Christ's Visit- 7-16

These scriptures are so holy that I cannot begin to comment on them in adequate detail. I have been a bit behind on the reading due to my mission papers. Hope Brother Parrish will forgive that. I would, however, like to focus on the things that I learn from these scriptures.

1. Christ has other sheep- Christ has other sheep that are not those at Jerusalem. He discusses how He has come to visit His few sheep in the Americas, also mentioning other sheep elsewhere. I often ponder what this exactly means. I think Christ had sheep all over the place. I imagine His earthly ministry was actually quite extensive. (Personal Interpretation alert!) I would not be surprised if Christ visited places such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Isles of the Sea where some believers were assembled in His name. I could see Christ visiting these people who have records of His visit written. I would like to study Messiah beliefs in various cultures to see if they have any correlation to Jesus Christ. I imagine that many traditions of Christ have been lost throughout the years and I also imagine that He did not manifest Himself unto everyone. Christ is a very personal visitor. He likes small groups and intimate settings. I imagine He showed Himself to a few followers and they could have established Zion-like communities that could have failed eventually.

2. Christ remembers the Covenants of the Lord- Christ is the Lord who established the Covenants through His Father's instruction. He remembers the House of Israel and the Gentiles. He promises to establish His Covenants through His servants and to bring peace to His people.

3. Christ's atonement is real. He allowed the people to feel the wounds in His hands and in His side. I cannot wait until I can do that. Now I would like to talk about this.

I really know the atonement happened. I know because I have felt the cleansing power that it has brought into my life. I would like to testify of the power of the atonement and its events.

Christ met with His apostles before He died. He instituted the sacrament, in memory of His atonement and as a means by which true followers of Christ may be found worthy to stand before Him again. He then traveled to a garden where He, like the name Gethsemane implies, would be pressed for blood. Pressed for the sins of the world. Christ there suffered spiritual and physical pain beyond that which we can imagine. His Father sent Him an angel to bear Him up and provide comfort for Him. Christ then was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and eventually led to a death by Crucifixion. They crowned the King of the Universe with a crown of thorns, adorning Him in a purple robe. They stood by and mocked Him, denying His divinity. They called Him the King of the Jews. Little did they know, that He was more than that. He was their King. Their Savior. Their Redeemer. God Himself.

They nailed His hands and feet to a cross. They hung him. And he suffered beyond that which we can imagine. A sinless sacrifice to satisfy a broken law. He died there. They pierced His sides. And He was buried. I imagine I would have cried for my precious Lord. I would have weeped over His body. He was buried in a tomb on a dreary Friday. The earth moaned. The God of Nature suffered. Three days passed. And then, on the glorious Easter morning, He rose from the grave. The bands of death, at last, were broken! The atonement complete.

Christ carried my sorrows, my sins, and my pains. My anguish, my guilt. Christ is my Heavenly Friend. I cannot wait to feel the nail prints in His hands and side. I will kneel down at His feet and cry "My Lord. My God" and shed tears of gratitude and joy. Christ is real. The atonement is real. He will help us. So come what may.

In the Name of the Most High God, Jesus Christ, I testify.

Amen.