28:1 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 desire
of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
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.
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.
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?
28:5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto
him the things which they desired.
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.
28:7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death;
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.
28:8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; 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.
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.
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;
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.
28:12 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 three who
were to tarry, and then he departed.
28:13 And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were caught up into
heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.
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;
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.
28:16 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.
28:17 And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day of
their transfiguration, I know not;
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.
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.
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.
28:21 And thrice they were cast into a furnace and received no harm.
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 suckling lamb, and
received no harm.
28:23 And it came to pass 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.
28:24 And now I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these
things for a time.
28:25 Behold, I was about to write the names 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.
28:26 But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me.
28:27 And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles
shall know them not.
28:28 They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them
not.
28:29 And it shall come to pass, 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.
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.
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;
28:32 Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a great and marvelous
work wrought by them, before that judgment day.
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.
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;
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?
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—
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 death;
28:38 Therefore, that they might not taste of death 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.
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.