3 Nephi 28:1
And it came to pa** when Jesus had said these words, he spake
unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that
ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
3 Nephi 28:2
And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that
after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry,
wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may
speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.
3 Nephi 28:3
And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this
thing of me; therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years
old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall
find rest.
3 Nephi 28:4
And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the
three, and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto
you, when I am gone unto the Father?
3 Nephi 28:5
And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak
unto him the things which they desired.
3 Nephi 28:6
And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye
have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in
my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of
me.
3 Nephi 28:7
Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of
d**h; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father
unto the children of men, even until all things shall be
fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come
in my glory with the powers of heaven.
3 Nephi 28:8
And ye shall never endure the pains of d**h; but when I shall
come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye
from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in
the kingdom of my Father.
3 Nephi 28:9
And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the
flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and
all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of
me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto
me, while the world shall stand.
3 Nephi 28:10
And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall
sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be
full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye
shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the
Father and I are one;
3 Nephi 28:11
And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and
the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men,
because of me.
3 Nephi 28:12
And it came to pa** that when Jesus had spoken these words,
he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the
three who were to tarry, and then he departed.
3 Nephi 28:13
And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were caught up
into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.
3 Nephi 28:14
And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was
it given unto them power that they could utter the things which
they saw and heard;
3 Nephi 28:15
And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they
could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration
of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an
immortal state, that they could behold the things of God.
3 Nephi 28:16
But it came to pa** that they did again minister upon the
face of the earth; nevertheless they did not minister of the
things which they had heard and seen, because of the commandment
which was given them in heaven.
3 Nephi 28:17
And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day
of their transfiguration, I know not;
3 Nephi 28:18
But this much I know, according to the record which hath been
given—they did go forth upon the face of the land, and did
minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as
would believe in their preaching; baptizing them, and as many as
were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost.
3 Nephi 28:19
And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to
the church. And the prisons could not hold them, for they were
rent in twain.
3 Nephi 28:20
And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite
the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they
were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they
could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.
3 Nephi 28:21
And thrice they were cast into a furnace and received no
harm.
3 Nephi 28:22
And twice were they cast into a den of wild beasts; and
behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a s**ling
lamb, and received no harm.
3 Nephi 28:23
And it came to pa** that thus they did go forth among all the
people of Nephi, and did preach the gospel of Christ unto all
people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto
the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the
people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of
Jesus.
3 Nephi 28:24
And now I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these
things for a time.
3 Nephi 28:25
Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were
never to taste of d**h, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write
them not, for they are hid from the world.
3 Nephi 28:26
But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto
me.
3 Nephi 28:27
And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles
shall know them not.
3 Nephi 28:28
They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know
them not.
3 Nephi 28:29
And it shall come to pa**, when the Lord seeth fit in his
wisdom that they shall minister unto all the scattered tribes of
Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and
shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire
may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God
which is in them.
3 Nephi 28:30
And they are as the angels of God, and if they shall pray
unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can show themselves
unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.
3 Nephi 28:31
Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by
them, before the great and coming day when all people must surely
stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;
3 Nephi 28:32
Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a great and
marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day.
3 Nephi 28:33
And if ye had all the scriptures which give an account of all
the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words
of Christ, know that these things must surely come.
3 Nephi 28:34
And 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 28:35
And it would be better for them if they had not been born.
For do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an
offended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men, that
thereby salvation might come?
3 Nephi 28:36
And now behold, as I spake concerning those whom the Lord
hath chosen, yea, even three who were caught up into the heavens,
that I knew not whether they were cleansed from mortality to
immortality—
3 Nephi 28:37
But behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and
he hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a
change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they
must taste of d**h;
3 Nephi 28:38
Therefore, that they might not taste of d**h there was a
change wrought upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain
nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.
3 Nephi 28:39
Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place
at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them,
insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could
not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they
were holy, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them.
3 Nephi 28:40
And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day
of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change,
and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more
out, but to dwell eternally in the heavens.