Seminary: 13 2 Nephi 1-2

Background: Lehi's family is in the promised land.  Lehi and Nephi have been teaching the group.

Show the Book of Mormon Video #4 "Act for themselves"

Our agency gives us the agency to make our own choices.  These choices could lead to destruction or prosperity.

What does "prosperity" mean?

dictionary.com defines "prosperity" as: A successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.

2 Nephi 5:10-13

According to Nephi, what are some ways people can prosper?

Nephi relates their ability to "sow and reap again in abundance" and that they were able to raise herds and flocks of animals.  I am not sure what the land was like in the land of Lehi or what the animal situation.  We also do not completely know about what talents and abilities the persons in this group had.  We know that the Israelites were not unfamiliar with farming and herding though it could be that no one in this group had those skill sets.  So his wonder may be related to their group being able to perform these activities without prior knowledge on how to do it or surprise that they were able to do it in adverse circumstances.  Which ever the case Nephi tells us that they were able to do these things when the odds were against them.

Nephi did not mention money, gold or fine things at all in talking about prosperity.  Why then do some people believe that prosperity only has do with gaining money?

Most people tend to attribute a person's prosperity based upon items that they are interested in.  If a person things about or highly values money then they would attribute prosperity based upon another person's wealth. If a society valued cattle or agriculture or family then they would attribute wealth to others based upon those things.

In what other ways can people prosper?

Physically, spiritually...

1 Nephi 4:14

Elder Dean L. Larsen

"When the lives of the people are in harmony with the Lord's will, all of the essential factors that produce the blessings God deigns to give to his children seem to come into line.  Love and harmony prevail.  Even the weather, the climate, and the elements seem to respond.  Peace and tranquility endure.  Industry and progress mark the lines of the people.  It is as the Lord has promised (Ensign, November 1992, 41)

Why does it seem that the wicked prosper as much as or even more than the righteous?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"These who brood over the prosperity or seeming happiness of the wicked put too much emphasis on material things....

"The possessions of wealth or the acquisition of significant income is not a mark of heavenly favor, and their absence is not evidence of heavenly disfavor." (Pure in Heart [1988], 75).

Elder Spencer W. Kimball Wrote:

"People who are concerned about the prosperity of the wicked are sometimes blinded to their own weakness yet magnify greatly the errors of others....The wicked may prosper for a time, the rebellions may seem to profit by their transgressions, but the time is coming when, at the bar of justice, all men will be judged, 'every man according to their works.' (Revelation 20:13).  No one will 'get by' with anything.  On that day no one will escape the penalty of his deeds, no one will fail to receive the blessings he has earned."  (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 304-5)

2 Nephi 2:5

According to this verse who will qualify for exaltation?

No one.  No one can qualify for exaltation by them self.  Someone MUST step in to help and that someone is Jesus Christ.

Why is it that by the law no flesh is justified or approved before God?

Except for Christ no one has lived the law perfectly.

What kind of help do we need to fulfill the law?

We need the Atonement of Jesus Christ along with his intercession with God in order to fulfill the law.

2 Nephi 2:6-7

What did the Lord do to help us fulfill these laws?

Through his atonement and resurrection he was able to concur the curse of the fall, which was physical and spiritual death.  Through this process he suffered our punishment of breaking the laws of God.

Who receives the blessings of happiness and escapes the punishment inflicted by the spiritual law?

The scriptures tell us that only those who are humble and have a contrite spirit will be able to escape this punishment.  President Ezra Taft Benson taught that pride is the source of all pride, so if we are to route sin out of our lives we must also route pride out of our lives.

What does it mean to have a "broken heart and a contrite spirit"?

This means that you are humble and are willing to submit unto the Lord.

Based upon these statements we can see that it is not that difficult to return back to our Father in Heaven.  It will not be completely easy either because the natural man in us desires to go its own way.  To do those things that are pleasurable to the flesh and not what is right according to the spirit.

Why are you here on this earth?

Elder Russel M. Nelson:

"One of the most important reasons is to receive a mortal body body.  Another is to be tested-to experience mortality-to determine what you will do with life's challenging opportunities.  These opportunities requires you to make choices, and choices depend on agency.  A major reason for your mortal existence, therefore, is to test how you will exercise your agency.  (Ensign, November 1990, 74)

Why must we have more than one choice to exercise agency?

Agency is the ability to act for oneself.  If there are no choices then a person could not act for them self but follow the only options available.  The ability to choose between right and wrong is what gives us agency

Given the consequence of sin why do you think people choose to heed Satan's enticements?

First of all they are called "enticements" for a reason.  He offers us choices that appeal to our our natural selves.  A temptation could not be a temptation if it was not tempting or somewhat desirable.  I also believe that some people cannot see beyond what is happening at that moment and thus are not concerned about how their actions might affect their future state.  There are others that know better but do not care either thinking that they can repent later or that the specific actions will not harm their future outcome.

Elder Marvin J Ashton:

"Avoid Satan's territory of deceit.  It will never lead to happiness.  Evidence to the contrary, there are no successful sinners.  All of us must one day stand before God and be judged according to our personal deeds done in the flesh.  The burdens of the sinner will never be lighter than that of the saint" (Ensign, November 1990, 21).

Additional Material

President Henry B. Eyering:

"One of the effects of disobeying God seems to be the creation of just enough spiritual anesthetic to block any sensation as the ties to God are being cut.  Not only [does] the testimony of the truth slowly erode, but even the memories of what iw was like to be in the light [begin] to seem...like a delusion" ("A life founded in Light," Brigham Yound University 2000-2001 Speeches [2001], 81).

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained:

"Destruction does not mean annihilation.  We know because we are taught in the revelations of the Lord, tha a soul cannot be destroyed.

"Every soul born into this world shall receive the resurrection and immortality and shall endure forever.  Destruction does not mean, then, annihilation.  When the Lord says they shall be destroyed, he means that they shall be banished from his presence. of light and truth, and shall not have the privilege of gaining this exaltation; and that is destruction.  (Doctrines of Salvation, comp Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols, [1954-1956], 2:227-28).  Wickedness destroys the opportunity for a resurrection into a higher degree of glory.

Elder Richard G. Scott:

"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously.  When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more.  He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit.  To Get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain."  (Ensign, November 1995, 16-17).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

"It is not possible to believe in Christ and his atoning sacrifice, in the true and full sense required to gain salvation, without at the same time believing and accepting the true doctrine of the fall.  If there had been no fall, there would have been no need for a Redeemer or Savior.  And it is not possible to believe in the fall, out of which immortality and eternal life come, without at the same time believing and accepting the true doctrine of the creation: If there had been no creation of all things in a deathless or immortal state, there could have been no fall, and hence no atonement and no salvation.  The Father's eternal plan called for the creation, for the fall, and for the atonement, all woven together into one united whole" (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 82).