Nephi is the first writer in the Book of Mormon. He was a teenager when the events recorded began, but didn’t begin recording them until he was much older.
As a teenager, his father had a powerful vision of the Savior and of God’s love for us. Nephi was a young man of great faith, always desiring to know what God wanted of him, and wanting his own testimony. When he learned of his father’s vision, he wisely knew it was not enough just to lean on the testimony of another. He wanted his own testimony of these events.
1 Nephi 11:1 offers some important clues to Nephi’s greatness, even as a teenager:
“For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart…”
There were three parts to this notation which can serve as a guide for us today as we seek to understand God and His gospel. First, he wanted to know for himself that what his father had said was true. He wanted his own testimony.
Many of us begin our journey toward faith by trusting the words of others. Our parents might teach us about religion, and because we trust our parents, we trust what they tell us. We might rely on the testimonies of teachers, peers, or religious leaders. However, any testimony built solely on the faith or words of another can be shaken or destroyed. Each person needs a personal foundation of faith, a testimony of their very own that is built on their own communications with God. God is the only One whose word can be absolutely counted on to be true. Anyone else can intentionally or unintentionally mislead. Words spoken by mortals are subject to interpretation, but God, speaking to your heart, cannot be misunderstood.
Nephi’s desire for a personal knowledge of what he was being taught was the first step toward his future greatness as a leader and a follower of Christ. The second step was faith. He believed God could give him the information he wanted. When we pray, but don’t really believe God is going to answer us, or that He can really help us, we make it harder to hear His answers. The better we know Him, the easier it is to recognize His voice. The better we know Him, the easier it is to trust Him to answer us.
“I have discovered that what sometimes seems an impenetrable barrier to communication is a giant step to be taken in trust. Seldom will you receive a complete response all at once. It will come a piece at a time, in packets, so that you will grow in capacity. As each piece is followed in faith, you will be led to other portions until you have the whole answer. That pattern requires you to exercise faith in our Father’s capacity to respond. While sometimes it’s very hard, it results in significant personal growth.” Richard G. Scott, “(Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007, 8–11)
Finally, Nephi pondered. Pondering is more than just thinking. It is thinking with both your mind and your heart, an intense, all-consuming sort of thought in which you consider, in this case, the things of God and try to understand them as He wants you to understand them, not as you want them to be.
“By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions.” (Marvin J. Ashton, “‘There Are Many Gifts’,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 20)
Pondering is related to prayer, and in fact, can be part of the prayer process. Often, as you ponder, you maintain a conversation with God about the things you are considering. In these quiet, private moments, your heart is open to the whisperings of the spirit. You are able to be taught by God those things of eternal importance. Your heart and mind are joined with God’s for the time you are pondering, and you will be able to understand the gospel at a level you never imagined possible.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
