Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Walking in the footsteps of Jesus




A long time ago in a place far, far away I was asked to participate in a young woman’s program called ’Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus’. I had heard of this activity and it was always spoken of in reverence and awe. The idea was that the leaders would get 10 or so people and give them an assignment to portray a person who had crossed paths with the Savior whale he was on this earth. Those assigned would then portray that person acting as if, in fact they, themselves had met and talked with Christ. For example the blind man that was healed outside the gate, or the woman at the well. I was asked to portray Nephi from 3rd Nephi one of the twelve that was called in the Book of Mormon to be his Disciples.

No script was provided but rather we were instructed to prayerfully search the scriptures and come up with a 5 min testimony for our assigned person, (Nephi) then give that testimony in the first person.

I am a welder not a thespian! These young ladies were counting on an awesome spiritual experience. Well I’m just me that’s all and that’s all I can give them. I did however want to give them the best I could. So I began early, not like usual putting it off till the hours before and throwing something together. I had heard these young ladies bear their testimonies after the last time and they had all been lifted up by this experience and I didn’t want to be the cause of it falling short this time. So I started reading that part of the Book of Mormon over and over until I about had this meeting of Nephi and the Savior memorized. Still feeling like I needed more “prepping” I read ‘Tennis shoes and the feathered Serpent’ well at least the parts about the coming of Christ to the Americas.

I prayerfully began to write my 5 min presentation all the while wanting, and hoping that on the night of the activity, Nephi would (somehow) be there to testify first hand in his own words, that he had indeed talked with Christ. I even made it a subject of all of my prayers. I did come up with a good testimony taken from the scriptures and I personally had received a testimony of Nephi’s experiences with Christ but still wanted the girls to really feel Nephi’s own, real, true testimony.

The day came and I was fasting, so sure that “I” would get in the way of this awesome message that Nephi would want these girls to know. I got there early and changed into my “Nephi Clothes”. My younger brother had served his mission in the Philippines and had brought home a really cool boar tooth necklace and a manly robe/moo-moo thing that looked appropriate. Finishing it off with some Doc Marten sandals, the outfit looked pretty good I must say. I hoped that Nephi was not too upset that they had picked a pleasantly plump welder to play his part. They put me in a room with 10 or 15 chairs set up in a semi circle facing me. I then knelt down in the corner and asked that this room might be blessed and sanctified so that the spirit could dwell there that evening, and testify to all comers of the truthfulness of Nephi’s testimony. Then added one last time my final plea that Nephi himself might be there and somehow do this for me. I just didn’t want to mess this up, for the girls or Nephi. I felt peace and received a promise that if anyone hearing my voice that night would pray about it and ask Father, they would in fact receive the same witness I had received as to the truthfulness of these things I quickly added that same promise to the end of my prepared testimony.

I felt I had done all in my power to be ready. “Will I remember what I had written? Is this what Nephi would want to say if he were here? Will the spirit testify to these people of the truth?” (O Ye of little faith) I kept saying over and over in my mind. You see as I had prepared for this night, I had come to know and now bear my testimony of the fact that, Nephi of 3rd Nephi had seen and spoke with the Savior, had felt the nail prints in his hands and thrust his hand into the Saviors side and that he was then and is now a witness of the Savior Jesus the Christ. I wanted everyone that could hear my voice to know the same, and I did not want to diminish that or take away from that message in the least degree.

 Soon the first group arrived. I was so nervous. I poured my heart out in prayer right up to the very instant I opened my mouth to speak. Instantly as I spoke, warmth, love, peace, confidence and power flooded over me as I bore testimony of the Savior. Tears flowed as I recounted the testimony I had prepared from the scriptures. I thought for a second “Is this testimony I am giving, ok with Nephi?” a thought echoed back “Where did you get the words for this testimony?”

“From the pages of the Book of Mormon.” I responded “Who do you think wrote those words?”

Thinking for a half second I sheepishly said “Nephi?” “That is right. These words you are giving are in fact his very testimony and ’yes’ he is pleased.”

Now of course to all of you that makes sense, but to me I guess, I had never really made the connection until then, that real people with real lives and real experiences had taken their turns writing this book and those words were in fact his. That it wasn’t just a story book. I mean I knew, but in my childlike mind I didn’t KNOW, if that makes any sense.

As the night went on I basked in the glow of the spirit, completely comfortable and confident. Until about the 7th or 8th group came in and sat down. As I began I did not feel the spirit there as a matter of fact, I felt it leave. I was struggling to find the words that had flowed so freely all night, I was now very nervous and started to sweat. I began praying in my panic, “Why have you left me? What did I do? I must have done something wrong, please forgive me. Please come back I need you and cannot do this without you!”

My attention was brought to two young ladies sitting at the end of the row and I knew that the spirit had to leave when they came in. As I spoke I pleaded with the lord to let the spirit come back. He could not. I guess it’s kind of like light and darkness; they both can’t be in the same place at the same time.

Now I would just like to say that I did not know these young ladies and can’t remember anything about them, nor did I care what these young ladies had done, or whether it was big or small. They did not look “bad” or out of place, just same-ol normal beautiful young woman in the Church of Jesus Christ. I felt nothing but love and concern for them and the rest of the group.  I just knew that one of these groups of about 10 young ladies were being deprived the same spiritual experience as the rest of the groups. They couldn’t feel the same witness as everyone else. I wanted them to hastily repent and return to the light.

After the night was over I talked to one of the other presenters and asked if she had noticed any differences in the groups. She said that there was one group that she didn’t feel the spirit. This made me think of how the adversary whispers in our ears that “No one will know.” Or “It doesn't hurt anyone else so what does it matter.” Along with a million other lies he uses to persuade us. But from this experience we can see that the things we do in secret do affect others and in fact, can’t remain hidden. That thought also brought me to the awareness the opposite is true as well. When we are doing what we should and have the light of Christ with us, others benefit in this same way.

After this night was over, and from then on whenever we look up a scripture or quote a verse in 3rd Nephi I always say “That’s my Nephi”. You see I have come to know him personally through this experience and he now feels like an old friend that I have spent afternoons with or sat with and shared dinner or maybe a story or two. My heart is warmed every time I read his words and I feel again that same burning of the truthfulness of his words that I was so blessed to share in for a brief second.

This very joy that comes to me at the very mention of his name also strangely condemns me as I read the words of other prophets. Now I know the secret, well ok it’s no secret. We can and should come to know each and every author of scripture in the same way and depth that I have been so fortunate to do with “My Nephi”. Can you imagine if we would take the time to get to know, to study their words and learn for ourselves their testimonies?

Wouldn’t that just be grand!!!  J

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