?

• Nephi recorded his answered prayer. As he prayed to God the day of the Savior’s birth, his prayer was answered that Jesus would be born that day. It was fixed. It was immutable. His birth was that day—bet your life on it!

That Night Impacted Thousands of People on Multiple Continents

So while Jesus, Mary, and Joseph sat in humble and, we assume, unadorned circumstances, the nativity of Jesus Christ impacted and included thousands of people on multiple continents and on both sides of the veil!

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

This list doesn’t even consider the myriad of prophets in various time frames, and countries, and continents who testified of the specifics of the Savior’s birth. They knew His name. They knew Mary’s name. They knew Bethlehem. They knew the time frame. Types and shadows in hundreds of lives for hundreds of years pointed to Jesus Christ’s birth.

For me, the Nativity represents the most detailed planning and execution imaginable, but without the harried stress that generally accompanies our holiday experiences. Everything happened in its time and exactly as planned.

To me, the nativity is also the most amazing demonstration of a Father announcing the birth of His Beloved Son! He let His friends and loved ones know through lights and sound and invitation! This Father took care of all the details to honor mother and child. The heavens resounded “Joy to the World! The Lord is come, Let saints and angels sing!” Divine and human witnesses proclaimed that HIs Son, the Messiah, had come.

What a glorious night! What an opportunity for us to still celebrate, to feel the power of that night in our lives, to declutter and uncomplicate, simplify, our lives, enabling us to fully immerse ourselves in the Lord’s glorious miracles of that night and the wondrous possibilities of our own lives.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

We’ve been doing a series of articles on what the Book of Mormon says about Jesus Christ. Even I have been surprised by just how many important mentions there are. I’d never really taken a census of the mentions before, even though I’ve read it many times. I’ve skipped a huge number and combined others, and I’m still pretty early in the book.

What kinds of answers will God give me?

Today’s exploration continues the sermon of one of my favorite Book of Mormon people, King Benjamin. This is his farewell address, given when he announced his retirement. In chapter 5, verses 12 and 13, he tells his people:

I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you. For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart? (Mosiah 5:12-13 in the Book of Mormon).

These verses refer to the Lord. Mormons teach that we are all able to access the Lord’s voice through the Holy Spirit. This does not technically mean hearing a voice, although people do from time to time. It refers to the ability to receive guidance directly from God for our personal lives. In the Bible, we see that God sent official doctrine only to the prophet, but everyone is permitted to ask God for help in areas that are their own responsibility. For instance, as a teacher of preschoolers at church, I can learn how to improve their reverence, teach a difficult lesson, or organize our class schedule. I can’t, however, receive revelation about how the entire children’s program works, because I’m not in charge of that.

Russell M. Ballard, a Mormon apostle, said:

When my ministry is all over, it will not be any talk that I gave that will be very important in the sight of the Lord; but what will be important to him will be my hearing his voice and responding to his promptings” (“Respond to the Prompting of the Spirit” [an evening with Elder M. Russell Ballard, Jan. 8, 1988], 4, www.ldsces.org).

How do I know it’s really God answering my prayer?

With so many voices, ideas, and thoughts crowding our minds, how do we know if it’s really the Lord speaking to us? Every now and then someone will tell people not to follow the advice of the Mormons, which is to pray to know if something is true. They will explain that there is no way to know who is answering the prayer.

Mormons find that to be a bit unusual if it comes from Christians. After all, the Bible repeatedly tells us to pray and promises that God will answer. (See James 1:5 in the New Testament.) Mormons completely trust God. He says He will answer and so we can presume He will also teach us to recognize His answers as coming from Him.

Verse thirteen really gives us the answer to the question. It says that to recognize the voice of the Lord we need to serve Him and to keep our hearts and our thoughts close to Him. James, in the Bible, said we have to ask in faith with nothing wavering. These verses warn us that just asking isn’t enough. We have to actually do something to get our answers. We have to develop faith, serve God, and keep Him in our hearts.

The more time we spend talking to God and waiting quietly for answers, the easier it becomes to know who is speaking to us. How will the answers come?

Most often they come as feelings or impressions. We study the issue, make a decision, and then ask God if we chose correctly. If we feel a warm, comforting feeling of correctness, we know we have chosen correctly. This may take repeated prayers and patience to demonstrate we are serious about wanting the answer or to allow us additional time to study and prepare.

Sometimes a direct thought comes into my mind. I was trying to choose a writing topic one day. I wanted something very challenging that would help me grow as a writer and as a Christian, and a thought came into my mind. It was a completely unexpected thought and nothing I would have thought of on my own, but because I’ve received these types of thoughts often, I recognized it as being different from when I’m just intellectually making writing decisions and so I acted on it. These are called impressions, and they can be about spiritual truths or practical matters.

Rarely does an actual voice comes to us. This occurred to me when I was in immediate danger from a semi-vehicle about to swing out of control into my car unless I pulled off the road. There wasn’t time for me to think, “Was that an impression or a random thought?” Interestingly, my husband was driving somewhere nearby and had a sudden impression to turn down the street we were on. He saw me parked on the side of the road, shaken by what could have happened, and was able to help me calm down enough to continue the drive.

To read more articles by Terrie Bittner, please click here.

As we receive answers or possible answers, we can record them, and how they came to us in a prayer journal. Then we can watch to see the final results. In time, we will learn how to tell which feelings and thoughts are of God and which are our own.

Like anything else worth doing, prayer is worth the time it takes to get it right.

Read Mosiah 5 in the Book of Mormon free online.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

The past several articles revealed that some people who lived in ancient America knew of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon teaches that several groups of people came from the Holy Lands to the Americas. They did not come to an empty continent, but they did form their own nations. Most of them were killed in the final battles recorded at the end of the book, around 400 A.D.

We have seen that these people knew that Jesus had been born through signs predicted by their prophets, and they also knew of His death through terrible storms and a deep darkness that came. Then they heard Jesus speak from Heaven, and finally God Himself testifying of His Son.

Today’s final entry covers, very briefly, the appearance of the Savior Himself to these other sheep (mentioned in the Bible). They initially mistook Him for an angel, but He was the resurrected Jesus Christ. When He introduced Himself, the people fell to the ground and worshipped Him. He invited them to approach and to see and to feel the nail prints in his hands and feet to prove He was really the Savior.

Jesus Christ Came to the Americas as Recorded in the Book of Mormon

After they had worshipped Him, He called Nephi, who had been their prophet and spiritual leader, and gave him the power to baptize. He also gave this power to others and taught them how to do it correctly. The method taught—immersion—and the words used are the ones still used by Mormons today.

Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen (3 Nephi 11:25).

In addition to authorizing people to baptize, He also gave them the power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus spent His time with the people helping them to organize His church correctly and with proper authority. Jesus called twelve apostles in the Americas to lead the Church when He left. He taught correct doctrines and increased their understanding of the gospel and delivered the Sermon on the Mount (in similar words as recorded in the Bible) to them. He also taught them the Lord’s Prayer to help them understand the proper way to pray and instituted the Sacrament (Communion).

At the end of the first day, He told them their minds were overwhelmed with all they’d learned. He told them to go home and ponder these things, and He would return to teach them the following day.  However, He saw the tears in their eyes, because they didn’t want Him to leave them,  and so He stayed. He invited them to bring their sick and disabled to Him, and He healed them.

Jesus and Children

This was followed by one of the most touching events in the Book of Mormon. Jesus asked the people to bring the children to Him. He gathered the children around Him and instructed the people to kneel. Then, in the presence of these little children, He began a prayer so powerful that most of it could not be recorded. The people were overcome with joy.

Jesus took each of the children, one at a time, and blessed them. He prayed specifically for each child. After all the children had received their personal blessing and prayer from their Savior, the adults watching saw yet another miracle occur:

And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones. 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 Savior’s visit had a powerful impact on the people who had the privilege of seeing Him. All of them converted, and for several generations they lived a life that reflected the miracle many of them had personally experienced. They took care of their poor, they worked to live their lives as the Savior had taught them, and they loved one another.

Eventually, of course, a future generation that had not seen the Savior did what so many today do. Because they hadn’t seen it for themselves and there was no “proof” they decided it had all been made up. Because of the righteousness of the civilization, they had become financially comfortable and this made the generation that reintroduced a faithless life to become proud. Instead of thanking God for their blessings, they believed it was their own brilliance that had made them prosperous.

Why Does it Matter that Jesus Came to the Americas?

Even though the full impact of the Savior’s visit didn’t last forever among the Book of Mormon peoples, those extraordinary few days in history continues to change the lives of people of faith today. Mormons are thrilled with every bit of information we have on the Savior’s life, before, during, and after His mortality and they ask people to pray to know it’s true. God promises to answer all prayers of the faithful and those who want to know the truth.

Think about it. If Jesus really did come back—if He really did bring a message that the gospel was for all the world and not just the few who knew Him in the Holy Lands—wouldn’t you want to know that?

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Then a voice was heard in the darkness, calling on the people to repent. Imagine how they felt to have a voice coming out of such intense darkness. The people had already realized that if they had repented earlier, the lives of all those that had been lost in the storms might have been saved, and now a heavenly voice confirmed that this was the case. The voice said:

Jesus Christ Speaks to the People of the Book of Mormon

O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they [those who were killed in the destruction], will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name (3 Nephi 9:13-15).

Jesus explained to the people that since He had completed the Atonement, they would no longer be required to perform animal sacrifices. Animal sacrifices had been symbolic and looking towards Christ’s infinite sacrifice. Once His Atonement was complete, He required sacrifices of broken hearts and contrite spirits. They were to repent of their sins and allow Jesus Christ to heal them. This would lead them towards eternal life.

The people were so astonished—despite the prophecies which had foretold of this very event—that they stopped moaning and groaning about their problems. There was complete silence as they pondered what had just happened. Several hours later, Jesus Christ spoke to them again. After He had spoken, the people began crying again for those who had died. Finally, the three days of darkness ended and morning arrived—a morning of beautiful, welcome, and appreciated light. The last remnants of the storm ended and parts of the earth that had been torn apart came back together.

The people stopped wailing and started praising God, thanking Him for returning the world back to normal. They began gathering at the temple to talk about what had happened. As they were at the temple site, they heard a voice in the heavens again. Somehow, though, they were not able to understand what the voice was saying to them. It was not loud or harsh, but it pierced their souls. They began looking around, trying to see where it was coming from. The voice repeated the words, and again they didn’t understand. The third time, however, they realized what was happening and looked heavenward. The voice said, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7).

Jesus Christ Appears to the People in the Book of Mormon

A man descended from heaven after the voice spoke. He was dressed in a white robe and the people thought He was an angel. They were silent, too nervous to speak.

And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying: Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning” (3 Nephi 11:9-11).

In the next article, we will learn what Jesus did during this time with them and then we’ll talk about why it is so important!

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Which Ancient Americans Knew of Jesus’ Death?

Here we will focus on one of the most powerful parts of the Book of Mormon. One group discussed in this book came to the Americas when a patriarch and prophet from Jerusalem, named Lehi, fled because people wanted to kill him for the prophecies he taught. God led Lehi’s family to the American continent. Of Lehi’s four original sons, two were valiant and two were wicked. In time, the men divided into two groups with their followers.

Prophets continued to prophesy to both groups over centuries. One of the things the prophets taught is that Jesus Christ would come to earth. The people were given the signs of His birth and of His death.

The signs of the Savior’s birth were pleasant. There would be a day and a night and a day without any darkness. There would be a new star in the sky.

Signs of Jesus’ Crucifixion in the Americas

The signs of Christ’s crucifixion were not so nice. In fact, they were pretty scary. The people who knew the signs began paying attention 33 years after the birth of the Savior and watching for the prophesied signs of His death. The fulfillment began with a terrible storm, worse than any they had seen before. The thunder was so loud people were afraid the entire earth would split.

Lightning caused the city of Zarahemla to catch fire. Another city sank into the ocean, drowning the people who lived there. A city suddenly rose up so the people found themselves living on a mountain. A great deal of the landscape began to change, and the destruction was powerful.

All of this destruction occurred in just three hours, although many insisted it had to have been longer. However, it was merely three fiercely terrifying hours. Then it became quiet and darkness fell. It was a darkness like no other, though. No one could bring light into it. Candles, fires, nothing could pierce the darkness. The moon and stars were not visible. Even more frightening was the fact that morning did not seem to come. Three days passed without any light. People were crying and wishing they had repented already, for they feared it was too late. They understood that the deaths of many of the people were the result of the increasing wickedness that had begun to occur among the people. The darkness symbolized the death of Jesus Christ–the light of the world being taken out of the world at His death..

In the darkness something extraordinary happened—and that is the subject of the next article. Can’t wait to find out? Read the story for yourself:

Christ in America

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

He explained that he had come in answer to the prayers of Alma’s father to command Alma the Younger to turn his life around. Alma was so frightened he could neither speak nor move. His friends carried him back to his father, who rejoiced after learning about the angel’s visit. Priests gathered to pray over Alma the Younger and after two days of prayer, the young man recovered.

Born Again and the Book of Mormon

He spoke to the assembled crowd and announced that he had renounced his sins.

For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God (Mosiah 27:24-26).

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and that without His extraordinary gift to us, we could never return to live with God. He did this for every single person and all of us who ever live on earth will have access to this gift. Everyone, even those who reject Jesus Christ, will rise from the dead and live forever. Everyone has the opportunity to repent and to come to Christ and be born again.

Unfortunately, some people choose to reject the full measure of the atonement. They have no choice but to receive resurrection, but the opportunity to be born again is a choice. We must decide to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, repent, forsake our sins, and live as Jesus taught us to live.

When we do this, we are born again, a concept Jesus Christ taught is necessary in order for us to live with God again someday. It is not a one-time event, but a lifetime process of gradually bringing our own short-sighted goals and desires in line with those of God’s. Since no one but Jesus Christ has ever been perfect, we are continually working on this in our lifetime.

Born Again: Becoming Worthy of God’s Presence

Our first birth gave us our bodies and the opportunity to live on Earth. Our second birth—the process of being born again—prepares us for the final stage of life, which is after we die. In the meantime, it also helps us to live this life. We can be baptized and forgiven for our sins. Then we can receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which provides us with guidance, comfort, and safety throughout our lives. This makes it so much easier to continue the process of becoming worthy of God’s presence.

And that is really what we’re striving for. We don’t want to enter God’s kingdom having been comfortable and happy with a life of sin. While no one is perfect, the person worthy of God’s presence has a deep love for God and Jesus Christ and is willing to honor the request the Savior made. He told us in the Bible that if we love Him, we must keep His commandments. Being born again is an act of love for Jesus Christ.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Jesus Appeared in the Americas
Why does it matter? It tells us that Jesus Christ is not just the Savior of a small group of people in the Holy Lands. He is the Savior of the entire world. It provides the second witness which the Bible and Jewish law both require in order for something to be deemed true. It is a powerful testimony of the Savior’s love for mankind. It is interesting to me that some people don’t want this to be true. If they think it isn’t possible, they seem to be suggesting Jesus could not come to another group of people if He chose to do so. We know, of course, that Jesus can do anything. Could it be that He didn’t want to? That would suggest Jesus Christ was a respecter of persons, who only cared about a very small portion of the world. No, the truth is that He could do any righteous thing He wanted to do. Mormons celebrate every opportunity to hear more of Jesus’ teachings. Who can say they wouldn’t wish for more?

The Book of Mormon begins with the record of a prophet named Lehi who lived in the Holy Lands just prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 600 B.C. His life was in danger, as were the lives of other prophets. God instructed Lehi to take his family and a few others into the wilderness. They were led to the ocean, where Jesus taught Lehi’s son Nephi how to build a ship that carried the family across the ocean. Jesus knows how to do anything!

Book of Mormon History

Lehi had six sons. Two of them, the oldest, were rebellious and turned away from God. They were angry when an angel revealed that their younger brother Nephi had been chosen to rule over them when their father was dead because Nephi was more righteous than they were. In those days, the oldest son had seniority, but the oldest son was not righteous. After Lehi and his wife died, Nephi and those who followed him were in grave danger from the two oldest boys and their followers, who wanted to kill them. They moved away, but over the generations to come, the two sides were often at war. The Lamanites, who followed the wicked older brothers, continued to want to kill the Nephites, who followed Nephi. The Nephites continually tried to convert the Lamanites. Sometimes they were successful. Sometimes Nephites left the church and joined the Lamanites.

The Nephites knew of Christ’s birth despite being on another continent without modern communication tools. The prophets had offered signs of his birth to the people and a prophet named Samuel, who was a Lamanite during the time when the Lamanites were valiant, had stood on a city wall to announce the coming of Christ to the Nephites, who were wicked at that time. He told them that in about five years, there would come a night when there was no darkness. For a day, a night, and the next day, it would look as though it were one day, with no darkness in between. They would see the sun rise and set, but in their area, this would not impact the light. A new star would also appear in the sky. He explained the importance of believing his message: “And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life” (Helaman 14:3).

However, the wicked people, ignoring the lack of a specific date, announced that if the events did not occur on the exact date they chose, those who had believed Samuel would be killed. They were understandably anxious, not because they didn’t think those signs would occur, but because God had not given them a specific date—the Lamanites had merely chosen it at random. Their prophet went off to pray to God and was assured that the promised sign would come that very night; the night the Lamanites had set as the last day they would wait before destroying the believers.

The signs did occur and the believers were saved. Many people were converted as well, accepting the Savior as the Son of God and believing the other prophecies about Him as well, including that He would come to visit them.

Read about Samuel the Lamanite in the Book of Mormon.

The next article will explore the signs that were given to tell them Jesus had died.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

He asked Aaron about something another missionary, Ammon, had taught. Ammon had told the king’s son that if we repent, we can be saved, but if we don’t repent, we will be cast off at the last day. He was worried about this because he didn’t understand what it meant and he didn’t want to find himself cast off.

A Book of Mormon King Becomes a Christian

Aaron began by evaluating where the king was currently. He asked the king if he believed in God. The king answered cautiously that he knew the Amalekites, a people in his kingdom, said there was a God and that he had given them permission to build churches to worship that God. But so great was his trust in Aaron that he said that if Aaron said there was a God, he would believe him.

The king had heard about a Great Spirit who had brought his ancestors out of Jerusalem long ago. He asked if that Great Spirit was God. Aaron said that it was. It didn’t matter if they used different names for the same being. Accepting the king’s term, while introducing him to the correct term, put them on common ground. He explained that this Great Spirit had created everything.

The king said he believed that and asked Aaron to teach him more, again promising to believe what he was taught. Aaron then began to give him a religious history of the world, beginning with creation. He introduced him to the atonement of Jesus Christ, which had not happened yet, but which the prophets knew about. He said:

And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king. (Alma 22:14)

Repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ

The king was anxious to receive this gift. He said he would give up everything, even his kingdom, to receive the atonement. He wanted to know how to go about it. Aaron reassured him that this was not necessary.

But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest (Alma 22:16).

The king promptly lowered himself to the ground and began to pray. He asked God to make Himself known and vowed: “I will give away all my sins to know thee.”

So often, when people talk about being saved, they speak as though once they’ve said the prayer that acknowledges Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are finished. The king, though a new Christian, understood there was more to Christianity than merely making a one-time declaration. He needed to forsake his sins. This is his gift to God. He recognized that being a Christian was not a matter of words, but of lifestyle, passion, and love.

I was impressed by the term the king used. “Give away my sins” creates a concrete symbol of something that seems a little abstract. I picture wrapping them up and turning them over to Jesus Christ so I won’t be tempted to return to them. I picture Him opening them up and then helping me change my life until I don’t even miss what I’ve given away.

What sins are you willing to give up for Jesus Christ? Jesus taught that if we love Him we must keep the commandments. This is, essentially, the message the king was delivering. He was giving up his sins out of his newfound love for God and for Jesus. It isn’t working your way to Heaven or earning salvation—as the Book of Mormon says, salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. However, if we don’t give away our sins and change our lives and character, what is the point of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior? It becomes nothing more than a meaningless gesture, and I don’t believe God is into meaningless gestures.

Look over the sins in your life—we all have them. Which ones mean less to you than your love for God? Are you ready to give those sins away?

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

This is important, because the act of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior has no meaning unless it changes us. It must make our lives completely different. It must require of us more than we’ve ever required of ourselves in the past, but those requirements must be eternally focused.
In this series of articles, we’ve been studying portions of the Book of Mormon that contain references to Jesus Christ and His mission. The Book of Mormon is used as a companion to the Bible by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are sometimes inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church. (The appropriate shorter name is The Church of Jesus Christ.) We can’t begin to cover all the verses, but we have explored a good cross reference. Today we are in Alma. Alma was a prophet over a group of people known as Nephites. They were usually, but not always, those who followed Jesus Christ. Their enemies were the Lamanites, who had originally descended from the same ancestors, but who had turned away from God.

Christian Discipleship is a Responsibility

Alma warned the Nephites that although the Lamanites were, at that time, wicked, they were simply following what they had been falsely taught. They didn’t know they were headed down the wrong path and God would take that into consideration. He would accept their sins more easily than he would those of the Nephites, who did know the truth. They were making an informed choice to sin.

He wanted them to understand that with knowledge comes responsibility and accountability. Just knowing isn’t enough. Sheri L. Dew, who was a counselor in the Relief Society (the official Mormon women’s auxiliary), said:

With these privileges comes great responsibility, for “unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3), and at times the demands of discipleship are heavy. But shouldn’t we expect the journey towards eternal glory to stretch us? We sometimes rationalize our preoccupation with this world and our casual attempts to grow spiritually by trying to console each other with the notion that living the gospel really shouldn’t require all that much of us. The Lord’s standard of behavior will always be more demanding than the world’s, but then the Lord’s rewards are infinitely more glorious—including true joy, peace, and salvation. (“We Are Women of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 98).

Christian Discipleship is a Lifelong Role

Christianity is not just a treasure hunt that ends when you find the prize. It is an extraordinary way of life. It helps us to learn appropriate values and behavior. It teaches us to put others before ourselves, to care for those in need, and to sacrifice some of our worldly pleasures in order to develop more self-discipline and to become more eternally focused. In the talk referenced above, Sister Dew talked about a time when she needed to take an overseas trip in conjunction with her church work. She felt unaccountably nervous and asked for a religious blessing, which often includes guidance from God.

She was told that if she focused on her mission and didn’t turn it into a sightseeing or shopping trip, she would be safe and successful. She noted that sometimes we treat life like a sightseeing or shopping trip, rather than as a spiritual journey with a purpose. Satan wants us to get so caught up in our fun that we put it before a Christ-like life. Many feel that if they go to church for an hour and say a prayer each day, they’ve fulfilled their duty and can then go on with their regular life. If, instead, they focused on eternal goals, they would discover the true power of Christianity—the power to become more than they ever imagined. Christian Discipleship is a responsibility, but one that is well worth the sacrifices.

Additional Resource:

Read more about Alma’s sermon on Christianity in the Book of Mormon free online.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives (Mosiah 5: 7-8).

He promised them the name of Christ, if they wrote it in their hearts, would never be blotted out unless they became unworthy of it through sin. Certainly, taking on the name of Christ is a serious matter. It would be entirely disrespectful to do so and then to regularly abuse his name. People will judge Christ by the behavior of His followers. He Himself said that if we love Him, we must keep His commandments. This means that if we are unwilling to make sacrifices of some worldly pleasures in order to honor His name, we are suggesting we do not love Him, in which case we should not be wearing His name. No one is perfect, but we’re expected to be working towards perfection, repenting when we fall short.

Dallin H. Oaks, a Mormon apostle, explained what it means to take the name of the Savior on us:

We see that we take upon us the name of Christ when we are baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and profess our belief in him, and when we do the work of his kingdom…..

“Willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ can therefore be understood as willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ.… Our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God’ (D&C 14:7)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1985, 102–3, 105; or Ensign, May 1985, 80–81, 83).

This, then, is not an honorary title. It means that salvation is more than merely saying a few words and then going about our lives just as we did before. We don’t earn Heaven, but we do demonstrate our love for Jesus Christ, as He taught, by keeping the commandments and showing that He means so much to us we are willing to do anything He asks of us. When done in a spirit of love, obedience to the commandments is an essential part of salvation because it signifies we have truly had a change of heart—our whole lives have changed.

If our lives haven’t changed, what is the point of becoming a Christian? Christianity, taking on the name of the Savior, accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ—these things are all meant to change our lives, both now and for eternity.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.