We lived after the manner of happiness 2 Nephi 5

The Policeman writing his report and making arrest

The doorbell rang. It was mid-afternoon. Standing before us was a young man in search of his car?
He had lost it the night before. Could we help?

It seems he was unhappy about loosing it? His car. But was that all he was searching for? Surely he had the police report?  Why did he feel the need to ring our door? Was there more he wanted from us? Answers maybe to how his search for happiness the night before had ended badly?

Happiness, it seems is fleeting. Many believe it can be discovered in experiences, bought or like the "Tips for Jesus" benefactors, gifted. Very few understand that happiness is a state of being that must be cultivated, planned for and disciplined. Happiness is a discipline that must be refined within us.

So did we have answers for this young man of 19?

After crashing a raucous neighborhood party the night before, he had left for home, but had lost his way. While preparing for bed just before 1:30 I noticed him as he drove his car into our driveway.  I watched him from a window as he played on his phone and honked his horn, all the while acting very confused. Soon after I called the police he decided to drive his car around our truck and off the driveway into the trees behind our house. The police pursued him and soon all three vehicles needed to be towed out of our very muddy backyard.  This took until about 4:30 a.m.

The nice police officer who arrested him and his backseat buddy told us that they had been called to the party of nearly 500 for noise and many other sundry violations. Both of the boys were found with 2 empty Bacardi bottles and other substances of abuse. Both had no idea where they were or how they had gotten here, so when he showed up looking for the car, it was of little surprise to us that he had no memory of the previous nights activities. It appears we were not the only house he had inquired at.

The tow truck shows up 3:30 am

I thought of this young many and many like him who believe that happiness can be found in wild parties, drugs that falsely lift the emotions, or idleness. I thought of how this kind of happiness does not bring on a manner or a state of happiness that Nephi and other prophets spoke.

I noticed that Nephi sought happiness and because of the anger of his brethren he was unable to cultivate it. The Lord told him to flee and those that also believe in the "warnings and revelations of God" went with him. They went because they wanted a more lasting kind of happiness. Unlike the event or momentous happiness that most of the world seeks, Nephi and "the people of Nephi" sought a more lasting state of happiness, one that would bring prosperity and joy. (Alma 27:18)

Nephi as a student of the Old Testament would known of the Psalms or of Proverbs. He might have read:

Psalm 128: 2  For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
Psalm 146: 5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Proverbs 13:3  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Proverbs14: 21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Nephi recognized the hardness of his brothers hearts, "Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." (Proverbs 28), and he realized that this would never bring happiness to him and those that worshipped God.

I realized that all men search for happiness. Even Nephi. I realized that few find it. And I realized that, like Nephi the greatest happiness has come when I have been obedient to the counsels and laws of God. (vs10). It is interesting to see how Nephi compares his lifestyle to that of his brethren. He describes how after leaving his brethren he and his people of Nephi did:

did sow seed, did reap again in abundance.  raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind. (vs 11)

build buildings, work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores (vs 15)

they did build a temple (vs 16)

industrious, and to labor with their hands. (vs 17)

priests and teachers (vs 26)

Nephi also understood the wisdom of the proverb that teaches the importance of vision: Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18) Using this vision given to him of the Lord, he not only brought the records with him (vs 12) but he began to write and keep records (vs 29, 30). Records give us vision into our past and help us plan for the future.

As I thought about my state of happiness I began to realize how important Nephi's recipe of happiness is to my life. For what he teaches brings harmony and peace and cultivates talent and skills necessary for mortality.

I am happiest when I am with my family, when I have a quiet understanding of God's vision for me. I am happiest when I adhere to a daily routine that ensures cleanliness, nutrition and exercise of both my body and spirit.

Happiness is a state that we need not seek, for it will find us when we learn to cultivate it. As a genuine feeling of peace it will attract others who also have a deeper understanding of the "warnings and revelations of God."

When I take time to consider the "manner of happiness" that I have experienced in my life it all revolves around my obedience to God's laws and plan of happiness for me. I have discovered this happiness in my patriarchal blessing, in temple worship and service, in family moments where we share one another's talents such as song, or book reading or sport, in scriptural reading where revelation brings me new insights, in service to others and community, in gaining skill or education, and in doing all things that are "pleasing unto God" (vs 32).

Time lapse shot of tow truck leaving

I have discovered that the greatest happiness comes in partaking of the fruit of God, for " it is "most sweet, above all that I have ever before tasted," (1 Nephi 8:10-11)



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Additional scriptures on happiness



 John 13:15-17
 Romans 14:22
 James 5:10-11
Mormon 9:14
Proverbs 28
Mosiah 2:41
Mormon 9:3
2 Nephi 9:43
Mosiah 2:41

A Father's Letter 2 Nephi 2-3

Learning to love the temple brings us to joy. 

The opportunity to write a letter to my son about his future recently presented itself in the form of a high school homework assignment. Wanting to impress upon her students the importance of family culture and religious belief in our lives (in relation to their world studies) she asked each parent to answer a series of questions concerning their hope for their child's marriage and educational goals. It was a very interesting experience and one that made me realize the importance of what Lehi was doing when he wrote letters to his very young sons Jacob and Joseph.

Have you ever considered that we don't have letters to Lehi, Nephi or Sam? Did he speak to them or did he hope that the words he used to convey his deep convictions to his younger sons would be heard by his older sons. Because there are several times in both letters where he refers to all of his sons I think the answer here is yes. (vs 2:14, 28, 30)

In this same spirit I have taken the letter that was originally written by both my husband and myself for our youngest son and placed it here for all of my children and younger members of our family to read.

Temple Open House with Great Grandpa

With that I want to say how very joyful my life has been because of my children. From my children I have learned so many wonderful lessons and been given so many heavenly gifts. Surely there would have been no other way for me to obtain these gifts but through the trials and gifts of family life.

The diversity of life has never abounded more about me than when I am with my own family: to me they represent my love, life and hopes and dreams. Six beautiful children: each with their own view, their own hopes and their own dreams and yet each capable of understanding and living the laws of both heaven and earth and finding the joy that each law brings. I have a very unique perspective on life not necessarily because of my choice of faith, but because of the opportunity that each of my children have given me to exercise my faith.

To my daughters I ask for your indulgence while reading and understand that much of the message might be lost if I were to change all of the adverbs to read as neutral gender. As you read please make the adjustments needed to fit your life circumstances and know that if this assignment had been given while you were yet in high school, your father and I would have wanted to convey the same essence of meaning.

To our child.
 The days are quickly approaching that you will begin to court and date young women. These days are important because they help you work through and decide what characteristics you would enjoy in an eternal mate. Marriage is a serious commitment that if done with careful consideration will bring you a lifetime of happiness and companionship.
 Marriage is not to be taken lightly. Our faith teaches us that the person we choose to marry will become our eternal companion. If you choose to follow the credo of our faith and marry at the sacred alters of the Lord's temple, you will be making not only lifetime but eternal covenants between you, your mate and God.  These covenants are an important step in helping both you and your mate understand the seriousness of your commitment toward one another.
 While we don’t have a specific person, chosen for you to marry,  (this practice went out of style hundreds of years ago),  we do believe that it is important for you to consider characteristics that might be deemed important in a mate. A few that we have considered include: loyalty, humility, willingness to serve others, a love of  faith and family, a cheerful and independent disposition, and one who is not afraid to work hard.

 Work is one characteristic that the modern conveniences of life have eroded the importance of. Long ago men and women married out of love and need. A farmer needed a woman who could do the work necessary for survival. A woman likewise depended on her husband to be able to work their land hard. Survival depended on it. Today’s need for a relationship based on the merits of hard-work may not be as apparent as it once was, but it is still equally as important. What has changed is the type of work needed to make the marriage successful.
 A successful marriage happens when both parties share the work, do their part and learn to serve one another. Communication is hard work. Planning for financial, spiritual, social, emotional, and educational needs is hard work. Even planning for fun involves a commitment.
 It is often easy to confuse fun with love. When we have enjoyable memories and experiences with a person we begin to develop fond feelings for them. Love is more than fun. Be sure that you look for a young woman who enjoys life and will help you enjoy life through shared experiences.
 We cannot tell you what age to marry.  We would hope that life and its many events will not prevent you from marrying as a young adult. While there are many unknown experiences and insecurities that come with marrying at any age, a youthful marriage when done with the correct spirit and intention can bring much happiness.  Frugality breeds strength.  And marrying with a youthful heart will help you forge a bond of love as you and your spouse work through many of life’s challenges. 

As we spoke about before, marriage, like our spirits has the opportunity through the celestial temple marriage to be for time and all eternity. It is our prayer that you will live a life worthy of such a lofty and divine goal. When two partners believe that marriage is a covenant with God and that they must qualify to enter this covenant they both learn to practice self-restraint and self-improvement. When we enter into the bonds of marriage at the sacred holy alter of the temple, we invite God to be the third partner of our marriage and help us to overcome all of the obstacles that await to weaken your family.
 Marriage is a sacred covenant between man and woman that is meant to bring joy. When children are allowed to come into this union the joy that you feel is beyond any earthly feeling that you might ever know. We cannot tell you how your life has come to influence my own. Your birth has been such an eternal gift to us that we know we are, even now, unable to fully comprehend it. This knowledge that we lived before we came to earth and will live after we die is paramount in your making the choice to marry within the walls of the holy temple of God. We pray that you will give it serious consideration.
 Even though we believe in your power to make wise decisions regarding whom you will marry, successful marriage is dependent on both partners willingness to work through their own problems in life as well as those of their marriage.  It is important that you do all you can to assist your spouse patiently to work through their difficulties, but if you find that your own safety, security, or emotional stability becomes compromised because of your spouses unwillingness to cooperate or make significant changes in their life choices, the ending of your wedding vows would, while wrought with great heartache, be allowed. But this decision is not made lightly nor without serious consequences to the lives of all involved. Especially when children, young tender spirits who rely on the security of their parents union, have been born.  Marriage is meant to be a place of refuge from the world; It is meant to bring security and joy to both parties.  Marriage and family is the classroom where we learn to practice patience, love, charity, discernment, wisdom, service, communication, companionship, sacrifice, and above all joy. Man is that he might have joy. This joy comes from understanding one's relationship to self, others and the spiritual laws that govern.
 Joy comes when we learn to make choices that empower us. Joy comes when we learn how to attain self-actualization through education, service and preparation for life challenges. My son seek learning for all of your life. Seek a partner that likewise enjoys learning and has the ability to remain flexible through life’s many changes.
 We have never told any of children who to date or what to consider in a marriage partner and  we don’t believe in meddling with the matters of the heart. But if we were to see a prospective partner that gave us serious pause as to their ability to bring you happiness we would, with great consideration, want to speak to you about it.  We would never forbid you to marry, but it is our hope that you would choose a partner who would help you to foster a healthy extended family relationship.
 Life is a journey. Who we choose to take with us on this journey is critical not only to our survival but to our happiness. You are a gifted and talented young person. You have great potential to do all that you dream of. You are bright, disciplined, handsome, musically and artistically gifted, and physically athletic. We are sure as you continue to foster your love for learning your gifts and talents will continue to grow. You are personable and love people. This talent shows as you interact and treat others and young ladies of your acquaintance with respect and admiration. Many of these friendships will help you as you consider your life path. We cannot choose this for you, we can only support you in your endeavors and pray with fervent faith that as you stand at the crossroads your choices will reflect the values and love that we have attempted to instill in you and your siblings.
 As your parents we believe it is our job to help support you and guide you on a path of wisdom and prudence. The gift of agency is yours to use to the best of your ability. We are  striving to help you learn how to use it well. The gift of agency can assist you in many avenues of life. It can help you discover the powers that want to weaken you and steer away from them. Likewise it can help you discover the powers of faith that builds you up and empowers you.
 Our greatest dream and desire is to see you use your God given agency in such ways as to create a pathway of possibilities and success; to help you find joy. Joy is different from happiness. Joy comes through spiritual encounters and when we touch our hearts with eternal truths.  Our lives together has already taught you of our fierce and often tough love for you. We would do nothing to rob you of your agency, but will continually pray for you to have the strength to use it in service to others and to your God. We will continually pray  for you to recognize the markings of truth along your life path.
 We love you. You must know this by now. Though we realize that at this young age you can not possibly comprehend the sacrifice and  work we have given to keep you safe, guide you and help you find the life that will bring you joy.  As you are our youngest, you must be aware that our life candles may not always burn beside yours. For this reason you have many siblings to turn to. Though they are not your parents  they are old enough to guide you and offer you respectable counsel.
 If you remember nothing else from this letter, remember that your mother and father love you. We thank God for your presence in our lives. We place great hope and desire in the idea that you will live in such a manner that you will attract a bright and intelligent young woman. And that the two of you with mutual respect for God and one another will want to marry not just for time, but for time and all eternity. That you will want to bring children into this world and that through the experience of raising a family you will forge an eternal love that will bring you the eternal joy that your loving Heavenly Father has intended.
  With love
Your mother and father.
aka Mom & Dad