Next Jesus commanded them to bring unto Him their little children. So the people brought them and set them down upon the ground round about Him, and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought as the Savior had commanded. And when they all had been brought, Jesus stood in their midst and commanded further that the multitude kneel down upon the ground. And when they had done so, Jesus sighed and began to pray. He offered a pitiful exclamation of sorrow; Father, He said, "I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the House of Israel." He saw what was to come upon them in a future generation. And when He had said these words, He, Himself knelt; and He prayed unto the Father and the things which He prayed could not be written, but the multitude who heard Him bore record: That eye had never seen, neither had ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as they saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father. When Jesus had made an end of praying, He arose, but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome. But Jesus bade them arise. Then they arose, and He said unto them, "Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, My joy is full." And when He had said these words, He wept
"and He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them." "And when He had done this He wept again." And then the Resurrected Lord said unto the multitude, "Behold your little ones."
Angels minister to the children, a marvelous and touching scene. As the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, of the little children cast their eyes upward they saw the heavens open, and numerous angels descending out therefrom as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled the little ones round about, and the multitude saw that they were surrounded by the flames thereof, yet were not burned. Intensely they watched as the angels ministered to the children.
And the throng who saw these glorious things numbered 2,500 men, women, and children, and they all bore record of the wonderful things of which they had seen, heard, and partaken.
Can we imagine anything more lovely, more touching, and more glorious, than this scene must have been? Can we conceive the joy that must have filled the hearts of these Nephites as they beheld the angels of Heaven descending from the Courts of Glory and ministering to their little ones? How deep must have been their love for the Savior. Who had brought these blessings to them? How strong must have grown their faith in Him? We cannot recall a circumstance in recorded history that draws Earth nearer to Heaven than this, or that seems to bind the ties so strongly that unite the Powers of Eternity with the children of mortality.