Tell you all things what you should do

"...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."

To what extent is this statement true? My initial thought is that the "words of Christ" or the scriptures will tell us everything that we are to do. However if this is the case than the ability to choose would not need to be exercised. Every time I had a concern, question, or doubt I could go to the scriptures and it would tell me what to do. This would destroy the purpose of growth and becoming by extinguishing choice. So what does this passage mean?

Continuing a couple of verses later Nephi teaches us that "...if ye will..receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." Now we are not only being told what to do by the scriptures, but we are also being shown all things we are to do by the Holy Ghost. Is it really so simple? Are we meant to live a life so closely associated with the scriptures and the companionship of the Holy Ghost that it will show and tell us all things that we are to?

With that in mind I would like to return to the thought that we do not have an ability to choose if we are given all knowledge. The exercising of agency comes long before the knowledge arrives though. When I exercise my will to feast upon the words of Christ, I have exercised agency. Along with that in order to receive the Holy Ghost I must choose a life of holiness and purity.

When we read the words of Christ with eyes of controlling our own lives we become overly sensitive to losing control. We miss the mark. Heavenly Father does not say I am taking control of your lives, but is saying that if you choose to follow my Son, I promise you direction in all things. He wants us to choose. He wants us to make good choices. He promises us blessings for choosing righteously.

The perfect example of one who gave up control to do the Father's will was the Savior, Jesus Christ. I fear that I regard him too much as a poster boy of good but not as someone I want to be like. I crave being in control. I despise not knowing or understanding what is happening in my life. Unfortunately, I see the Savior as a healer of my inconvenience not the way to perfection.

His invitation is loving and clear. Take the only thing you have control of, agency, and use it to feast upon the scriptures and live worthy of the Holy Ghost. As we do so He will bless us with direction and peace toward eternal life.