After the Manner of Happiness

The following is my outline for March's 5th Sunday discussion in combined Px and RS.

Living after the manner of righteousness

Short story, a true story:

There was a young man that had a large family, in a large city.  His father was a successful businessman, and by all accounts a good father.  The father experienced a mid-life crisis, uprooted his family from their comfortable home and moved far away.  The pressures and strains of moving led to divisions and cracks in the family.  Some went kicking and screaming, others supported their father.  After relocation, tensions eased somewhat for a time, but after the father died, old tensions and contentions resurfaced.  Things deteriorated to the point that the young man actually took his family and friends and left to find a new place to live with his loved ones.

Sound familiar?  This, of course, is the story of Nephi. I think that we can, in many ways relate to his story.  Maybe we have had family discord, physical and mental hardships to endure, spiritual trials and yearnings that have nearly overwhelmed us.  What I find interesting, is that after all this, he was able to write in 2 Nephi 5:27  "and it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."  We are told, and believe, the Book of Mormon was written for us, for our instruction and edification.  Today I would like to examine how Nephi and his people were able to "live after the manner of happiness." 

2 Nephi 5

For the following points I am indebted to a talk given by Marlin K Jensen, now an emeritus 70, in 1995 at BYU.

2 Nephi 5:27 - lived after the manner of happiness - let's see how that was accomplished.

2 Nephi 5:6 - I did take my family - Read quote 1

2 Nephi 5:10 - Keep the commandments - Alma commented that "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10) - read quote 2

2 Nephi 5:11 - Be self-sufficient as far as possible - read quote 3 - The point of a garden is not only food, but watching God's creations actually work!

2 Nephi 5:12 - Scriptures - read quote 4

2 Nephi 5:14 - Preparedness - read quote 5

2 Nephi 5:15 - Work - read quote 6

2 Nephi 5:16 - Temples - read quote 7

2 Nephi 5:26 - Church Service - read quote 8

A final scripture - 2 Nephi 25: 23,26 - Christ and His atonement is the true source of happiness.