Christ's Visit Was Known

"And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them." (1 Nephi 12:6)

So this is around 600 years before Christ was born. While Nephi was learning more about his father's dream from the angel, he had the opportunity to see many generations passing away.  I'm saddened by the fact that he saw his own descendants fighting and going back and forth between evil and good. I think that would be a difficult thing to see. However, there is certainly a highlight, which I have quoted.

The Savior visiting the Nephites is the crowning event of the Book of Mormon, and the initial author of that book saw it take place in a vision.  For someone with as much faith as Nephi, that must have brought great joy and excitement, along with a sense of urgency to teach his children and their children (and so on) the truths of the gospel so that they could be numbered among those that were present for the Savior's visit.  So learning the gospel from the things that Nephi wrote about after this vision helps us to know the things that will lead us to that kind of life.  The life that allows us to see such miracles.

This is something I can directly apply to my life, because I know Christ will come again, and I want to be in that same boat when he does--living the kind of life that allows me to be on His side (and maybe even near His side), fighting for His cause. I know He lives and loves me, and I love Him too.