2 Nephi 3-5

Today I read Lehi's final admonitions to his descendants, along with the events immediately following his death. Being a parent now of children that are old enough to understand and make their own choices lends a different light. You can tell that Lehi desperately wants his children to make correct choices, but cannot and will not force them. In spite of some of his children making poor choices, you can tell he loves them all the same. Following his death, we get to see into the inner struggles of Nephi. A great prophet though he is, he lets us see that the weakness of the flesh makes it difficult even for him to overcome the temptations of the devil. If we are not recommitting ourselves every day, we will inevitably yield to the cunning of the devil. Finally in chapter 5, there is a verse near the end that mentions that they ”lived after the manner of happiness.” Many times I have reread this chapter to understand what Nephi considered to be the manner of happiness. Things like being industrious, building a temple, being with family, and  keeping the commandments of God stick out to me. While the do become prosperous, it seems to be more a byproduct of the way they choose to live, than a reason for their happiness because Nephi describes it as a way of living not a state of attainment. This difference though subtle is critical in our pursuit of happiness.