"I command you to write down all that I am saying," said Jesus, "for in the last days, Heavenly Father will have mercy on the Gentiles and allow them to conquer the descendants of the Lamanites, leaving them scattered and hated. In those days the records you've written will be given to the Gentiles."
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 16:4-12
After this, Jesus touched with his finger all the apostles except the ones who would live until his Second Coming, Then the heavens were opened and Jesus ascended, taking with him into heaven the three special apostles, and in heaven they saw and heard unspeakable things.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 28:12-13
"What do you desire of me after I have gone to the Father?" Jesus asked his apostles. Nine of them answered asking for a long life of preaching the gospel, and Jesus told them they were blessed for asking for this, and that they would live to be 72. Jesus knew that the other three desired that which the apostle John had received. And he granted them this desire: they would preach the gospel on earth until Jesus returned at the Second Coming.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 28:1-7
The names of those chosen to be apostles were Nephi, Timothy, Mathoni, Mothonihah, Kumen, Kumenonhi, Jeremiah, Shemnon, Zedekiah, Isaiah, and two men named Jonas. "The faith of these people is greater than all the Jews," Jesus told them. "It was the unbelief of the Jews that kept me from showing them such great miracles as what you have seen and heard."
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 19:4-35
The Nephites were filled with indescribable joy. Jesus wept and said to the people, "Look at your children." And when the people looked, they saw the heavens open and angels descended and ministered to their children, and even babies began saying marvelous things that the people were forbidden from writing down. And a ring of fire surrounded them all. About 2,500 people witnessed this.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 17:18-25
• 3 Nephi 26:16
Jesus then commanded that the Nephites bring their children to him. When they were all brought to him, Jesus stood among the children and groaned within himself, saying, "Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the descendants of the Israelites." Then Jesus prayed, and what the people saw and heard was so great and marvelous that it cannot be written down, for no language could describe it.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 17:11-17
"Unless the Gentiles repent and come to me, I will execute vengeance and fury upon them unlike anything they have ever known. I will destroy their cities, and the remnant of the Lamanites will inherit their desolated cities and inhabit them, for the Father has given the descendants of Lehi this land as an eternal inheritance."
"But after receiving my blessing, if the Gentiles do not repent, then the remnant of scattered descendants of the Lamanites will go among the Gentiles and be like a young lion in the middle of a flock of sheep. They will tear the Gentiles into pieces such that they cannot be saved. They will beat many people into pieces.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 20:15-16
In the Americas, great destructions accompanied the crucifixion of Jesus. Survivors among the Nephite people gathered in the city of Bountiful, which was very likely located in what is now Mexico or Central America. Shortly after the resurrection of Jesus, they saw a man in a white robe descending out of heaven. A voice was heard by all the inhabitants of the earth, crying, "I have burned the great city of Zarahemla along with its people. I have drowned the city of Moroni and its people."
Jesus stayed among the Nephites for three days, teaching them the same things he had taught about during his mortal life in Palestine, including the beatitudes, the sacrament meal, and Judgment Day. Then he asked, "Are there any lame, blind, deaf, maimed, leprous or otherwise sick people among you?" So the Nephites brought to him all those who were sick or wounded and Jesus healed them.
In addition to Nephi, Jesus called forth 11 other men to be his apostles in America, and gave them authority to baptize. "There must be no disagreements over how to properly baptize as there have been in the past," said Jesus. After showing them the proper procedure for baptism, Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me and is baptized will inherit the kingdom of God, and whoever does not believe in me or become baptized will be damned."
And so, one by one, they all came forward to see and feel his wounds, and know for certain that this was the man the prophets had said would come. And they all knelt down to worship him, saying, "Blessed be the name of the Most High God!" Then Jesus called forth Nephi, and Nephi came forward and kissed the feet of Jesus.
Then the earth settled, the sun shone, and another voice from heaven was heard, saying, "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him." And the mourning and grief of the people turned to joy. Then Jesus said, "Come to me and thrust your hands into my side, and feel the nail prints on my hands and feet so you can know that the God of the whole Earth has been killed for the sins of the world."
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 10:10
• 3 Nephi 11:3-14
"All of you were spared," said Jesus, "because you were more righteous than them. So now repent your sins and be converted, and my mercy will be extended toward you. Otherwise, your cities will become desolate." The people then resumed their howls of grief and mourning over the deaths of their family and friends. And for three more days the earth continued to tremble and loud noises and dreadful groans were heard.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 9:13-14
• 3 Nephi 10:7-9
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, creator of the heavens and the earth" said the voice. "You shall no longer sacrifice animals to me, for I shall no longer accept them." The people were so astonished that they stopped their howls of grief and mourning over their family members who had died in all the destroyed cities.
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 9:15-19
• 3 Nephi 10:1-4
"I have buried the cities of Moronihah, Gilgal, Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, and Gimgimno," said the voice, "and buried their people deep in the earth. I have covered in water the cities of Onihah, Mocam, and Jerusalem. And I have also sent fire to destroy the cities of Laman, Josh, Kishkumen, Gad, and their people."
Sources:
• 3 Nephi 9:5-11
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