3 Nephi 11:3-6

 3 - And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

Did all of the people that were there hear the voice? "...it did pierce them that did hear.." What about this voice, as described here, is different from the traditional view of the "still, small voice"? What is the significance of their frames quaking and their hearts burning? Was this the baptism of a cleansing fire for these people? If so, why did it happen at this moment? What were they cleansed of? Was it in preparation for something else to come later?



4 - And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.


5 - And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

What does it mean to open your ears in a spiritual sense? Is this doing a combination of something physical and spiritual? Look up the first footnote for the word 'open' (Job 36:15). How would this verse apply to the Nephites at that time? How would it apply to you? Is this a pattern and a type to recognize the process of how ones ears are opened? What does looking steadfastly towards heaven imply? Did they expect to hear more at this time? Were they distracted once they had heard the voice three times?


6 - And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

Father in heaven had to call three times, once for each level of separation (Celestial -> Terrestrial -> Telestial) from Him to this earth. Was the baptism by fire and the opening of their ears to prepare them to hear a message from a celestial being? Does that happen to all that go through this process? Did the Father repeat the same message three times before they heard it?

...Great things 2 ponder upon.