Lehi's Discourse on Everything

For my essay analyzing the use of logic, I will look at Lehi's explanation of the plan of happiness and how he describes the creation, the fall, the atonement, and the resurrection as inextricably linked as found in 2 Nephi 2.

Lehi makes sure that all of his assumptions are stated clearly. In v. 5, he gives his assumptions that "men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto them." He goes on to say that because of this law, or the commandments we have received from God, on our own we are doomed to be miserable.

By itself this argument is depressing, but Lehi's purpose in arguing is not to prove a point that has depressing implications. He immediately explains that we can be redeemed from our violations of the law by the sacrifice of the Messiah. The goal of this sacrifice was to"answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit," so we need not be cut off from God's presence by the law.

Lehi further explains that the law is a good thing in v. 10 when he explains that the end or purpose of the law is so that we can be happy, because "the punishment that is affixed [to the law] is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement." Here he has made the assertion that because there is a punishment for breaking the law, there must be happiness to be gained by being innocent before the law through the atonement. Lehi does not try to trick us and not back up this assertion, but instead explains in v. 11 why "all things must needs be a compound in one."

In verses 13 and 14, Lehi does my favorite thing with logical statements, which is to focus his argument on something uplifting. He says that if there is no law and no sin, ultimately there could be no God and no creation. But his purpose is not to tell us sad things, but as he says, "I speak unto you these for your profit and learning," and "I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls."

and that the points he is trying to back up logically are relevant to us
I haven't mentioned anywhere how in v. 8 Lehi links up missionary work and the resurrection to this, or in v. 23 how he applies the ideas of all things being a compound in one
~This essay needs to be more focused on how Lehi demonstrates good logical reasoning without anything like deception.
/IS A DRAFT