The gospel of Jesus Christ, revealed in the Book of Mormon, reveals the formula for happiness. Lehi, a prophet who imparts his wisdom to his sons before passing away, eloquently expresses this truth. To Jacob, Lehi teaches that “opposition in all things” is necessary (2 Nephi 2:11). He also declares that men exist to experience joy (2 Nephi 2:25). In summary, Lehi’s sermon to Jacob can be described as follows: Joy comes from obedience and righteousness, which result in blessings.
On one hand, disobedience and wickedness result in punishment and sorrow. On the other hand, the Savior serves as the mediator and advocate for all people, guiding them towards happiness and eternal life. Conversely, the devil, who is fundamentally deceitful and miserable, promotes the path of captivity and death. Despite knowing that humans would not willingly choose such a fate, the devil, who will eternally be miserable, seeks to cause misery for everyone. This is achieved through distorting the true consequences of sin and disobedience.
According to President Spencer W. Kimball, Satan manipulates the truth and transforms it into falsehoods, earning him the title “father of lies”. His tactics involve beautifying evil to make it appear attractive and desirable. He deceives us by suggesting that wickedness and sin can bring happiness. We are warned that his temptations are cunningly disguised, to the extent that he may even masquerade as a benevolent angel.
The Lord clarified that Satan rebelled against Him and attempted to dismantle the agency of man, a gift bestowed upon humanity by the Lord. Furthermore, Satan endeavored to acquire the Lord’s power. Consequently, the Lord utilized the power of His Only Begotten Son to banish Satan, who subsequently transformed into Satan – also recognized as the devil and the originator of falsehoods. The objective of Satan is to mislead and obstruct individuals, taking them captive in accordance with his own intentions.
The journey to find happiness starts with being righteous and following the commandments. These commandments act as a guide from God to help us avoid the difficulties of life. In the early days of the Restoration, the Lord called upon Joseph Smith and gave him commandments, knowing the calamities that would befall humanity.
