Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote in his book ‘Men and Women of Christ’:
“. . . . inquirers after more faith are often disappointed or put off when told to “study, serve and pray and more. As with Naaman, a reminder is needed: “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it?” (2 Kings 5:13) (Scroll down for each highlighted scripture reference)
As we speak in terms of worshipping, serving, studying, and praying, we perceive that there are many implications attached to those well-worn words. Certainly by serving we hasten the shedding of selfishness and quicken our commitment to the second great commandment. Likewise, studying facilitates our remembering—not only do we recall the things out of our personal lives but also we have placed before us the enlarged memory of holy scriptures with all of the relevant accounts out of mankind’s spiritual history (Alma 37:8). More important, by studying we come to know God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Not only is this essential to life eternal; also it gives symmetry as between things intellectual and spiritual.
By praying, we begin to experience what it is like when we see the interplay of man’s moral agency and God’s directing hand. These are things to be learned only by experience. We learn how important our intentions are, since we are instructed to pray for that “which is right” (3 Nephi 18:20). Our prayers will be better if they are, in fact, inspired prayers.
Thus worshipping, serving, studying, praying, each in its own way squeezes selfishness out of us; it pushes aside our preoccupations with the things of the world.
Our objective, of course, is to increase our faith in the Lord, in His plan, in His timing, and in His love. Studying helps us push forward the borders of our understanding, revealing God in His fulness and inspiring awe in us as we understand that He truly is able to do His own work (see 2 Nephi 27:20-21). As we serve, by magnifying our calling, including practicing “pure religion and undefiled” (James 1:27), we gain experience in appreciating all that God has done for us and what taking His yoke upon us truly does to help us learn of Him.
From our own experiences—worshipping, serving, praying, and studying—we learn not only that God is actually there but that He is truly worthy of our total trust and full faith. Moreover we see how He delivers on His promises, and this equips us to face further challenges. The young Nephi had reached that point : “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them (1 Nephi 3:7).
Possessed of faith, we need not understand all things at once in order to know the most basic things: “I know that God loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” (1 Nephi 11:17) ~Neal A. Maxwell, ‘Men and Women of Christ,‘ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1991). 98-99
