This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers 2 Nephi 31-33, which continues Nephi’s teachings about Jesus Christ.
Following are a few quotes from past and present Church leaders about these chapters.
2 Nephi 31
“Experiences like FSY [For the Strength of Youth] conferences, camps, sacrament meetings and missions can help to burnish our testimonies, taking us through arcs of growth and spiritual discovery to places of relative peace. But what must we do to stay there and continue to ‘press forward with a steadfastness in Christ’ (2 Nephi 31:20) rather than slipping backward? We must continue to do those things that brought us there in the first place, like praying often, drenching ourselves in scripture and serving sincerely.”
— Young Men General President Steven J. Lund, October 2022 general conference, “Lasting Discipleship”
“After the Savior received the ordinance of baptism to ‘fulfil all righteousness’ (see 2 Nephi 31:5–6), Satan tempted Him. Likewise, our temptations do not end after baptism or sealing, but receiving the sacred ordinances and honoring the associated covenants fill us with marvelous light and give us strength to resist and overcome temptations.”
— Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, General Authority Seventy, April 2018 general conference, “Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light”
“Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can live with the promise that no matter what our struggles may be, we can always have hope in Him ‘who is mighty to save’ (2 Nephi 31:19). Because of His Atonement, we can have joy, peace, happiness and eternal life.”
— Elder K. Brett Nattress, General Authority Seventy, October 2016 general conference, “No Greater Joy Than To Know That They Know”
“Nephi declared: ‘Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life’ (2 Nephi 31:20).
“The disciplined endurance described in this verse is the result of spiritual understanding and vision, persistence, patience and God’s grace. Exercising faith in and on the holy name of Jesus Christ, meekly submitting to His will and timing in our lives, and humbly acknowledging His hand in all things yield the peaceable things of the kingdom of God that bring joy and eternal life.”
— Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2015 general conference, “Therefore They Hushed Their Fears”
“In so many relationships and circumstances in life, we must live with differences. Where vital, our side of these differences should not be denied or abandoned, but as followers of Christ we should live peacefully with others who do not share our values or accept the teachings upon which they are based. The Father’s plan of salvation, which we know by prophetic revelation, places us in a mortal circumstance where we are to keep His commandments. That includes loving our neighbors of different cultures and beliefs as He has loved us. As a Book of Mormon prophet taught, we must press forward, having ‘a love of God and of all men’ (2 Nephi 31:20).”
— Then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks, now a member of the First Presidency, October 2014 general conference, “Loving Others and Living with Differences”
“In 2 Nephi 31, the prophet Nephi teaches us that after we receive the same saving ordinance of baptism that Jesus Christ received and then [receiving] the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must ‘press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, [and then] behold, thus saith the Father: [We] shall have eternal life.’
“Therefore, in order to receive the greatest of all the blessings of our Heavenly Father, which is eternal life, we must complete the appropriate ordinance work and then continue to keep the associated covenants. In other words, we must successfully endure.”
— Elder Richard J. Maynes, then a General Authority Seventy, October 2013 general conference, “The Strength To Endure”
“For our turning to the Lord to be complete, it must include nothing less than a covenant of obedience to Him. We often speak of this covenant as the baptismal covenant since it is witnessed by being baptized in water. The Savior’s own baptism, providing the example, confirmed His covenant of obedience to the Father. ‘But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments’ (2 Nephi 31:7). Without this covenant, repentance remains incomplete and the remission of sins unattained.”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2011 general conference, “The Divine Gift of Repentance”
“When Nephi prophesied of Jesus Christ at the closing of his record, he wrote, ‘Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men’ (2 Nephi 31:20).
“This ‘perfect brightness of hope’ of which Nephi speaks is the hope in the Atonement, eternal salvation made possible by the sacrifice of our Savior. This hope has led men and women through the ages to do remarkable things. Apostles of old roamed the earth and testified of Him and ultimately gave their lives in His service.”
— Elder Steven E. Snow, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2011 general conference, “Hope”
“The ordinance of baptism by water and fire is described as a gate by Nephi (see 2 Nephi 31:17). Why is baptism a gate? Because it is an ordinance denoting entry into a sacred and binding covenant between God and man. Men promise to forsake the world, love and serve their fellowmen, visit the fatherless and the widows in their afflictions, proclaim peace, preach the gospel, serve the Lord and keep His commandments. … Baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost are the prescribed ways to enter the strait and narrow path to eternal life.”
— Elder L. Tom Perry, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2008 general conference, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ”
“In profound yet understandable terms, the Book of Mormon teaches the purpose of life, from whence we came and what happens when we die. We learn of faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice, of repentance, of the importance of baptism by immersion, and of the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. By studying and feasting upon the doctrines of the Book of Mormon, we gain ‘a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men,’ with a desire to ‘endure to the end’ that we may ‘have eternal life’ (2 Nephi 31:20).”
— Elder Craig C. Christensen, General Authority Seventy, April 2008 general conference, “A Book With a Promise”
2 Nephi 32
“Searching the scriptures on a daily basis will also fortify our faith and character. Just as we need food to nourish our physical bodies, our spirits and souls will be replenished and strengthened by feasting upon the words of Christ as contained in the writings of the prophets. Nephi taught, ‘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).”
— Bishop Dean M. Davies, then a member of the Presiding Bishopric, April 2013 general conference, “A Sure Foundation”
“There is a risk that a person may not feel good enough to pray. This idea comes from that evil spirit who is the one who teaches us not to pray (see 2 Nephi 32:8). It is as tragic to think we are too sinful to pray as it is for a very sick person to believe he is too sick to go to the doctor!”
— Elder J. Devn Cornish, then a General Authority Seventy, October 2011 general conference, “The Privilege of Prayer”
“As you live a virtuous life, you will have the confidence, power and strength necessary to climb. You will also be blessed with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Follow the promptings that you receive. Act upon them. Like the cairns on a trail less traveled, the Holy Ghost will show you all things you should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5). He will teach and testify of Christ.”
— Sister Elaine S. Dalton, then the Young Women general president, April 2009 general conference, “Come Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the Lord”
“The gift of the Holy Ghost, given to us by our Heavenly Father and administered by one having authority, includes the merciful promise: ‘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). Through the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, every member of the Church can receive ‘the words of Christ’ directly (2 Nephi 32:3), at any time or place. This personal divine guidance helps us to remain valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ and endure to the end of our days. Isn’t this wonderful!”
— Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2007 general conference, “Have We Not Reason To Rejoice?”
2 Nephi 33
“Nephi taught that the role of the Holy Ghost is to carry the truth ‘unto the hearts of the children of men’ (2 Nephi 33:1). Our role as parents is to do all we can to create an atmosphere where our children can feel the influence of the Spirit and then help them recognize what they are feeling.”
— Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, then the second counselor in the Primary general presidency, April 2012 general conference, “Teaching Our Children To Understand”
“No wonder the Book of Mormon proclaims with boldness, ‘And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ’ (2 Nephi 33:10). Together with the Bible, the Book of Mormon is an indispensable witness of the doctrines of Christ and His divinity. Together with the Bible, it ‘teach[es] all men that they should do good’ (2 Nephi 33:10). And together with the Bible, it brings us to ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Ephesians 4:5). That is why the Book of Mormon is so crucial in our lives.”
— Elder Tad R. Callister, then a General Authority Seventy, October 2011 general conference, “The Book of Mormon — a Book From God”
“I delight in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Like Nephi, ‘I glory in my Jesus’ (2 Nephi 33:6), in His ministering and saving roles upon the earth. He provides light and hope and has given us the Holy Ghost for further guidance and comfort along the pathway we should go. It is only through Him that we can return to our Father.”
— Sister Susan W. Tanner, then the recently released Young Women general president, April 2008 general conference, “My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord”
“Nephi, the son of Lehi, said: ‘But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them’ (2 Nephi 33:3). This heartfelt cry is being answered in our day through the Book of Mormon. Nephi was praying that the word he had ‘written in weakness would be made strong unto’ us, ‘for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal’ (2 Nephi 33:4).”
— Elder Walter F. González, then a General Authority Seventy, October 2001 general conference, “Writing Gospel Principles in Our Hearts”
“When we bear record of the good news of the gospel, our spoken testimony invites the Holy Ghost to bear His witness of the truth of the message. It is not our words that carry the power but rather the Spirit of God that accompanies our words and confirms them in the hearts of the listeners. Nephi explained in the Book of Mormon, ‘For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men’ (2 Nephi 33:1).”
— Sister Susan L. Warner, then the second counselor in the Primary general presidency, October 1998 general conference, “Bear Record of Him”
“The reality of [the First Vision] gives Nephi’s declarations concerning plainness new significance. … ‘I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell’ (2 Nephi 33:6). … Through this great prophet Nephi, along with other leaders and wise teachers, we come to realize that we learn more readily if principles are taught and explained in plainness.”
— Elder Marvin J. Ashton, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 1977 general conference, “The Power of Plainness”
