Never a happier time

"Is Mormon really picking this time as the happiest among the entire Nephite history because this is when their equivalent to Captain America had his adventures in mortality?  Again, what was it about this time that made it the happiest?"

Over the years, I’ve thought about Mormon’s description of the Nephite people in Alma 50:23: “But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.”  More recently, I’ve pondered upon these questions:

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1. What was it about this time that made it the happiest?
   
2. What lessons can I apply to my life as a single Latter-day Saint?

It’s no surprise to learn Mormon picks this time out of the roughly 1000-year history of his people.  His descriptions of Captain Moroni reveal Mormon as a huge fan of the young commander.  Giving his son the same name, Mormon likely admired him as a sort of mentor, since they both held the same military position.

But is Mormon really picking this time as the happiest among the entire Nephite history because this is when their equivalent to Captain America had his adventures in mortality?  Again, what was it about this time that made it the happiest?  Let’s examine that.

Preparing for war

The year 69 AD saw the Nephite nation living under the threat of war.  Just two years previous, Amalickiah was defeated after gaining the Lamanite throne by deceit and waging an unsuccessful military campaign to subjugate the Nephites.

Captain Moroni spent the following year preparing his nation for war.  He knew Amalickiah would return, and he wanted his people to be ready.  They built new, fortified cities as well as fortified those cities already in existence.

Those preparations continued on into the next year, the time when “there never was a happier time.”  We don’t know much else about that year.  The people were busy preparing for war.  How does preparing for war create the happiest time ever?

Mormon’s commentary may provide a clue.  He gets sidetracked talking about how Nephite history has verified the Lord’s promises.  Troubles always came to the people when they forgot God and abandoned their covenants.

On the other hand, those who remembered their covenants were always delivered.  Immediately after this observation, Mormon comments that this time was the happiest ever since the days of Nephi.  Could this observation have something to do with creating that happy situation?

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Remembering the founder

Nephi himself described his people in his day living “after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27).  What exactly does that mean?

Nephi had separated himself from his older brothers because they sought to kill him.  Nephi didn’t leave alone; he took with him “those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God” (2 Nephi 5:6).  In other words, Nephi left with those who wanted to make and keep sacred covenants with God.

And what did they do once they established their separate community?  Nephi’s words explain it all:

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... we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.
     And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
     And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written.
     And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land.
     And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us; for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who were called my people.
     And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to 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, which were in great abundance.
     And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
     And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands. (2 Nephi 5:10–17)

Here Nephi describes two main activities:

1. They were mindful about keeping their covenants with the Lord.
   
2. They were industrious in meeting their temporal needs.
   

We see the same activities among the Nephites in 69 AD.  They were certainly industrious as they built new cities and fortified existing ones.  And Mormon’s commentary suggests they were probably turning to the Lord.  Why else would he have thought to insert that commentary?

Taking a lesson

What lesson here can LDS singles apply to their lives?  Even though they lived under the threat of war, the Nephites were happiest when they were mindful about keeping their covenants with the Lord and industrious in meeting their temporal needs.  LDS singles can follow that example.

We singles may lack the covenant of marriage in our lives, but we’ve made other covenants at baptism and in the temple.  Holding fast to those covenants we have made can provide strength to endure well the challenges of our lives.

Temple service in particular can provide perspective to see the opportunity amidst the obstacles.  Nephi mentioned having a temple, and I’m sure it wasn’t just for decoration.  We singles should do what we can to include the temple more in our own lives.

We singles can also be industrious in meeting our temporal needs.  This industrious attitude can and should extend to our own personal ministries.  God gives each of us gifts so we can contribute to His work.  By focusing on utilizing those gifts in our own personal ministry, we bless our own lives by blessing the lives of others.

The Nephites lived their happiest time when they filled their days with devotion to the Lord and hard work.  We LDS singles can have our happiest time when we follow that example.  And that will bring more joy in our journey.

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