We lived after the manner of happiness . . .

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi listed several of the activities (2 Nephi 5) that he and his people were doing and summed up their lives with “...(we) lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27)

This is Nephi’s outlook even though he and his family were told to “...flee into the wilderness...” and start a new community to save their lives. They weren't popular or safe.

I love Nephi’s list. I agree with Nephi’s list. I want to share Nephi’s list.  I think it's useful to anyone that wants to incorporate more happiness into their lives.

For the next few weeks, I'll post Nephi's insights along with a comment and picture about how that behavior has also brought me happiness.

Keep the Commandments

2 Nephi 5:10  And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things . . . 

All commandments fall under the umbrella of the first and second great commandments to love God and our fellowman.  

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  Matthew 22:37–40

I've yet to find a commandment that doesn't make me happier once I obey it. President Henry B. Eyring said, "a loving Heavenly Father has set the same path to happiness for all of His children. Whatever our personal characteristics or whatever will be our experiences, there is but one plan of happiness. That plan is to follow all the commandments of God."  Each commandment from God helps me to become more like Him, while each commandment I break keeps me a slave to my imperfect state.  Like Nephi, I know that freedom, and happiness, is found in obedience.