2 Nephi 33

Read it HERE

Summary: Nephi’s words are true—They testify of Christ—Those who believe in Christ will believe Nephi’s words—They shall stand as a witness before the judgment bar. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

Verse 1 always gets me. Nephi tells that he's not mighty in writing. But I find his writings rather "mighty" and inspiring. What an incredible prophet and what an incredible book of scriptures he wrote! Although, as he explains, it is different just writing your words down rather than actually being able to speak them. Nephi tells of how when a person speaks, then the Holy Ghost is able to carry the words into the hearts of the listeners. Well, I think that Nephi's writings are pretty inspiring. I wonder what it would have been like to LISTEN to him. Maybe one day...

I'm also touched by verse 3. He says that he continually prays for his people and his eyes water his pillow at night. Can you imagine how other people in leadership positions feel? What about President Monson? I know that I have had my own teensy weensy experience in a calling that truly helped me to care for a few people. I WAS constantly praying for them, and I did cry for them. I cannot imagine how that would be on such a larger scale. Yet, isn't that neat to know? Isn't it neat to stop and think that you are probably being prayed for each night? Whether it is your parents, your auxillary leaders, your bishop, your stake president, the prophet?

Verse 10
And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.

I thought about how an investigator would read this verse as they are reading the Book of Mormon for the first time. Right now they might not know if they believe the Book of Mormon to be true. They might not know if they believe Nephi. But here Nephi explains that if they believe in Christ, then that means they aslo believe these words in the scriptures, for they truly are the words of Christ.

And it's the same with us. If we believe in Christ, then we believe that the gospel is true. If we believe that the gospel is true, then we believe it was restored in these latter days through Joseph Smith. And if we believe that, then we believe that the Book of Mormon is true too!

And Nephi ends his words "as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come."