Pondering The Scriptures

I find it very interesting that some of the greatest revelations come while a person is pondering something that is of interest to them.

One example is Nephi after he listened to his father Lehi tell about his vision of the tree of live. In 1 Nephi 10:17 this is how Nephi described his reaction:

"17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God - and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come - I Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men."

Here Nephi makes it clear that it is through the power of the Holy Ghost that he can learn these things. Too me, this also means that you, I, and all here on the earth can learn these things through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Nephi has already had some wonderful spiritual experiences up to this point. I wonder if he had any idea what was going to happen next. He doesn't seem surprised at the next events or if he was surprised he simply didn't write that he was. In 1 Nephi 11:1-3 we read:

"1 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 I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.
2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?
3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw."

Did Nephi have any idea that he would see and talk with the Holy Ghost? I suspect he did not. In any case he actually saw and learned more than his father Lehi since there is no record of the Holy Ghost appearing to Lehi nor as far as I know to anyone else.

From this and other scriptural accounts I have learned that one of the keys to receiving revelations from God, or to put it in other words, one way to receive marvelous messages is to ponder upon something that is important to you.

I wonder how long and how intense were the desires of Nephi. I have pondered many things related to the gospel and to Jesus and yet have not had so wondrous an experience. I know that such things can happen to me but don't expect them to. In fact I would be quite satisfied to simply understand answers to my prayers more often even if those answers were simple impressions. But, since such simple ways of answering my prayers don't come this drives me forward to learn more about how to get clearer communications coming from the Godhead to me.