Second Nephi 2:1

And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

Lehi's time in the wilderness was no picnic. It was a trial for every member of the family. It must have been hard for Lehi to watch his family struggle through it with him. He could help and encourage only so much, and then they each had to work it out for themselves. That would have been the hardest part.

Second Nephi 1:25

And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

The righteous exercise of priesthood authority is always to glorify God and serve others. The righteous seeking of power is to enable us to serve better.  When that is our motivation,  God is pleased with us and will grant us all the power we can safely use.

Second Nephi 1:21

And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;

Unity is the defense against captivity. If we can be of one mind and heart with the Lord, Satan can have no power over us.

Second Nephi 1:15

But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

Lehi's sons, Laman and Lemuel, are bound by chains of hell, whereas Lehi is bound by the living arms of Christ. What a difference in how they are bound!

Second Nephi 1:10-11

Behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them. Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

Just as the promises of liberty apply to Nephi in his day and us in our day when we keep the commandments of God, so the curse that comes with disobedience applies to all people at all times. If we are concerned with the direction America is heading, we should not look at the politicians or Wall Street or the celebrities of the day, but we should look at ourselves and what is in our hearts.

Second Nephi 1:2

Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

This promise of liberty extends not just to Lehi's family, which fled from Jerusalem to America, but to all families in all generations who have fled oppression, bigotry, persecution, and evil. This goes beyond politics and economics. This is about humanity, charity, and rights of the human soul.

Second Nephi 1:7

Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

Even though the general population may become wicked and bring a curse on America, it will always be a land of promise for the righteous. The righteous may suffer from the curse brought about by wickedness, but they will be spared from the worst.