E NEPHITES.[1462]

About six weeks or more after the events last considered,[1463] a great
multitude of the Nephites had assembled at the temple in the land called
Bountiful,[1464] and were earnestly discoursing with one another over
the great changes that had been wrought in the land, and particularly
concerning Jesus Christ, of whose atoning death the predicted signs had
been witnessed in all their tragic details. The prevailing spirit of the
assembly was that of contrition and reverence. While thus congregated
they heard a sound as of a Voice from above; but both a first and a
second utterance were to them unintelligible. As they listened with rapt
intentness, the Voice was heard a third time, and it said unto them:
"_Behold my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have
glorified my name: hear ye him._"[1465]

While gazing upward in reverent expectation, the people beheld a Man,
clothed in a white robe, who descended and stood among them. He spake,
saying: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall
come into the world; and behold, I am the light and the life of the
world; and 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." The multitude prostrated themselves in
adoration for they remembered that their prophets had foretold that the
Lord would appear among them after His resurrection and ascension.[1466]

As He directed, the people arose, and one by one came to Him, and did
see and feel the prints of the nails in His hands and feet, and the
spear-wound in His side. Moved to adoring utterance, with one accord
they cried: "Hosanna! blessed be the name of the Most High God!" then,
falling at the feet of Jesus, they worshiped Him.

Summoning Nephi and eleven others to approach, the Lord gave them
authority to baptize the people after His departure, and prescribed the
mode of baptism with particular injunction against disputation in the
matter or alteration of the given form, as witness the Lord's words:

"Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through
your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise
shall ye baptize them: behold, ye shall go down and stand in the
water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold,
these are the words which ye shall say