Where was Jesus in the Old Testament?

Peter and Molly,

So I saw that the last couple of Sunday's you've been answering churchy questions, so maybe you can tackle one of mine. Last week in seminary, we had a substitute teacher, we're on Old Testament, and she started talking about Jesus and the Lord, like they're the same person. So someone asked if they were, and she said that of course they were. Jesus was God in the Old Testament. Well I was super confused, and just blew it off, but decided to ask my parents, and they said that they are three people but that my teacher is also right. What?!?!? I'm so confused.

Thanks,

Seminary Dunce

Peter: Dunce, that's what happened in my seminary class! It is a little confusing, but it's really not so bad. So here's what you know. There's a Godhead, they all act as one, but it's three different entities: Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it's confusing because we call Heavenly Father "God," but it's a title more than anything, and all three are "God." Heavenly Father, doesn't come to Earth very often at all, in fact once Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, he didn't come again during the entire Old Testament, instead he sent Jesus Christ. So when they're talking about God in the Old Testament, they're talking to the same person that later came to Earth and received a body as Jesus Christ.

Molly: Peter, you're confusing me, and "Dunce," though you're not, is probably no better off. Here's the bottom line, and what you're teacher should have told you, it doesn't matter which one of them came. They're all working together, and they can all speak for each other. It would be like if I wanted to get a refund from a company with two owners. I went and talked to one of them and got the refund, and then someone asked, well who'd you talk to, and I said, "The owner." Which one is of little consequence.

Peter: I don't know that it's of little consequence. Understanding the nature of our Heavenly Father is important. Your description of why there name is the same is good, but the Lord of the Old Testament was the same person as Jesus of the New Testament. Abinadi tries to explain it in Mosiah 15:1-9, though he's not much clearer than I was.

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