3 Nephi 28

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 orange 7/21 brown 2022 -23) 

CHAPTER 28

Nine of the twelve disciples desire and are promised an inheritance in Christ’s kingdom when they die—The Three Nephites desire and are given power over death so as to remain on the earth until Jesus comes again—They are translated and see things not lawful to utter, and they are now ministering among men. About A.D. 34–35.

  1 And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye ^adesire of me, after that I am gone to the Father? Why do these 12 get this special question? And it is asked one by one, not as a group. Is this the same question that we are asked at the veil when we are ready? Were they ready? 
  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. In my mind, to ask that you go "speedily" could mean, "don't let us suffer a long, slow, painful death", or it could mean, "don't let us linger in the spirit world before coming to thee in thy kingdom"...
  3 And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; Nothing wrong with the request... therefore, after that ye are ^aseventy and two  years old ye shall come unto me in my ^bkingdom; and with me ye shall find rest. I think I would want to live a little past 72...maybe God, having to follow natural laws and consequences, is saying, "after 72, I can't guarantee that your bodies won't start having problems and I can't interfere with that, but I can take you early"???  Also "rest" seems to mean, entering into the presence of the Lord here as well in other scriptures. Maybe the request to "speedily" was their own request to die younger...
  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?
  5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired. Maybe since the Lord said the others were "blessed" for desiring what they did, they worried that their desire would sound like they don't want to be with the Savior sooner rather than later...
  6 And he said unto them: Behold, I ^aknow your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which ^bJohn, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Interesting that He uses the phrase "lifted up by the Jews" instead of "crucified by the Jews". This language points us to what He taught earlier that as He was lifted up on the cross, so all mankind would be lifted up through Him."     
  7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall ^anever taste of ^bdeath; 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 ^cpowers of heaven. He doesn't even make them say it ...that is so kind of Him. He doesn't say what He knew they were sorrowing about, but it's possible that He was putting their fear to rest first by saying, "More blessed are ye,". If the first 9 wanted to come speedily so they wouldn't suffer, these last 3 were also told they would not suffer. Jesus affirms AGAIN that "ALL things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father." What are ALL these things He is talking about? If you ask Him to tell you, He may just turn it around and ask you why you haven't read the scriptures. He had 'it' written down so we could have them and He could point to the written record and say, "see...I told you this would happen" and it did. 
  8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; translation?  but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye Again, they are told they won't experience the pain of death  from ^amortality to ^bimmortality; resurrection? and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
  9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the ^asins 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 ^bbring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand. So their desire wasn't that they would just live to "watch" all the doings of the children of men until Christ comes, but they could "bring souls to Christ". How are they doing that? Especially since their identity is hidden? We hear scattered stories of possible interactions with the 3 Nephites, but unless they are actively interacting and posing as regular mortal people, how are they spending their lives bringing souls to Christ? Or are they waiting until the "end" to reveal themselves and actively gather people with the 144,000? I am looking forward to hearing of their lives and what they witnessed and how they felt about everything...
 10 And for this cause ye shall have ^afulness 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 ^bone; A fulness of joy seems to have something to do with saving souls and bringing them to Christ. 
 11 And the ^aHoly Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me.
 12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the ^athree who were to tarry, and then he departed. What did this "touching" do for the nine?
 13 And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were ^acaught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things. This is just the 3...
 14 And it was ^aforbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them ^bpower that they could utter the things which they saw and heard; What was the purpose of what was shown them if they couldn't share it? What did it do for them personally? Were they given instruction as to how, where, when and what their lives would be like? Were they translated?
 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 ^atransfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God. Is this what will happen after the 1/2 hour of silence mentioned in the D&C 88:95 And there shall be ^asilence in ^bheaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a ^cscroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the ^dface of the Lord shall be unveiled;96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be ^acaught up to meet him. Is this when we are translated?
 16 But it came to pass 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. We don't have to share everything that is revealed to us to others. Some things may be just for us to know. I'm thinking the "mysteries" may be like that...whatever they are. If they were to be shared freely, then God would have not made them mysteries. Perhaps there is something important about paying the price to have them revealed to you. For these 3, it wasn't years of study, but probably more like lives of goodness. 
 17 And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day of their transfiguration, I know not; Notice Mormon calls it the day of transfiguration, not the day of translation. How long did they stay mortal? Did they have to live to age 72 and then be translated? 
 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 This is all any of us can do...just invite and unite "as many as will believe" in their preaching; baptizing them, and as many as were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost. Sounds like they received the Holy Ghost right away....
 19 And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to the church. And the ^aprisons could not hold them, for they were rent in twain. I always thought that there was perfect peace and Zion among all the living in the land for 400 years. Apparently that only applied to those who were gathered as Zion. 
 20 And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his ^apower they were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.
 21 And thrice they were cast into a ^afurnace and received no harm.
 22 And twice were they cast into a ^aden of wild beasts; and behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling lamb, and received no harm.
 23 And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the people of Nephi, and did preach the ^agospel 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 ^bthat generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.
 24 And now I, ^aMormon, make an end of speaking concerning these things for a time.
 25 Behold, I was about to write the ^anames of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.
 26 But behold, ^aI have seen them, and they have ministered unto me. Ministered by teaching him? feeding him? giving him company and encouragement? helping him not be lonely? 
 27 And behold they will be ^aamong the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall know them not. So you may have encountered them unawares...
 28 They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them not. 
 29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord seeth fit in his wisdom that they shall minister unto all the ^ascattered tribes of Israel, Noticing he didn't say "lost" tribes. And when will it be "in His wisdom"? 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. Is this happening quietly? Is it yet to happen openly? Apparently they will have the ability to travel the earth (the way we do, or through some kind of portals? If it's like we do, they need identification and names and addresses and passports....) Notice we are taught there is such a thing as "the convincing power of God". All people have agency, but to some is given the power to convince them. This is a gift we can pray to have to help others believe. 
 30 And they are as the ^aangels 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. Hmmm....but otherwise they can go about unseen?
 31 Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by them, before the ^agreat and coming day when all people must surely stand before the judgment-seat of Christ; Sounds like this is past and future. Here's a prophecy. I'm starting to record all the end time prophecies I read about here. I haven't kept that up:(
 32 Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a ^agreat and marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day. Future If I read this right, there will be a great and marvelous work wrought by the 3 Nephites among the Gentiles before "that" judgement day. I think the "great and marvelous work" has to do with the restoration of the Ten Tribes and the conversion of the Lamanites. Is this referring to those two things happening "among" the Gentiles, or something different that happens TO the gentiles?
 33 And if ye had ^aall 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.
 34 And wo be unto him that will ^anot hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and ^bsent among them; for whoso ^creceiveth 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; If you don't believe the scriptures...you won't believe His end-time servants...yikes!
 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 ^aoffended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men, that thereby salvation might come?
 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 ^acleansed from ^bmortality to immortality—
 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 death; I love it! Mormon had the same questions we do and asked the Lord and was told the answer. We have to have the same faith that we can do the same!
 38 Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a ^achange wrought upon their bodies, that they might not ^bsuffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.
 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 ^atempt them; and they were ^bsanctified in the flesh, that they were ^choly, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them. This must be the same change people go through to live during the millennium, since we are told Satan will have no power to tempt us. How much of his power to tempt has to do with our physical bodies? 
 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 with God eternally in the heavens. So they are not resurrected until the end of the Millennium? No "morning of the first resurrection"?