There is No Such Thing as Done

Elder Ballard said several years back, “I would like to let you in on a little secret. Some of you have already learned it. If you haven’t, it’s time you knew. No matter what your family needs are or your responsibilities in the Church, there is no such thing as ‘done.’ There will always be more we can do. There is always another family matter that needs attention, another lesson to prepare, another interview to conduct, another meeting to attend.”  I thought of this quote as I read the Lord’s instruction concerning Oliver Cowdery in July of 1830: “And thy brother Oliver shall continue in bearing my name before the world, and also to the church. And he shall not suppose that he can say enough in my cause; and lo, I am with him to the end” (D&C 24:10).  The Lord seems to be telling us that we can’t ever think we are done preaching the gospel or serving in the Church—we should not suppose that we have said or done enough.  As Elder Ballard taught, there will always be more to do.  There is never a point in our lives when we can sit back and tell ourselves that we have preached enough or served enough or read the scriptures enough or prayed enough or worshipped in the temple enough—the Lord wants us to endure to the end in faith.  This isn’t to say that because there is always more to do that we need to do it all today, but we also should not quit at any place on our gospel path.  As Elder Ballard put it, “we just need to be wise” and “do the best that we can.”

               Mormon and Moroni were both examples of those who persevered to the very end despite their incredible challenges.  Mormon encouraged Moroni in these words when they were two of the only righteous Nephites left: “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; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God” (Moroni 9:6).  The message for us is that we too cannot cease to labor even when we may feel our efforts aren’t fruitful or that we don’t have any more to give.  I’m impressed by Alma’s example, who after decades of missionary labors still continued to preach to the people.  “And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth” (Alma 43:1).  In modern scripture the Lord has emphasized over and over the need for us to stay faithful until the very end.  “And again, I would that ye should learn that he only is saved who endureth unto the end” (D&C 53:7).  Another verse reads, “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God” (D&C 6:13).  In another section we are similarly promised, “And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality” (D&C 81:6).  Another verse tells us, “Nevertheless, he that endureth in faith and doeth my will, the same shall overcome” (D&C 63:20).  Again and again the Lord promises blessings to those who endure in faith to the very end.  We must not suppose that our work is finished, but like Heber J. Grant who after 27 years as president of the church prayed, “O God, bless me that I shall not lose my testimony and keep faithful to the end!”