Labor Diligently

The last 17 verses of the allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5 discuss the spiritual work in the last days that will take place by the Lord and His servants.  One of the themes of these verses is the need to “labor diligently” in the work of the vineyard.  The section is introduced with this invitation from the Lord of the vineyard: “Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard…. Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time” (v61-62).  He repeated the invitation again when servants were brought and gathered together: “Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might… and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit” (v71). 

As we continue to read the account we see that the servants did exactly that.  “The servants did go and labor with their mights….  And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard” (v.72, 74).  After the work was complete the Lord then praised them for the way they had worked: “And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard… ye shall have joy with me” (v75).  And in case we missed the theme, Jacob brought it up again in his commentary in the next chapter: “And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard” (Jacob 6:3).  Given that this was such an important theme in the allegory concerning what would happen in the last days, what does it mean for us to “labor diligently” in the vineyard?

                There are several other scriptures which use this same phrase and show specifically two of the kinds of activities in which we are to diligently labor as disciples of Christ.  One way that the Lord expects us to labor diligently is in the work of the temple.  He told the Joseph, “Let my people labor diligently to build a house unto my name” (D&C 115:10).  Joseph again taught this direction from the Lord in his letter to the Saints: “Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled” (D&C 127:4).  When the Jews at the time after returning from Babylon to Jerusalem started building a temple, the Lord’s prophet chastised them for not being diligent: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?...  Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:4).  That had built themselves houses but not one for the Lord.  He exhorted them to the work with this language: “Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work” (Haggai 2:4).  Surely the Lord likewise expects us be to strong and work diligently in our efforts to seek out our dead and perform the work in the temple. 

Another way in which the scriptures teach us to labor diligently is in teaching the gospel.  Nephi said, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ” (2 Nephi 25:23).  This pattern of laboring diligently to teach and testify of Christ continued among the Nephi spiritual leaders: “Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence… persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah” (Jarom 1:11).  When Mormon found out about a doctrinal misunderstanding concerning the baptism of little children that he considered a “solemn mockery,” he told Moroni, “And now, my son, I desire that ye should labor diligently, that this gross error should be removed from among you” (Moroni 8:6, 9).  In our dispensation, the Lord likewise instructed His disciples to be diligent in the work of spreading the gospel: “Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time” (D&C 88:84).  As disciples in the last days we must seek diligently to spread the gospel and teach those to whom we are called.

Near the end of the Book of Mormom, Moroni received this counsel from his father: “And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation” (Moroni 9:6).  In this last dispensation we likewise must labor diligently in the work of the Savior in hopes of receiving not condemnation but this approbation from the Lord of the vineyard: “Blessed art thou… ye have been diligent.”