"We Lived After the Manner of Happiness"

One of the most powerful lessons of the Book of Mormon occurs after Nephi and those who believe the revelations of God depart into the wilderness to the land they call Nephi, named after their king and leader.

Nephi makes a profound comment: "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5: 27).

What a radical idea!  It doesn't say, "We got everything we ever wanted, and so we were happy." Nor does it say, "As good luck would have it, we prospered and were happy." Nephi, as a prophet of God, sees happiness as a recipe for life. It's a lifestyle, or manner of living. You follow the recipe for happiness and you're gonna be happy. Now I'm not so naive to believe this is going to be a bed of roses. This is still the same Nephi who says, "Mine eyes water my pillow by night" (2 Nephi 33: 3). Nephi knows that even hard times can be good times, and the Lord will consecrate his afflictions for his gain (see 2 Nephi 2: 2).


But the astute reader saw this coming a while back.  Remember the journey in the wilderness?  Nephi was able to see great blessings from the Lord, all according to the recipe for happiness:

“And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness” (1 Nephi 17: 3). 

I remember those early days of Twelve Step recovery, as we recited the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change: courage to change the things I can: and the wisdom to know the difference." In Alcoholics Anonymous I learned I cannot change other people, places, and things; but I can change me (with God's grace) and certainly I can work on my attitude.

Laman and Lemuel had a recipe for disaster (and unhappiness).  The ingredients were something imaginary.  They lamented:

"And thou art like unto our father (other people), led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he (other people) hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem (places), and we have wandered in the wilderness (places) for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness (places) and suffered all things (things), save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem (places) than to have suffered these afflictions.


"Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness (places), which time we might have enjoyed our possessions (things) and the land of our inheritance (places); yea, and we might have been happy" (1 Nephi 17: 20-21).

If everyone behaves according to the wishes of Laman and Lemuel, and they have all their material stuff, and the planets align, then they MIGHT be happy. But I'm not betting on it.

So let's examine Nephi's recipe for happiness. The ingredients are listed in Second Nephi chapter 5.

1. Keep the commandments of the Lord in all things (verse 10).

2. Study the plates of brass, or scriptures (verse 12).

3. Work hard (verse 15).

4. Worship the Lord in His holy house (verse 16).

5. Come to church to be taught of the Lord (verse 26).

If our happiness in life is founded upon other people, places, and things, our foundation for happiness is shaky at best, but if our lives are centered in Christ, we can find joy even in difficult times.