Ether 3

3 . . .these many years we have been in the wilderness

The sublime experience of the brother of Jared when he saw Jesus Christ and had so much revealed to him was not the beginning of his experience. They had been many years in the wilderness. His faith had been tried over a period of years during which he had learned to call upon the Lord and to trust in and follow Him. The reward for enduring in faith is the know the Lord in such a way that we cannot be kept from His presence.

The 93rd section of the Doctrine and Covenants begins this way:

1 VERILY, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;
2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;