Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Forty-One
Eye Witnesses of the Atonement
The Book of Life – We can record TV programs for later viewing. More importantly the events of our lives are kept in the Book of Life which is recorded in heaven (see D&C 128:6-7). Certainly, a record was kept of our Savior’s mortal life. If there is an acceptable reason and a righteous purpose the record of His mortal life can be opened to us. It is as if we were at the event when it took place. Two examples follow:
Apostle Orson F. Whitney as a young missionary was given what he described as “a vision in a dream.” He wrote: “As I lay upon my bed in the little town of Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania I seemed to be in the Garden of Gethsemane, a witness of the Savior's agony. I saw Him as plainly as ever I have seen anyone. Standing behind a tree in the foreground, I beheld Jesus, with Peter, James and John, as they came through a little wicket gate at my right. Leaving the three Apostles there, after telling them to kneel and pray, the Son of God passed over to the other side, where He also knelt and prayed. It was the same prayer with which all Bible readers are familiar: "Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).
“As He prayed tears streamed down His face, which was toward me. I was so moved at the sight that I also wept, out of pure sympathy. My whole heart went out to Him; I loved Him with all my soul, and longed to be with Him as I longed for nothing else.
“Presently He arose and walked to where those Apostles were kneeling – fast asleep! He shook them gently, awoke them, and in a tone of tender reproach, without the least show of anger or impatience, asked them plaintively if they could not watch with Him one hour. There He was, with the awful weight of the world's sins upon His shoulders, with the pangs of every man, woman and child shooting through His sensitive soul – and they could not watch with Him one poor hour!
“Returning to His place, he offered up the same prayer as before; then went back and again found them sleeping. Again He awoke them, re-admonished them, and once more returned and prayed. Three times this occurred, until I was perfectly familiar with His appearance-- face, form and movements. He was of noble stature and majestic mien-- not at all the weak, effeminate being that some painters have portrayed; but the very God that He was and is, as meek and humble as a little child” (Orson F. Whitney, "Through Memories Halls", 1930, p. 82).
Apostle David B. Haight, in the October 1989 General Conference, told of a recent vision of the Savior’s life he was given over several days during a very serious illness:
“I was shown a panoramic view of His earthly ministry: His baptism, His teaching, His healing the sick and lame, the mock trial, His crucifixion, His resurrection and ascension. There followed scenes of His earthly ministry to my mind in impressive detail, confirming scriptural eyewitness accounts. I was taught…by the Holy Spirit of God so as to behold many things.
“The first scene was of the Savior and His apostles in the upper chamber on the eve of His betrayal. Following the Passover supper, He instructed and prepared the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for His dearest friends as a remembrance of His coming sacrifice. It was so impressively portrayed to me – the overwhelming love of the Savior for each. I witnessed His thoughtful concern for significant details – the washing of the dusty feet of each Apostle, His breaking and blessing of the loaf of dark bread and blessing of the wine….
“When they had sung a hymn, Jesus and the Eleven went out to the Mount of Olives. There, in the garden, in some manner beyond our comprehension, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. His agony in the garden, Luke tells us, was so intense his sweat was as…great drops of blood falling…to the ground.’ (Luke 22:44) He suffered an agony and a burden the like of which no human person would be able to bear. In that hour of anguish our Savior overcame all the power of Satan.
“During those days of unconsciousness I was given, by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, a more perfect knowledge of His mission…. My soul was taught over and over again the events of the betrayal, the mock trial, the scourging of the flesh of even one of the Godhead. I witnessed His struggling up the hill in His weakened condition carrying the cross and His being stretched upon it as it lay on the ground, that the crude spikes would be driven with a mallet into His hands and wrists and feet to secure His body as it hung on the cross for public display.
“I cannot begin to convey to you the deep impact that these scenes have confirmed upon my soul. I sense their eternal meaning and realize that nothing in the entire plan of salvation compares in any way in importance with that most transcendent of all events, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord. It is the most important single thing that has ever occurred in the entire history of created things; it is the rock foundation upon which the gospel and all other things rest.”
We also can be eye witnesses to the atonement – The phrase “to “see with the eye of faith” is used three times in the scriptures, all in the Book of Mormon. (See Alma 5:15, 32:40, Ether 12:19) Each of these scriptures suggest the ability to see beyond this mortal life either forward or back. Alma 5:16-18 teaches that seeing with the eye of faith includes the ability to imagine.
Some are given open visions of the atonement. Joseph Smith taught that “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make know unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them…”
All of us can search the scriptural accounts of the life and ministry of the Lord, and ponder it in our hearts. We can ask God the Eternal Father in the name of Christ, to open our mind to see with the eye of faith and know of the things that we desire. If we ask in faith, with a sincere heart and real intent he will manifest the truth of it by the power of the Holy Ghost. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (See Moroni 10:3-5)
Visions of the atonement were given to Elder Haight and Elder Whitney by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. By the gift and power of the Holy Ghost we can also see clearly, with the eye of faith, and become, in every meaningful way, eye witness to the atonement.
The time will come, whether in this life or in the next, when we will see with our eyes the things that we first beheld with an eye of faith, and we will be glad. (See Ether 12:19)