The command to offer animal sacrifice was first given to Adam. The purpose of animal sacrifice was to point one’s mind to the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice. The faithful were taught that animal sacrifice would cease after the Son of God had offered His blood as the “great and last sacrifice” (Alma 34:10). Amulek explained that following the Atonement of Jesus Christ, animal sacrifice would no longer be required: “There should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; … and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:13–14). Once the offering of Jesus Christ was complete, the voice of God proclaimed to the Book of Mormon people, “I will accept none of your sacrifices and burnt offerings” (3 Nephi 9:19).
Even though animal sacrifice and burnt offerings were to be “done away” (3 Nephi 9:19), the Lord did not end the law of sacrifice. Using 3 Nephi 9:20, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that today the Lord requires sacrifices of a different nature:
“The Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. The gift or sacrifice He will accept now is ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit’ [3 Nephi 9:20]. … You can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming.
“Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life? When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 10; or Ensign, May 2004, 12).