In this brief chapter, Nephi explains what we ought to do after entering into the covenant path. Follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost, he says, and pray continually. He chides us for overcomplicating our lives and becoming confused because we aren’t doing those simple things.
Chapter Outline
- Follow the Holy Ghost, which “will tell you all things what you should do” (v. 1-6)
- Nephi mourns that he can’t tell us more (v. 7)
- Pray always (v. 8-9)
My Takeaways
- Simplify your life by following the Spirit.
- God can give you guidance about any topic.
- It takes humility to be teachable.
- We should pray not only to accomplish our goals but that our efforts will be beneficial.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Feast Upon the Words of Christ – 2 Nephi 32:1-6
“Why Do Ye Ponder?” – 2 Nephi 32:1, 8
I would describe Nephi’s tone in 2 Nephi 32 as exasperation. He is writing to people who have entered the strait gate—repenting of their sins and being baptized—and who are now on the narrow path, and yet are wondering what they should do next. Nephi is dumbfounded. “Why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?”…
Feast Upon the Words of Christ – 2 Nephi 32:3
3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. 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. (2 Nephi 32:3) To feast upon something is to savor it, to…
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Holy Ghost?
Nephi promised that, if we will receive the Holy Ghost, “it will show unto [us] all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:5). The Lord told Joseph Smith that the Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and to our heart (D&C 8:2). But it can be hard to distinguish thoughts and feelings which come…
“All Things What Ye Should Do” – 2 Nephi 32:5
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. (2 Nephi 32:5) Nephi’s message to us in this short chapter is: “Don’t make life so complicated.” Here’s how I would paraphrase…
❖ “The Spirit Stoppeth Mine Utterance” – 2 Nephi 32:7
Even As Plain As Word Can Be – 2 Nephi 32:7
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…
❖ Pray Always – 2 Nephi 32:8-9
For the Welfare of Thy Soul – 2 Nephi 32:9
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…
What Can We Learn About Prayer From Nephi?
Near the end of his second book, the prophet Nephi pleads with us to pray. He tells us that we should “pray always, and not faint.” He counsels us not to do anything without asking God to consecrate our actions “for the welfare of [our souls]” (2 Nephi 32:9). Nephi’s sincerity is credible because prayer…
He Will Consecrate
In 2 Nephi, we learn that God will consecrate our afflictions, our performances, and our prayers for our benefit. We usually think of consecration as something we do, but we know that God can turn our offerings into something of far greater value.
Old Testament Foundations
Walk in the Ordinances
As Brigham Young led thousands of church members into an unknown frontier, he received a revelation teaching them how to organize themselves for the journey. Near the beginning of that revelation is a concise statement encapsulating the standards of behavior expected of this group of travelers: And this shall be our covenant—that we will walk in all the ordinances of…
New Testament Parallels
“Spoken with Care”
Jesus said, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36). The word “idle” in this passage suggests carelessness or thoughtlessness. The speakers may not have intended to cause harm, but should have known better than to say what they did. A little more caution and restraint could have prevented the damage.…
“All Things”
Jesus promised that the Holy Ghost would teach us all things. Nephi and Moroni taught the same. What does that mean? 1. He is omniscient. 2. He can lead us to the next bit of knowledge we need. 3. He can help us in all aspects of our lives on any subject.
Bridling My Tongue
James warns us to watch our words. They can be surprisingly harmful if we’re not careful. We can govern our tongues by (1) managing our thoughts, (2) pausing before speaking, and (3) looking for encouraging and uplifting things to say.
Church History Connections
“All Things” – 2 Nephi 32:3, 5; Moroni 10:5
Our continuing role is to receive continuing revelation. Joy D. Jones, “An Especially Noble Calling,” General Conference, April 2020 Near the end of his writings, Nephi pleads with us, his readers, to learn to receive personal revelation. “I suppose,” he said, “that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do.” Pondering…
Receiving Extraordinary Gifts
Sometimes we are offered gifts of untold value, yet we may fail to grasp their significance. The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of those priceless treasures. If we are not attentive, we may fail to recognize that it is “a blessing as great as [we] have never known” (Doctrine and Covenants 39:10).
All Posts Referencing 2 Nephi 32
- Reason and Revelation (6/12/2025)
- Spirit-Directed Meetings and Days (5/14/2025)
- Receiving Extraordinary Gifts (4/26/2025)
- He Will Consecrate (3/19/2024)
- The Doctrine of Christ (11/30/2023)
- Bridling My Tongue (11/17/2023)
- Prologue of Hebrews (11/3/2023)
- Seducing Spirits (10/26/2023)
- Be Not Weary (10/20/2023)
- Earning vs. Qualifying (9/28/2023)
- The Way (8/1/2023)
- “All Things” (6/8/2023)
- “Faithful in All My House” (5/11/2022)
- Walk in the Ordinances (11/23/2021)
- “Spoken with Care” (6/12/2021)
- “Pray Always” – 2 Nephi 32:9 (3/2/2021)
- “Why Do Ye Ponder?” – 2 Nephi 32:1, 8 (3/4/2020)
- How Can I Learn to Recognize the Holy Ghost? (9/30/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil? (8/18/2019)
- What Is the Appropriate Balance Between Hard Work and Faith? (6/3/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Consecrate Something? (5/4/2019)
- What Can We Learn About Prayer From Nephi? (3/26/2019)
- All Things What Ye Should Do – 2 Nephi 32:5 (10/30/2018)
- Feast Upon the Words of Christ – 2 Nephi 32:3 (8/20/2017)
- For the Welfare of Thy Soul – 2 Nephi 32:9 (8/22/2016)
- All Things What Ye Should Do – 2 Nephi 32:5 (6/20/2016)
- Even As Plain As Word Can Be – 2 Nephi 32:7 (4/24/2016)
- “All Things What Ye Should Do” – 2 Nephi 32:5 (3/25/2015)