"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor 13:1)

As I was reading from The Book of Mormon today in 3 Nephi 11, I reread the account when Jesus Christ shows Himself unto the people of Nephi. When they first see the resurrected Lord it reads, "they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them" (3 Nephi 11:8). Every eye is turned towards Him, and everyone sees Christ. They witnessed with their eyes the Savior of the world, but they were not sure if it was Christ. They thought it might have been an angel. Gratefully, God is a merciful God and follows patterns and in this case, the law of witnesses. 

Paul taught the law of witnesses and we are taught it as well in our day. It reads: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor 13:1; D&C 6:28; see also Deut.19:15; talks here and here). We don't need to rely on just one voice or one witness to tell us if something is true. What a blessing the Holy Ghost is to confirm for us things we have felt, seen, and heard. This is the role of the Holy Ghost, to testify and witness of Jesus Christ (see 2 Nephi 31:18). The people of Nephi also get to experience the law of witnesses. I will continue to explain.

The people of Nephi then hear the voice of the Lord (see 3 Nephi 11:10-11). They hear His voice and He identifies Himself saying: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning" (3 Nephi 11:11). This is the second witness for the people of Nephi. They hear the voice of the Savior of the world with their own ears. Their reaction is heartfelt and humbling. "When Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show Himself unto them after His ascension into heaven" (3 Nephi 11:12). 

The people of Nephi had been taught for 400 years by prophets that Christ would appear to them after His resurrection. They fell to the earth and worshiped Him. His great love for them is manifested in His reaction to this testimony of realizing that the prophesies had been fulfilled and Christ was indeed before them. Christ, the God of the whole world didn't expect them to just rely upon their eyes and ears, which would have been enough, according to the law of witnesses. But their Savior, and ours, goes farther than that; He invites them to come and feel and then know.

 "The Lord spake unto them saying: Arise and come forth unto me, that may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world" (3 Nephi 11:14). And the people, all of them, "went forth, and thrust their hands into His side, and did feel the prints of the nails in His hands and in His feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was He, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come" (3 Nephi 11:15). They were able to see, hear,  come, and feel that they may have their own witness of Jesus Christ. After which, they "did bear record" that it was Christ. 

I add my own witness and record, that I too, have seen and have read the words of the prophets and apostles that testify of Christ. I have come to Christ by trying my best to keep His commandments and follow Him. As I have done this I have felt the Holy Ghost witness to me that "This is the Christ". The Savior of all mankind. Without Him, all mankind would be lost (see 1 Nephi 10:6). But we are not lost. There is great hope and we need not fear as we see, hear, come, feel and know Jesus is the Christ. This I Testify.

This is one of my favorite Hymn's "This Is The Christ"

words written by  Elder James E. Faust (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007)