2 Nephi 32:1-9

Chapter 32 Heading

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost—Men must pray and gain knowledge for themselves from the Holy Ghost. About 559–545 B.C.

1  AND now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way.  But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?
2  Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels?  And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
3  Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.  Wherefore, I said unto you, bfeast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) asks why we carefully consider his words before we made a decision?  He has taught the principles to them, for example, they can speak with the tongue of angels after they have received the Holy Ghost.  He has taught them that angles speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, that they speak the words of Christ.  He tells them to feast on the words of Christ and you will learn all things you must do.

15  ¶ O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
16  Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15:15-16 (Emphasis mine)

35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:35 (Emphasis mine)

4  Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
5  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.6  Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh.  And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do
7  And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.

2 Nephi 32:4-7 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) next informs us if we don't understand these words, it's our fault.  Why?  We don't ask!  It's that simple.  If we ask, we will know the truth.  We will now the way.  The Holy Ghost will show us all things we should do.  This, Nephi(1) writes, is the doctrine of Christ.

And he cannot continue.  He has been commanded the Spirit to stop teaching at this point.  This is because of the wickedness of men.  Even when we receive teachings in plain and simple language, we still cannot understand.  So, he stops. 

5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

James 1:5-6 (Emphasis mine)

14  ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Mark 16:14 (Emphasis mine)

24  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt?  If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

John 10:24-26 (Emphasis mine)

14  Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Proverbs 28:14 (Emphasis mine)

52  For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Mark 6:52 (Emphasis mine)

8  Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

2 Chronicles 30:8 (Emphasis mine)

8  And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing.  For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
9  But behold, 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 (Emphasis mine)

How do we overcome this stiffneckedness?  Pray.  The Spirit teaches us to pray.  It is the devil who teaches us not to pray.  Why shouldn't he?  He knows that if we pray, with a sincere heart, we will receive our answers.  That's the last thing he wants from us.

Nephi(1) closes this chapter telling us to pray always.  Pray that he will consecrate what we do do, so that what we do we do for our welfare.

20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3:20-21 (Emphasis mine)

17  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

John 7:17 (Emphasis mine)

14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (Emphasis mine)

7  ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8 (Emphasis mine)

12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Romans 12:12  (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) emphasized the importance of prayer.  In the October 2008, Elder David A. Bednar spoke on prayer.

"Simply stated, prayer is communication to Heavenly Father from His sons and daughters on earth. “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752) ... prayer is a key part of the spiritual preparation for our day.  " (Emphasis mine)

Praying for guidance in what we do is the way we will receive "consecration in our performance. " In the October 2009 General Conference, Elder Richard G. Scott discussed the importance of spiritual guidance.

"In His plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such challenges and decisions during your mortal life. That assistance will come to you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for your peace and happiness ... Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily. "  (Emphasis mine)

It is up to each one of us to learn the truth of Nephi(1)'s words.  We can do this through prayer.  As our faith grows we will become closer to the Holy Ghost.  As we become more and more in tune with the Holy Ghost, he becomes our guide in life. 

Then we will no longer have to ponder to the word God.  We will know the truthfulness of what we hear and our lives and performance will become consecrated by Christ.  It doesn't get any better than that.