Unwearied Diligence

Samuel the Lamanite gave this description to the Nephites about the faithful Lamanite converts: “And I would that ye should behold that the amore part of them are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments according to the law of Moses. Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them are doing this, and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth” (Helaman 15:5-6).  Not only were they keeping the commandments and living circumspectly before God, but they were also seeking to preach the gospel to others around them.  The phrase “unwearied diligence” is a particularly remarkable description of their devotion to the Lord and their brethren.  It reminds us of the commendation of the Lord to Nephi around this same time period: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever” (Helaman 10:4-5).  Nephi had declared the word with “unwearyingness” just as those Lamanites spread the gospel with “unwearied diligence” to their brethren.  They performed their duty day in and day out, never quitting in the service of the Lord. 

               These verses beg the question of how one can be so devoted to the gospel but not get weary or tired.  I remember boarding a plane once where I saw Elder Holland who must have boarded only five or ten minutes before me but who was already fast asleep in his seat.  Surely the apostles who travel the globe preaching the gospel and speaking to countless audiences are often physically tired as I saw Elder Holland was that day.  In fact, even the Savior became so tired at one point in His ministry that while crossing the Sea of Galilee “he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow” in the midst of a “great storm of wind” that was so bad that the ship was “full” of water from the waves (Mark 4:37-38).  To me that indicates that even He became physically fatigued from His ministry.  And yet, the same Lord tells us in our dispensation: “Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33).  Paul gave this same counsel to the Thessalonians: “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).  When the Lord tells us then not to be weary or commends those who work with unwearyingness, perhaps He is not really talking about physically becoming tired, for that will undoubtedly happen to all those in the service of the Lord.  Rather, the Lord doesn’t want us to tire of serving or living a gospel life or keeping His commandments.  He wants us to never fell that we “are tired of” studying His word or partaking of the Sacrament or worshipping in the temple or sharing the gospel.  Rather, the Spirit motivates us to continue trying to love and teach and serve and live the gospel each day, waiting upon the Lord for promised blessings, even if those take a lifetime to come.  We may like Jeremiah sometimes feel tired of our service and say, “I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.”  But the Lord will encourage us to continue nonetheless like Jeremiah who then declared, “But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9).  We can take courage in the promise of Isaiah: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”  Yes, we may have many days when we are indeed physically tired and feel like quitting, but we can be spiritually rejuvenanted and not faint or slacken our faith in the Lord.  He will renew our strength and lift us up as we try to live the gospel with unwearied diligence like the Lamanites of old.