pgs. 426 and 427...there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours.

THIRD NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
THE SON OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE SON OF HELAMAN

CHAPTER 10

There is silence in the land for many hours—The voice of Christ promises to gather his people as a hen gathereth her chickens—The more righteous part of the people had been preserved. [A.D. 34]

  1 And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the land did ^ahear these sayings, and did witness of it. And after these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many hours;

  2 For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours.

  3 And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:

  4 O ye people of these ^agreat cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I ^bgathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have ^cnourished you.

  5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ^aye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

  6 O ye house of Israel whom I have ^aspared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and ^breturn unto me with full purpose of ^cheart.

  7 But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become ^adesolate until the time of the fulfilling of the ^bcovenant to your fathers.

  8 And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl ^aagain because of the loss of their kindred and friends.

  9 And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. And it was in the morning, and the ^adarkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the ^brocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away.

  10 And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the ^amourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the ^bpraise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

  11 And thus far were the ^ascriptures ^bfulfilled which had been spoken by the prophets.

  12 And it was the ^amore righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared—

  13 And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness.

  14 And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him ^asearch them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by ^btempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the ^copening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.

  15 Behold, I say unto you, Yea, many have testified of these things at the coming of Christ, and were ^aslain because they testified of these things.

  16 Yea, the prophet ^aZenos did testify of these things, and also Zenock spake ^bconcerning these things, because they testified particularly concerning us, who are the remnant of their seed.

  17 Behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a ^aremnant of the seed of Joseph. And behold, are not we a remnant of the seed of Joseph? And these things which testify of us, are they not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem?

  18 And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called ^aLamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great ^bblessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ^cascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—

  19 ^aShowing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings.

I'm intrigued by the many hours of silence recorded in the beginning of this chapter.  What influence would silence have had on these people as they were waiting in the darkness after just hearing the voice of Christ? I am sure it caused much prayer and reflection and served as a way for the people to prepare their hearts.  I can see how it would be to their spiritual advantage to have a fresh, uncluttered mind when Christ makes His upcoming appearance to them.  It also shows respect and honor for the Savior and we know from D&C 88:95 that there "will be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour" just before the Savior's second coming.