There’s this cheesy video that the LDS church put out in the early 80s that has come to my mind many times in the last several weeks. What I felt and understood the first time I saw it, I cannot put into words. It was so familiar to me. “Familiar” is an apt word. That experience is permanently etched into my memory—and for good reason.
I share it here, at this link, with the hope that there are others who can relate to and appreciate its message in the way I did way back when.
Now let’s go to 3 Nephi 17 and talk about tears.
14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.
15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.
16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;
17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.
18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.
19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.
20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.
21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
22 And when he had done this he wept again;
23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones. (3 Nephi 17)
Again, there is a lot going on here that is not explicit in the text, but let’s focus on the tears.
Why does Jesus say, “And now behold, my joy is full?” What causes him to have not just joy, but a fulness of joy? Why then? And why does he weep? He wept in the New Testament (see John 11:35). Were those tears brought on by the same experiences, thoughts, and feelings? No. He has wept (and weeps) both tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
Could Jesus have had a fulness of joy in the faithfulness of the Nephites without first experiencing the faithlessness of the people in Israel? I don’t think so.
I had an interesting experience a while ago. I found myself in an unbelievably difficult situation that lasted for months, and the darkness in that situation had been extremely taxing. One morning, I woke up feeling much “lighter”—so much so that it was weird, and I asked the Lord what had happened to bring about such a drastic change. Without being explicitly directed to do so, but feeling undeniably prompted to do so, just the same, I tried to look back on some priceless memories from my life—memories that were dear to me and that I should have easily recollected. It was one of the strangest feelings I’ve ever had in my life—not being able to fully recall things that were, somehow, still faint in my mind and which (I had the clear understanding) I could have recalled perfectly before going to bed the night before. Highly surreal.
I asked the Lord again, “What is happening?”
His answer was slightly tongue-in-cheek, but so tender and genuine that I immediately felt his love in the lesson he was teaching. He said, “I’m wiping away your tears. Don’t you want me to wipe away your tears?”
And in a split second, I understood that all of the suffering I was experiencing was intertwined with the love I had towards him and others. There was no way to separate the two, and if I wanted relief from suffering, he would have to make me forget about the ways in which I had lived in his love and the ways in which I had demonstrated that love to others.
Tears welled up, as all I could whisper in response was “no,” and in my heart, I begged him to give the memories back to me, which he did, and I found myself, once again, in unfathomable suffering.
That experience has had me thinking a lot about these two passages of scripture:
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?
29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? (Moses 7)
Does God weep? Who wipes his tears away?
Do you want to become like him? Do you want to live as he does? If you did, who would wipe your tears away?
I’m not trying to paint heaven as a sad and hopeless place. Quite the contrary, actually. And if you want some extra credit on why that is, I suggest a continued, serious study of Moses 7.
As I have applied more and more of the gospel in my life, I have found that my tears have…hmmm, what’s the best word? “Integrated.” I have shed tears of incomprehensible sorrow for the treatment I have received at the hands of others who neither understand my love for them, nor how that love has motivated my actions toward them, and I have shed tears of joy for the increased understanding of how much God loves us and feels the same way. And those two types of tears used to be separate. I would cry them at different times. But I find that to be less and less the case. Anymore, in difficult moments, when I pour out my soul to God and share with him my thoughts and feelings about the afflictions I’m going through, I find myself expressing a concurrent combination of understanding, gratitude, and joy because the things he has seen fit to put me through have always led me closer to him.
It is necessary for us to experience contrast in order for us to comprehend the degree of opposition that exists in all things. And if you are unwilling to experience the greatest sorrow in the service of God and for the benefit of others, you can also never fully experience—much less, appreciate—the greatest joy.
When I started teaching Sunday School back in 2012, the course of study was the Book of Mormon, and while studying 3 Nephi, the Lord gave me yet another reason to appreciate that amazing book when he pointed out the similarities and differences between his experience with his disciples in the Holy Land and his experience with the Nephites after his resurrection. He did that as I was reading in chapter 19:
16 And it came to pass that he spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.
17 And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.
18 And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.
19 And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:
20 Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.
21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.
22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.
23 And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.
24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.
25 And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.
26 And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray.
27 And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying:
28 Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me.
29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.
30 And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus.
31 And it came to pass that he went again a little way off and prayed unto the Father;
32 And tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed.
33 And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed.
34 Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man.
35 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.
36 Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard. (3 Nephi 19)
Now, there is a LOT going on here, and that is an understatement! So! Much! Good! Stuff! And if you don’t see all of it, perhaps it would help to point out how this experience stands in stark contrast to the Savior’s experience in the garden of Gethsemane. Let’s jump over to Matthew 26:
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. (Matthew 26)
The account in Mark is similar. I’m including the JST here:
36 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane, which was a garden; and the disciples began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy, and to complain in their hearts, wondering if this be the Messiah.
37 And Jesus knowing their hearts, said to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
38 And he taketh with him, Peter, and James, and John, and rebuked them, and said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch. (Mark 14, JST)
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. (Mark 9)
The account we find in Luke differs from the previous two, in that it tells us that Jesus found his disciples sleeping once (and not three times), but it does give us some rich, additional insights. The italicized portion is from the JST:
39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. (Luke 22, JST)
As I read those verses in 3 Nephi, I noticed that, in both situations, Jesus tells his disciples to pray, then he goes a short distance away to pray on his own, but he comes back to check on his disciples three times. And, though we don’t have a lot of detail about what he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, you can easily draw the conclusion that what he might have said there was very different from what he said while praying in 3 Nephi. The fact is that all of his interactions with the Nephites were entirely different from the ones he had with his disciples in the Holy Land, and comparing and contrasting those accounts is an extremely productive exercise. From the passage from 3 Nephi, alone, one can learn more about the Holy Ghost, the intercessory prayer and being “one,” to whom we should address our prayers and why, being “chosen,” countenances, and many other things.
But as much as you can learn about specific topics by studying the details in these different accounts, there is something to be learned about contrast itself. While reading that account in 3 Nephi, I felt what Jesus felt in both situations—the heartache, disappointment, discouragement, and abject loneliness of Gethsemane, as well as the joy, satisfaction, hope, and fellowship with the Nephites—and I understood that he could not have fully appreciated the latter without the former.
1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother.
2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.
3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.
4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—and it came to pass that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.
10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.
11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.
12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them. (Ether 6)
What do you think it would have been like to travel in those barges? I’m sure that, without the belief that the Lord was leading them along, most people would probably consider those travel conditions pretty miserable.
And yet, the Lord was with them all along the way.
Even before the Jaredites loaded up into the barges, the Lord provided stones that gave them light. He designed the barges to be “tight like unto a dish” and “like unto the ark of Noah” so that they could descend into deep waters without being harmed. They encountered fierce winds and waves, but “the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land.” No beast in the waters could harm them. What would it have taken for them to come to know that? Most likely, they had encounters that stood as a witness to the Lord’s protection. And all the while, “they did sing praises unto the Lord” and “they did not cease the praise the Lord.” The brother of Jared, in particular, “did thank and praise the Lord all the day long.”
The journey took almost a year.
When the Jaredites disembarked, “they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.”
Do you think that their gratitude, humility, and joy would have been nearly as profound if they had traversed the seas in something more like a modern-day cruise ship? Doubt it.
Do you think that anyone on the outside looking in could have understood why the Jaredites praised the Lord all along the way, if they didn’t also have an intimate awareness of the Lord’s hand in their travels? I doubt that, too. Even with irrefutable evidence of the Lord’s hand in their own lives, most people are extremely ungrateful.
Tears of joy have a depth of meaning behind them that is borne of suffering and sacrifice. Suffering and sacrificing for the best of eternal outcomes produces tears of joy that none but God, or those like Him, can truly understand.
I’ve cried a lot over the last several months. Someday, I hope to have the opportunity to share the detailed reasons why with anyone willing to listen. For now, allow me to turn to scripture to share, in this next series of blogposts, a very small snippet of things I’ve learned recently.
1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother.
2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.
3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.
4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—and it came to pass that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.
10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.
11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.
12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them. (Ether 6)
These verses will be the subject of a future YouTube video, for sure, because there are just so many good take-aways embedded in them.
However, for the purposes of this series of blogposts, I want to point out that the phrase “tears of joy” is found only once in scripture, and it’s there in verse 12. Now, that’s not to say that there weren’t times in scripture when individuals shed tears of joy—it’s just that that exact phrase is only used once to describe such an occurrence. The account of Jesus praying with the Nephites in 3 Nephi 17 is one that comes immediately to my mind and will be discussed in subsequent posts in this series.
But what does it take to get there? If we analyze what is happening to the brother of Jared and his company in those verses, it is easily seen. And, more importantly, we should be able to draw comparisons to events in our own lives that resemble the account found in these verses. Perhaps, most importantly, we should actually ask for and seek after the types of experiences that yield the tears that come with a fulness of joy.