The Daily Double

From Nephi’s incredible life and powerful teachings we see the importance of what I call the daily double: personal prayer and scripture study.  Nephi’s words and example show us that these two daily habits are paramount in our lives if we want to make it through this mortal journey successfully.  We are repeatedly taught the crucial nature of these two daily habits by the leaders of the Church.  For example, Bishop Dean Davies taught that we must “provide for an appropriate balance in our lives of daily personal prayer and feasting from the scriptures….  By carefully following His plans for our happiness, including daily prayer, daily scripture study… we will have the confidence that our lives have been built upon a sure foundation” (April 2013, A Sure Foundation).

Sister Linda Reeves bore this witness: “I must testify of the blessings of daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening.  These are the very practices that help take away stress, give direction to our lives, and add protection to our homes” (April 2014, Protection from Pornography—A Christ-Focused Home).  Elder Scott taught us, “Make time every day to share your thoughts with your [Father in Heaven]….  As you dedicate time every day, personally and with your family, to study God’s word, peace will prevail in your life” (October 2014, Make the Exercise of Your Faith Your First Priority).  There are many, many others that could be quoted to emphasize how crucial these two daily activities are for our spiritual lives.  

                In Nephi’s words in the Book of Mormon the power and importance of prayer and the study of the scriptures is seen again and again.  Nearly every chapter in his writings contains a witness of the importance of one or both of these principles.  In the very first chapter we have this testimony of the scriptures he was writing: “I know that the record which I make is true” (1 Nephi 1:3).  In the next chapter Nephi wrote of how he “did cry unto the Lord” and through prayer was able to gain a witness of the words of his father (1 Nephi 2:16).  He risked his life to go back to Jerusalem in order to have the scriptures so that his people would not “dwindle and perish in unbelief” (1 Nephi 4:13).  When Nephi was tied up by his brothers, he “prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren” and it was done according to his prayer (1 Nephi 7:17).  He gave us the vision of his father and taught the meaning of one of the central aspects of the vision: the iron rod represented “the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish.”  He exhorted his brethren “with all the energies of [his] soul… that they would give heed to the word of God” (1 Nephi 15:24-25).  When Nephi’s bow broke and he made a new one, he taught the importance of prayer and trusting in the Lord as he indirectly invited his father to ask God, who was subsequently chastened as he “did inquire of the Lord” (1 Nephi 16:24).  As Nephi built his ship he did “go into the mount oft, and [he] did pray oft unto the Lord” (1 Nephi 18:3).  Because of that he was miraculously able to build the ship that would take them to the promised land.  As he spoke to his brothers he showed how important the scriptures were to him: “I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23).  He then painstakingly engraved upon the record many of the words of Isaiah as he taught them to his people, showing that he really did believe in the power of the scriptures.  He said, “My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children” (2 Nephi 4:15).  When he struggled over his own weaknesses he prayed fervently: “O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies?” (2 Nephi 4:31). 

                There are many other passages from Nephi’s writings that could be quoted which show the importance he placed on prayer and the study of the word of God.  Near the end of his record he left us this testimony: “Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do….  Ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father” (2 Nephi 32:3, 9).  These two practices form the foundation of our spiritual lives and, as Elder Scott taught, are “fundamental habits for securing [our] life in the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”