Description
In His Presence
About 73 B.C. Alma the Younger, caught in the agony of his many sins suddenly cries out in his heart, “O Jesus, thou Son of God have mercy on me,” and as soon as he does, “I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And, oh what joy and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain.” He saw God sitting upon His throne and, “my soul did long to be there,” he said.
Source: Alma 36
In the Spring of 1820 young Joseph Smith stood in the presence of the Father and the Son and conversed with them. Later he would describe the experience, “My soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great joy and the Lord was with me.”
Source: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/3
In the School of the Prophets meetings in the winter of 1833, John Murdock describes the following:
“The Prophet told us if we could humble ourselves before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the face of the Lord. And about midday the visions of my mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and I saw the form of a man, most lovely, the visage of his face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a bright silver gray, curled in most majestic form. His eyes a keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most beautiful white and he was covered from the neck to the feet with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I have ever before seen. His countenance was most penetrating, and yet most lovely. And while I was endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head to feet it slipped from me, and the vision was closed. . . . But it left on my mind the impression of love, for months, that I never felt before to that degree.”
Source: https://www.ldsscriptureteachings.org/2016/12/john-murdock-sees-the-savior/
About 1918, Elder Melvin J. Ballard was given a dream or vision of the Savior in the Temple. He described it as follows:
“As I entered the room I saw, seated on a raised platform, the most glorious being I have ever conceived of, and was taken forward to be introduced to Him. As I approached, He smiled, called my name, and stretched out His hands towards me. If I live to be a million-years-old I shall never forget that smile. He put His arms around me and kissed me, as He took me into His bosom, and He blessed me until my whole being was thrilled. As He finished, I fell at His feet, and there saw the marks of the nails; and as I kissed them, with deep joy swelling through my whole being, I felt that I was in heaven indeed.
“The feeling that came to my heart then was: Oh! If I could live worthy, though it would require four-score years, so that in the end when I have finished, I could go into His presence and receive the feeling that I then had in His presence, I would give everything that I am or ever hope to be!”
Source: Melvin J. Ballard—Crusader for Righteousness, 1966, p. 65–66. M. Russell Ballard, “The Blessings of Sacrifice,” Ensign, May 1992, Page 75
And these are just a few examples we could cite of those who have stood in the presence of God and described it. Is it any wonder then that in 3 Nephi 17, when Jesus announced He must leave, “Behold, they were in tears and did look steadfastly upon Him as if they would ask Him to tarry a little longer with them.” They could not bear the pain of being away from Him.
Source: 3 Nephi 17:5
And lastly, the disciples of Jesus were journeying and “united in mighty prayer and fasting” when the Savior showed Himself unto them. Many things were discussed and taught, but then, Jesus said to them: “What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?” Evidently, nine of the twelve knew exactly what they wanted and did not hesitate: “We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may come speedily unto thee in thy kingdom.”
Of all the things they could have asked for, the thing they wanted most was to be with Him. What is heaven? It is where God is. It is what God is. The greatest of all the eternal gifts of God is to be with Him, with our families forever. I’m not sure that we can comprehend the awesome power of standing worthy in the Lord’s presence, but I want to.
Source: 3 Nephi 27-28
