April 9, 2019
In 2 Nephi 5:27, Nephi reports that he and his people are now living after the manner of happiness.
At this point, the Nephites have finally been separated from the Lamanites.
The ceaseless attempts to take Nephi's life have stopped.
They have found a permanent dwelling place and have begun to build a city.
There is an abundance of gold and silver.
And Nephi is the King (he said he didn't want to be, but he is still the leader regardless).
....Yeah that sounds pretty happy to me!😆😆 I have no problem with this whatsoever.
The fact is, Nephi wrote about his happy lifestyle AFTER his problems were gone. Nowhere in the Book of Mormon does it say he was happy during all the crap.
The truth is, something life STINKS. And we are anything but happy.
I recently spent a 3-4 weeks mostly in bed crying, absolutely drained, unable to eat, exhausted and devoid of life, recovering from the most traumatic and heartbreaking experience I've yet to endure.
I'll be the first to admit that sometimes "the manner of happiness" seems hopelessly out of reach.
I know some of you feel this way, too.
Life has a way of sneaking up when we think everything is mostly okay, and throwing us on the floor, and stomping on us with glee.
Guess who else felt this way?
Nephi.
For Nephi, the happiness came after the refining period. Or perhaps we can say, the happiness came only BECAUSE he had previously undergone a whole lotta crap in his life.
(Because I know some Kings who have plenty of gold and silver, and they aren't happy. It's not the riches that make you happy. It's the relief and the comfort only in comparison to what you have previously known. It's the realization of promised blessings for which he valiantly endured to see.)
If you could have had a conversation with Nephi when he was tied up on a ship for three days, starved and beaten, I don't think he would have said "Hey let's look on the bright side of this! I'm just gonna choose to be happy anyway!" No. The scriptures never say that.
If you could have visited Nephi when he was wearing the bloody garments of an evil man whom he has just been commanded to kill against his will, and then the only remaining logical thing to do was to kidnap the witness, I don't think he would have said "This is peachy! I'm so happy!" (No, I think he felt just as yucky on the inside as he felt on the outside in those bloody clothes! Sometimes doing the work of God is yucky—but that's a post for another day.)
No, I don't think Nephi was happy.
You know what I think? I think he was TIRED. I think he lay awake at night worrying about his wounds and would they heal? Or worrying about his next meal, or how much longer he could remain safe, or how to comfort his wife, or whether the hearts of his brethren would ever be permanently softened, or when the promised blessings would EVER COME.
Rinse and repeat, for EIGHT YEARS.
Guys, Nephi wasn't a Pollyanna.
But Nephi was a hero.
Nephi was an excellent example of what to do in times of trial. How did he react to these hardships? No, he didn't say "Life is peachy! Let's pretend everything is okay!" But he DID...
•Continue to praise the Lord
•Continue to trust the Lord
•Continue to obey
•Seek revelation
•Avoid exaggeration and dwelling on the negative
•Forgive (frankly)
•Serve when everyone else moaned
•Journal
•Study the scriptures
•Give himself pep talks
That last one might be my favorite 😁😁
(Bonus points to anyone who can find the references for each of those!)
In this recent stint of depression I went through, I did NOT have joy. In fact, I listened to Pres Nelson's talk "Joy and Spiritual Survival" and it didn't resonate with me ONE BIT.
No, I didn't have joy.
...But I had MEANING.
I didn't have joy, but I prayed every day. I talked to God continually about what I was going through. I cried out to Him for comfort, for lessons and growth. I sought revelation and was taught sacred things. I journaled. I ugly cried as I ugly journaled (scribbling out raw emotions and brain dumping every single negative thing that comes to mind!)
...And I felt the LOVE of my Heavenly Father like never before.
As I battled every accusation and negative comment that others said about me (real and imaginary), my Heavenly Father expressed His unending love and approval. I knew His opinion of me, and I had to let go of everyone else's (still working on that...maybe a lifetime pursuit).
As I battled difficult truths from my entire life story, He reassured me "There is a reason for this."
As I battled my humiliation and loneliness, He told me "You are never alone. And you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of."
"You are a chosen daughter."
"I'm with you all the way."
"These things will be made right. You will receive the things you've longed for."
My suffering became very sacred. Why? Because my relationship with God is sacred. My life lessons are sacred. Growth is sacred. Communion is sacred.
And there's no better way to achieve these things than to go through a bunch of crap!
I believe that Nephi knows about this. I believe that Nephi was prepared in the furnace of affliction so that he could lead his people. He was a King in the making, and boy, the growing pains of a King can be royally painful.
And so I leave you with just one question:
Do you intend to be royalty one day?
—————-
2 Nephi 8
11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you
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