Recently, I was given the beautiful opportunity to attend the temple with a friend receiving her own endowment. During the COVID 19 pandemic, it was a true miracle that we were able to enter the doors of this holy place. On the way to the temple, I had no music downloaded on my phone that would bring the spirit for our ride to the temple, but I did find one inspirational CD in my car. It was the music from the sacred musical drama Savior of the World: His Birth and Resurrection, which was written and composed under the direction of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its main theme is proclaimed in the lyrics of the song—“Come, Lord Jesus” (Ensign, Dec. 2003).
My mind and heart have been pondering on the word come since that ride. In the scriptures come (see: Guide to the Scriptures) suggests: an anthem to obey, a call of discipleship, and a plea of the Master. It extends an invitation that no matter who you are and where you are, Jesus Christ loves you and wants you to take His outreached hand and trust Him and believe His promises. Jesus taught, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
I believe it is no accident that we were asked to study the Book of Mormon during 2020, the year of the global pandemic. In my reading of the Book of Mormon I have learned a new dimension to the word come. Come isn’t just something Christ asks us to do, although the invitation is beautiful. Jesus Christ came. He came to be our Savior. And He will come again.
Jesus Christ Came to the Earth
The children of Israel of the Old Testament were pleading for the Messiah to come. The Jews continued to pray and look for His coming, and the Nephites also hoped for the signs and showed faith that He would come.
It is in the Nephite account that I hear the longing for the Savior’s coming. I witness Nephi as he “cried mightily to his God,” and I feel the peace he received from hearing: “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world” (3 Nephi 1:11-13).
I imagine words like these from “Come, Lord Jesus” were sung on earth and in Heaven praying for Him to come to Earth:
“Come, Lord Jesus, to the manger;
May we see thy tender face?
Great Creator, here a stranger,
Infant in this humble place.
Darkness scatter, morning swell;
Come, dear Lord Immanuel.
Come, Lord Jesus, to the manger;
Come, Lord Jesus, come!”
Jesus Christ Came to Be My Savior
The Book of Mormon testifies beautifully that Jesus Christ “shall be born of Mary” (Alma 7:10). In Nephi’s dream we learn more than just the details of His birth but also about His ministry, teachings, baptism, apostles, miracles, trials, and Crucifixion (1 Nephi 11:13-36). The introduction of the December 21-27 Come Follow Me lesson clearly explains, “All of them [the prophets of the Book of Mormon] knew this essential truth: ‘There is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who … cometh to redeem the world’ (Helaman 5:9).”
Alma further testifies that “the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance” (Alma 7:13). The Atonement is more than Christ just dying for me, but that He would be my Savior and Redeemer as well as my confidant and true friend. He suffered not just for my sins, but experienced all of my pains, infirmities, and trials.
As one of the “Ideas for Personal Scripture Study” in December 21-27 Come, Follow Me lesson explains, “We would have no reason to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ were it not for His atoning sacrifice, through which He saves us from sin and death, comforts us in afflictions, and helps us ‘be perfected in Him’ (Moroni 10:32).”
Again, I imagine words like these from “Come, Lord Jesus” sung on earth and in Heaven as we watched Jesus Christ come to the earth to save us through His grace and mercy:
“Come, Lord Jesus, to the wounded,
Broken heart and bended knee.
Worthy Lamb, thy love unbounded,
Bid our souls to rest in Thee.
Come in glory to the earth;
Come to us to rule and reign.
Ready us to kneel and greet thee;
Come, Lord Jesus, come!”
Jesus Christ Will Come Again
The most powerful witness I have gained this year from the Book of Mormon is that just like Jesus Christ came to the earth to be my Savior, I know He will come again. The faithful during the Second Coming will be able, like the Nephites, to touch the wound on His side and “feel the prints of the nails in [his] hands and in [his] feet” (3 Nephi 11:13-17). He will rescue the world from despair, darkness, destruction, and hopelessness and bring light, peace, calmness, and hope. This is the promise of the Book of Mormon. I long for Him to come again and know that we are a part of preparing for His coming.
Christmas to me this year means praising the true gift of Jesus Christ. He came to the earth, redeemed us, and will come again. I join in singing on the earth, like might be sung in Heaven, the concluding words from “Come, Lord Jesus” as we pray for Christ to come:
“Come, Lord Jesus, great Redeemer,
Light of morning from the East.
We will be Thy children ever;
Dry our tears, all weeping cease!
Come in glory to the earth;
Come to us to rule and reign.
Ready us to kneel and greet thee;
Come, Lord Jesus, come!”