A Consecrated Life

Today in sacrament meeting one of the speakers spoke about the law of consecration. She referenced a talk by President Christofferson—recently set apart as the 2^nd counselor in the First Presidency—from fifteen years ago. He spoke of different principles of consecration, and one of those was work. He said this: “A consecrated life is a life of labor…. God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion. I recall the Prophet Joseph Smith’s simple statement: ‘By continuous labor [we] were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance’ (Joseph Smith—History 1:55). By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires.” I have found that the absence of effort does not equate to happiness; rather, true work and accomplishment brings fulfillment that ease never can. When Adam and Eve were leaving the Garden of Eden, the Lord said this to them: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19). They were to work to provide for themselves and their family on the earth. Life was meant to be filled with labor, and we shouldn’t be afraid when we have a lot of work before us. As the hymn says, “I Have Work Enough to Do.” Even the Lord spoke about the work He does: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). As we strive to work hard in good purposes, even when it is difficult, we should remember that we are following the example of the Father Himself. As President Nelson commented, “The Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.”

                That said, this doesn’t mean that the Lord doesn’t want us to enjoy our lives or have times of leisure be a part of it. President Christofferson said this, “Having spoken in praise of labor, I must also add a kind word for leisure. Just as honest toil gives rest its sweetness, wholesome recreation is the friend and steadying companion of work. Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics—all can provide entertainment to enrich one’s life and further consecrate it.” The Lord said this to the pioneers as they were traveling from Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley: “If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving” (Doctrine and Covenants 136:28). This is exactly what they did as they crossed the plains, dancing and singing at times in the evenings as they made the long journey, highlighting the importance for us to enjoy life even amidst hardships.  President Christofferson also added this warning, “At the same time, it hardly needs to be said that much of what passes for entertainment today is coarse, degrading, violent, mind-numbing, and time wasting. Ironically, it sometimes takes hard work to find wholesome leisure. When entertainment turns from virtue to vice, it becomes a destroyer of the consecrated life. ‘Wherefore, take heed … that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God’ (Moroni 7:14).” We should strive to use our leisure time in ways that are consistent with the 13^th article of faith: “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” A consecrated life does not mean that we are always laboring, but it does mean that we strive to make all we do consistent with the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. As we seek in both our labor and leisure to glorify God and live like the Savior did, we will indeed be consecrating our lives to Him.