The Most Impatient Generation

After mentioning the pioneers who left Nauvoo with their temple burnt and with 1000 miles ahead of them and 40 years of work before them until they would get a temple in Salt Lake City, Truman G. Madsen made this comment about our generation: “Now, what of today?  Perhaps we can credit the computer for our increasing impatience.  This generation is intent on what they want and how they want it and when.  Don’t wait for next week….  We may be in the midst of the most impatient generation in history.  But the truth is that all supernal joys take time and discipline and discipleship” (see here).  I have no doubt that his supposition is correct about our incredible impatience.  Only that quote was given in the year 2000, and surely the incredible advances in technology in the last 16 years has only worked to increase our level impatience.  If a webpage takes more than a few moments to load or a car takes more than a couple seconds to respond to a green light or a fast food restaurant takes more than a minute to get our food, then we often say in frustration, “It is taking forever!”  I’m as guilty as anyone, and I think the speed with which we can obtain things in our society doesn’t help us with our spirituality.  As Brother Madsen said, the “supernal joys”—those that come from the most rewarding relationships, including that with our Father in Heaven—cannot be rushed.  

I’m reminded of the quote from the Prophet Joseph: “The things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out.  They mind, O man! If thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God” (see here).  When it comes to learning the things of God, we cannot expect to get an answer in 10 seconds from Siri or Google or Wikipedia.  There is a price to be paid in “time and discipline and discipleship” and there is no shortcut.  The problem of course is that we are so “busy” that we cannot find the time for that kind of pondering and communing and seeking the Lord.  I often think about this quote from President Uchtdorf: “Isn’t it true that we often get so busy?  And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life.  Is it?”  The answer, of course, is no, and yet we have a hard time showing that we actually believe it.  The Savior, as President Uchtdorf pointed out, did not live His life “bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.”  There is much in His life that we read about in the scriptures that showed that He was more concerned about people and His Father than “getting things done.”  For example, before He called His twelve apostles we read, “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer unto God” (Luke 6:12).  He certainly already knew who to pick, and yet He took the whole night to commune with His Father in preparation.  That’s the example we must increasingly seek to follow in our face-paced world if we want true communion with God.