“February 8–14. 2 Nephi 1–5: ‘We Lived after the Manner of Happiness’” Come, Follow Me: For Individuals and Families at Home (2015), 14–15
“February 8–14. 2 Nephi 1–5: ‘We Lived after the Manner of Happiness’” For Individuals and Families at Home, 14–15
February 8–14
“We Lived after the Manner of Happiness”
Introduction and Impressions
If I knew I didn’t have much time left to live, what would I say to my family? What would I want to teach them? Lehi had diligently taught his children the gospel throughout his life. And when his life was nearing its end, he again gathered them close to share important gospel truths, including the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the reality of agency and opposition. These same truths can help my family and me, as they did Lehi’s family, to live “after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27).
Record Impressions
It is very important that you seek impressions from the Spirit to help you and your family. Therefore, before reading the rest of this study outline, read 2 Nephi 1–5. What messages do you find for your life? What will be of most value to you and your family? What can you share in your Church classes? Record your thoughts and impressions below or in a journal or notebook.
Ideas for Personal Learning
2 Nephi 2:11–30. I am free to act for myself.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson said: “God intends that His children should act according to the moral agency He has given them. … It is His plan and His will that we have the principal decision-making role in our own life’s drama” (“Free Forever, to Act for Themselves,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 16). What do I find in 2 Nephi 2 that can help me use my agency wisely? Why is the Savior’s Atonement necessary in order for us to fully enjoy the gift of agency?
See also Helaman 14:30–31; Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–28; “Agency and Accountability,” in For the Strength of Youth (2011), 2–3.
2 Nephi 3:6–24. Joseph Smith was foreordained.
The “choice seer” mentioned in 2 Nephi 3:7 is the Prophet Joseph Smith, whose mission was foreseen thousands of years before he was born. What does 2 Nephi 3:6–24 teach about what the Prophet Joseph Smith would do to bless God’s people? How has his work blessed me personally?
See also Doctrine and Covenants 135:3; “Foreordination,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org; “A Seer Will I Raise Up” (video), LDS.org.
2 Nephi 4:15–35. I can turn to God in my weakness.
When Nephi wrote these verses, which are often called the “Psalm of Nephi,” he felt surrounded by temptations, and he grieved because of his sins. These are feelings that many people can relate to. What did Nephi do in this circumstance? How can I follow Nephi’s example when I am faced with temptations or disappointed with myself?
See also Alma 36:3; “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” Hymns, no. 129; “Lifting Burdens” (video), LDS.org.
Ideas for Family Learning
Family Discussions
2 Nephi 2:25–27. What do these verses teach us about choices and consequences? What do we learn about joy and misery?
2 Nephi 3:6. To help family members understand what it means to be a seer, read Mosiah 8:13–17 and the entry “Seer” in the Bible Dictionary. Why has God given us seers?
2 Nephi 5:16. What does this verse teach about the importance of temples?
Family Home Evening
2 Nephi 1:20–21. God supports and blesses us when we obey.
Lehi taught that those who obey God will prosper and those who disobey will be cut off from His presence. To illustrate this, we could think about what happens to a flower after it is picked or a tree branch when it is cut off from the tree. What does this mean for us spiritually? What other examples can we think of? What experiences did Lehi’s family have that teach about the blessings of obedience? What commandments are hard for family members to obey? How can we become more obedient? What personal experiences with obeying God’s commandments can we share?