“How Be It That Ye Have Not Written that Many Saints Did Arise”

Bryan Richards

Neal A. Maxwell

"The resurrected Jesus made a special point of ensuring that this glorious event—witnessed alike on two hemispheres, and in which all mortals have an inexpressibly important and personal stake—was likewise carefully recorded. In fact, Jesus, noting the neglect of Samuel's prophecy, commanded that it be written. (See 3 Nephi 23:9-11.) No wonder, for He anticipated the subsequent reactions to the reality of the resurrection, such as those of the Athenians to Paul's preaching: 'And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.' (Acts 17:32.)
"Jesus, the Jehovah of the Old Testament (who had been so careful to see that much lesser facts were carefully established in the mouths of two or three witnesses), insisted that the two central facts of human history, the atonement and the resurrection, be carefully established in the pages of the two great written witnesses of Him and the resurrection.
"Such careful correlation and amplified attesting would surely not surprise previous prophets—nor should it us.
"The above is not recited just to note how reassuringly tidy the restored gospel is, nor how impressively exacting about facts the Lord is. Instead, one should ask, 'What knowledge does the world need to have more than the sure testimony and evidence that Jesus is the Christ and that His atonement actually accomplished God's great plan of redemption, whereby mankind will be blessed with immortality?' In a world filled increasingly with drift, disbelief, and despair, what more welcome 'good news' could be given?" (Plain and Precious Things, p. 30)

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