The Right Way

We all have occasion to ask, “What should I do? How should I proceed in this situation? What is the right way forward?”  Nephi gave us all the answer to those questions, no matter what the difficult situation that we face is: “The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not.”  He further emphasized, “And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out” (2 Nephi 25:28-29).  No matter what kind of trouble we are in, no matter what challenges we are confronting or what problems plague us, the right way forward is always more faith in Jesus Christ.  As we focus on Him with our “might, mind, and strength, and [our] whole soul,” as we “search diligently, pray always, and be believing” in Him, His promise is that “all things shall work together for [our] good” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24).  Heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ is always the first answer to our problems.  Nephi pleaded with all of us to seek Him first, “And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ” (2 Nephi 33:10).        

As Nephi finished his record and left his final testimony in the Book of Mormon, his focus was on turning his readers to faith on the Savior.  He explained, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God…. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:23, 26).  Our faith in Christ enables us to repent, to change, to be reconciled to God.  Nephi testified of the blessings of faith in Christ: “It must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith” (2 Nephi 26:12-13).  Our faith in Him leads to a manifestation of the Holy Ghost as well as miracles, signs, and wonders.  Surely the inspiration of the Holy Ghost coupled with miracles is exactly what we need to solve any problem we face—but it must start on our part with faith in Jesus Christ.  Nephi explained that we must “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ.”  If we do that then we shall “receive the Holy Ghost” which shall “show unto [us] all things what [we] should” (2 Nephi 31:13, 32:5).    

Nephi invited us again to come unto Jesus Christ in these words: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way” (2 Nephi 31:20-21).  If we need to know what to do in our lives, if we need to find our way, Nephi’s witness is that there is only one way forward, whatever our problems, and that is through Jesus Christ.  He is the way.  Nephi’s invitation is to first come unto the Savior with all our hearts, praying always, keeping His commandments, feasting upon His word, and exercising faith in Him, and then we shall have the Holy Ghost to show us the right way forward through all our difficulties.