The Daily Walk of a Latter-day Saint
Often when I don’t have a lot of time read in the Book of Mormon but am looking for a quick pick-me-up chapter, I go to 2 Nephi 32. Though it is only nine verses, I think it encapsulates well three of the fundamental principles of what it means to be a Latter-day Saint day to day. There are many activities that define us on other time frames: we go to Church and partake of the Sacrament once a week, we participate in general conferences and stake conferences twice a year, we attend the temple regularly, etc. But what does it mean to be a Latter-day Saint daily? I believe this short chapter helps define what that should look like for us. Nephi started by addressing it to us you “ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way” (2 Nephi 32:1). In other words, for us who have entered the waters of baptism, who have started on the covenant path, what should we do now? The next eight verses answer that question and invite us to do three things specifically which I believe should define our daily walk: “feast upon the words of Christ”, “pray always”, and “receive the Holy Ghost”.
All three of these invitations were given by Nephi to help us know what to do in our lives. No matter what our circumstances, these three spiritual activities will help us to know the path we should take from day to day. First, he invited us in these words: “Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (v3). There are many reasons to read the scriptures, and one of the most important surely is to receive revelation to know the things that we should do. He showed us that he was serious about this many times over, risking his life for the plates and spending countless hours inscribing for us the words of Isaiah. He recorded, “I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23). As we feast daily on the words of Christ they will be for our profit and learning and tell us the things we should do.
In conjunction with daily feasting on the words of Christ, Nephi also invited us to diligence in prayer in this chapter: “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray…. I say unto you that 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 in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul” (2 Nephi 32:8-9). Again here he associated this spiritual endeavor with the things that we do; prayer will guide us in each “performance” so that it will be for our good. Before we “go and do” we should pray unto the Father that He will consecrate our actions for good. Nephi was certainly a powerful example of the power of prayer, and one event that showed this was his building of the boat: “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Nephi 18:3). It was through prayer that He was shown how to build the boat, and his promise to us is that if we will seek to pray always the Lord will similarly bless us and consecrate our actions for good.
Lastly, Nephi also invited us in 2 Nephi 32 to receive the Holy Ghost to give us guidance. He wrote, “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (v5). When we are confirmed members of the Church at baptism we are instructed to “receive the Holy Ghost,” and Nephi’s invitation here is a reminder that this is not a one-time event. Each day we much choose to “receive the Holy Ghost” to guide and direct our lives. Again, Nephi was an example of this in many instances such as when he went back for the plates. He described ultimately how he obtained them: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). The Spirit showed him what to do, and his witness to us is that if we will each day receive the Holy Ghost it will likewise show us what we should do. This chapter is all about receiving guidance in our daily lives, and I believe it defines the daily walk of a Latter-day Saint who feasts upon the words of Christ, prays always, and receives the Holy Ghost to know those things the Lord would have him or her do.
All three of these invitations were given by Nephi to help us know what to do in our lives. No matter what our circumstances, these three spiritual activities will help us to know the path we should take from day to day. First, he invited us in these words: “Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (v3). There are many reasons to read the scriptures, and one of the most important surely is to receive revelation to know the things that we should do. He showed us that he was serious about this many times over, risking his life for the plates and spending countless hours inscribing for us the words of Isaiah. He recorded, “I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23). As we feast daily on the words of Christ they will be for our profit and learning and tell us the things we should do.
In conjunction with daily feasting on the words of Christ, Nephi also invited us to diligence in prayer in this chapter: “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray…. I say unto you that 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 in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul” (2 Nephi 32:8-9). Again here he associated this spiritual endeavor with the things that we do; prayer will guide us in each “performance” so that it will be for our good. Before we “go and do” we should pray unto the Father that He will consecrate our actions for good. Nephi was certainly a powerful example of the power of prayer, and one event that showed this was his building of the boat: “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Nephi 18:3). It was through prayer that He was shown how to build the boat, and his promise to us is that if we will seek to pray always the Lord will similarly bless us and consecrate our actions for good.
Lastly, Nephi also invited us in 2 Nephi 32 to receive the Holy Ghost to give us guidance. He wrote, “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (v5). When we are confirmed members of the Church at baptism we are instructed to “receive the Holy Ghost,” and Nephi’s invitation here is a reminder that this is not a one-time event. Each day we much choose to “receive the Holy Ghost” to guide and direct our lives. Again, Nephi was an example of this in many instances such as when he went back for the plates. He described ultimately how he obtained them: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). The Spirit showed him what to do, and his witness to us is that if we will each day receive the Holy Ghost it will likewise show us what we should do. This chapter is all about receiving guidance in our daily lives, and I believe it defines the daily walk of a Latter-day Saint who feasts upon the words of Christ, prays always, and receives the Holy Ghost to know those things the Lord would have him or her do.
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