Post by Nephi –
After so many years of contention, broken up by only brief stints of harmony, we finally have our destiny in our own hands. Free from the hatred of my brothers, we have proven the Lord’s promises. We now observe to keep the judgments, the statutes and commandments of the Lord, according to the Law of Moses and the Lord is with us. We are prospering exceedingly. We have sown seeds and we are reaping in abundance. Our flocks and our herds are equally successful.
We are living after the manner of happiness. I wish to elaborate on this statement.
When fleeing my brothers’ hatred, we brought the plates of brass with us, along with the compass given us by the Lord. With continued guidance from and obedience to the Lord, we are prospering and multiplying. I also brought with us Laban’s sword, the same one I used in removing his head and from its pattern we are making more swords. My brother’s hatred toward me will eventually bring them against us in battle. Along with the Lord’s watchful care we will be prepared to protect ourselves.
I taught our people to build buildings, to work all manner of wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver and the other precious ores which we have in abundance.
We also built a temple similar to the temple of Solomon. Maybe not so elegant, but constructed just as well. We’ve become an industrious people laboring diligently with our hands.
The Lord has selected me to be a ruler and a teacher for my people but they want me to be their king. I don’t feel they should have a king but I do for them what I can. Until my older brothers sought this last time to take my life, I had been the ruler over all my fathers family, just as the Lord had commanded.
Just as the Lord has said, all those who will not harken to the word of the Lord will be cut off from His presence, they have been cut off. The Lord has cursed them because of their rebellion. They have hardened their hearts against Him and they are no longer an exceeding fair and delightsome people. They are now a dark and loathsome people, unenticing to my people in any way.
What is awe inspiring however is the promise from the Lord that if they repent He will still forgive. Yet we have been warned that if we mix with them, we will receive the same cursing. Because of the cursing they have become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety and live in the wilderness on beasts of prey.
I am told by the Lord they will be a scourge to my people to stir us up in remembrance of the Lord. In other words, when we rebel, my brother’s people will scourge us back into remembrance or destruction.
So let me summarize. Living after the manner of happiness includes:
1 – Observing and keeping the judgments, commandments and statutes of the Lord
2 – Being prospered by the Lord
3 – Sowing and reaping in abundance (because of the Lord)
4 – Studying the word of the Lord as found in the plates of brass
5 – Raising large and wonderful families
6 – Providing security by preparing for our own protection
7 – Being industrious and working hard
8 – Building and worshiping in the Temple
Compare our manner of happiness to the lives of my brothers:
1 – They rebel against the Lord and His teachings
2 – They are full of hatred
3 – They are cursed for their rebellion
4 – They have been cut off from the Lord
5 – They have become loathsome
6 – They are idle, full of mischief and subtlety
7 – They survive in the wilderness on beasts of prey
Living after the manner of happiness may look like work but I contend it is easier than being unhappy.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 5:10 – 25)
