What have Church leaders said about 2 Nephi 1-2?

This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers 2 Nephi 1-2, which incorporates Lehi’s counsel to his children shortly before his death.

Church News searched the archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to learn what leaders have said about these chapters.

2 Nephi 1

“The words of Lehi are a clarion call to all men and boys of the priesthood. Said he with great conviction: ‘Awake, my sons; placed on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are certain, and are available forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust’ (2 Nephi 1:23).

“There isn’t a person or boy on this vast congregation tonight who cannot improve his life. And that should occur. After all, we hold the priesthood of God. If we’re boys who’ve received the Aaronic Priesthood, we’re entitled to the ministering of angels to guide and direct, to bless and protect us. What a remarkable and wonderful thing that’s. If we’ve had conferred upon us the Melchizedek Priesthood, we’ve been given the keys of the dominion that carry with them everlasting powers. These were spoken of by the Lord when He laid His hands upon the heads of His disciples.”

— President Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2006 general conference, “Rise Up, O Men of God”

“The prophet Lehi pled along with his rebellious sons, saying, ‘Arise from the dust, my sons, and be men’ (2 Nephi 1:21). By age, Laman and Lemuel were men, but by way of character and spiritual maturity they were still as children. They murmured and complained if asked to do anything hard. They didn’t accept anyone’s authority to correct them. They didn’t value spiritual things. They easily resorted to violence, and so they were good at playing the victim.

We see among the same attitudes today. Some act as if a person’s highest goal ought to be his own pleasure. … Dodging commitments is taken into account smart, but sacrificing for the great of others, naive. For some, a lifetime of work and achievement is optional. …

“We who hold the priesthood of God cannot afford to drift. We have work to do. We must arise from the dust of self-indulgence and be men. It is an excellent aspiration for a boy to turn into a person — strong and capable; someone who can construct and create things, run things; someone who makes a difference on the earth. It is an excellent aspiration for those of us who’re older to make the vision of true manhood a reality in our lives and be models for many who look to us for an example.”

— Elder D. Todd Christofferson, October 2006 general conference, “Let Us Be Men”

“Our families need the peace of God of their lives, and if we are able to’t or won’t invite the Lord into our lives, then our families turn into a mirrored image of our own turmoil. Women are asked to be nurturers to their families, but we must even be firm; we have to be the hard-rock footings on which our homes can stand. Our families need us to talk peace to them, just because the Lord speaks peace to us. Our homes have to be places where our families and friends wish to be, where all who enter our homes can draw strength and courage to face the challenges of living in an increasingly wicked world. Our children have to hear us ‘talk of Christ, … rejoice in Christ, [and] preach of Christ’ (2 Nephi 25:26) in order that they could know to what source they’ll search for the peace that ‘passeth all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7).”

— Sister Kathleen H. Hughes, then the primary counselor within the Relief Society general presidency, October 2006 general conference, “Remembering the Lord’s Love”

“Father Lehi once described himself as a ‘trembling parent’ (2 Nephi 1:14). There are trembling parents and grandparents today. Some of today’s families exist already in a worse wilderness than did Father Lehi’s. …

“There aren’t any perfect families, either on the earth or within the Church, but there are numerous good families. My spiritual applause also goes to those heroic parents — left alone by death or divorce — who’re righteously and ‘anxiously engaged’ in nurturing and providing for his or her families, often against such heavy odds.”

— Elder Neal A. Maxwell, April 1994 general conference, “‘Take Especial Care of Your Family’”

“Lehi rebuked murmuring Laman and Lemuel for complaining over Nephi’s saying ‘hard things’ to them. (1 Nephi 16:3.) Lehi noted: ‘That which ye call anger was the reality’ (2 Nephi 1:26). How often you and I, brothers and sisters, could make that very same mistake. Cutting truth does hurt, but its lancing can drain off pride.”

— Elder Neal A. Maxwell, October 1989 general conference, “‘Murmur Not’”

“As I even have been rereading the Book of Mormon… I even have been much more impressed with the counsel father Lehi gave his family shortly before his death. He pleads along with his sons with these words:

“‘Awake, my sons; placed on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are certain, and are available forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust’ (2 Nephi 1:23).”

“Those words apply to us today. Who amongst us hasn’t felt the chains of bad habits? These habits could have impeded our progress, could have made us forget who we’re, could have destroyed our self-image, could have put our family life in jeopardy, and could have hindered our ability to serve our fellowmen and our God. So lots of us are inclined to say, ‘This is the best way I’m. I can’t change. I can’t throw off the chains of habit.’ …

“Righteous living is a shield, a protector, an insulation, a strength, an influence, a joy, a Christlike trait. Yes, living a lifetime of righteousness is a chainbreaker.”

— Elder Marvin J. Ashton, October 1986 general conference, “‘Shake Off the Chains with Which Ye Are Bound’”

“May I also say a word of comfort for the anguished parents of youngsters who’ve lost their way and have turned a deaf ear to parental pleading and teaching. While much of the time most kids follow of their parents’ footsteps — obedient to their teachings, reciprocating their love — a couple of turn their backs just like the prodigal son and waste their lives. The great principle of free agency is crucial in fostering development, growth and progress. It also permits the liberty to decide on self-indulgence, wastefulness and degradation. Children have their agency and infrequently express it when very young. They may or may not follow the teachings and needs of their parents. Most parents do the very best they know the way, but in addition understand well the words of Lehi: ‘Hear the words of a trembling parent’ (2 Nephi 1:14). …

“As caring parents we do the very best we are able to. I’m hopeful that in parenting God will judge at the least partially by the intent of the parental hearts.”

— Then-Elder James E. Faust, October 1984 general conference, “The Works of God”

2 Nephi 2

“Significantly, the temptation to sin isn’t the one type of opposition in mortality. Father Lehi taught that if the Fall had not taken place, Adam and Eve ‘would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery’ (2 Nephi 2:23). Without the experience of opposition in mortality, ‘all things must needs be a compound in a single,’ by which there could be no happiness or misery (verse 11). Therefore, Father Lehi continued, after God had created all things, ‘to bring about his everlasting purposes ultimately of man, … it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the opposite bitter’ (verse 15). …

“Opposition in the shape of adverse circumstances we face in mortality can also be a part of the plan that furthers our growth in mortality.”

— Then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 2016 general conference, “Opposition in All Things”

“Take responsibility for your personal spiritual well-being. Stop blaming others or your circumstances, stop justifying and stop making excuses for why it’s possible you’ll not be fully striving to be obedient. Accept that you simply are ‘free in accordance with the flesh’ and ‘free to decide on liberty and everlasting life’ (2 Nephi 2:27). The Lord knows your circumstances perfectly, but He also knows perfectly well whether you just select not to completely live the gospel. If that’s the case, be honest enough to confess it, and strive to be perfect inside your personal sphere of circumstances. Spiritual confidence increases once you take responsibility for your personal spiritual well-being by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ each day.”

— Elder Jörg Klebingat, October 2014 general conference, “Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence”

“Satan has many reasons for doing what he does. Perhaps probably the most powerful is the motive of revenge, but he also desires to make men and girls miserable like he’s miserable. None of us should ever underestimate how driven Satan is to succeed. His role in God’s everlasting plan creates ‘opposition in all things’ (2 Nephi 2:11) and tests our agency. Each alternative you and I make is a test of our agency — whether we elect to be obedient or disobedient to the commandments of God is definitely a alternative between ‘liberty and everlasting life’ and ‘captivity and death.’

“This fundamental doctrine is clearly taught in 2 Nephi, the second chapter: ‘Wherefore, men are free in accordance with the flesh; and all things are given them that are expedient unto man. And they’re free to decide on liberty and everlasting life, through the nice Mediator of all men, or to decide on captivity and death, in accordance with the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that each one men is perhaps miserable like unto himself’ (2 Nephi 2:27).”

— Elder L. Tom Perry, April 2013 general conference, “Obedience to Law is Liberty”

“Throughout the world and among the many membership of the Church, there’s great joy and great pain. Both are a part of the plan. Without one, we cannot know the opposite. ‘Men are, that they may need joy’ (2 Nephi 2:25) and ‘for it must needs be, that there’s an opposition in all things’ (2 Nephi 2:11) will not be contradictory; they’re complementary.”

— Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, April 2010 general conference, “Turn to the Lord”

“Enduring to the tip isn’t only a matter of passively tolerating life’s difficult circumstances or ‘hanging in there.’ Ours is an lively religion, helping God’s children along the strait and narrow path to develop their full potential during this life and return to Him someday. Viewed from this angle, enduring to the tip is exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one in all hope, strength and deliverance. ‘Adam fell that men is perhaps; and men are, that they may need joy’ (2 Nephi 2:25).”

— Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2007 general conference, “Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?”

“A basic purpose of your life, as Lehi taught, is ‘[to] have joy’ (2 Nephi 2:25). In order to have joy, it’s good to understand that, as a toddler of your Heavenly Father, you inherited divine traits and spiritual needs — and identical to a fish needs water, you wish the gospel and the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be truly, deeply blissful. Because you’re the offspring of God, it’s incompatible along with your everlasting nature to do unsuitable and feel right. It can’t be done. It is an element of your spiritual DNA, because it were, that peace, joy and happiness shall be yours only to the degree you reside the gospel.”

— Elder Marcus B. Nash, October 2006 general conference, “The Great Plan of Happiness”

“Whatever the consequence and irrespective of how difficult your experiences, you’ve got the promise that you’ll not be denied the blessings of everlasting family relationships should you love the Lord, keep His commandments and just do the very best you may. When young Jacob ‘suffered afflictions and far sorrow’ from the actions of other relations, Father Lehi assured him, ‘Thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain’ (2 Nephi 2:1–2).”

— Then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 2007 general conference, “Divorce”