They Labored Diligently

One of the themes of the small plates of Nephi is the need for diligence in the work of the Lord.  Nephi of course was a powerful example of diligence in seeking the Lord and doing His will.  The Lord commended him at the beginning of the record for seeking the Him with diligence: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart” (1 Nephi 2:19).  He in turn encouraged the rest of us to diligence in seeking the Lord, “I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men…. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (1 Nephi 10:17-19).  Nephi was also diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord, and when they faced challenges he said to his brothers, “Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord?” (1 Nephi 4:34)  Again when they had questions he told them, “Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you” (1 Nephi 15:11). When they murmured at Nephi, he summarized his response, “I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord” (1 Nephi 16:2).  He diligently sought to teach them diligence in keeping the commandments of the Lord, just as his father did “exhort them to all diligence” (1 Nephi 10:2).  When they received the Liahona he taught that it worked “according to their faith and diligence” in heeding it (1 Nephi 16:29).  Nephi’s words and actions are a powerful invitation to us to seek the Lord diligently and to strive with diligence to keep His commandments. 

               The other prophets of the small plates also taught and exhibited diligence in following the Lord.  Jacob told the people, “Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted you with all diligence” (2 Nephi 6:3).  He described his responsibility as a teacher and priest of the people this way: “Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ…. We did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments” (Jacob 1:7,19).  He diligently sought to do the Lord’s will and teach the people as his responsibility dictated, telling them, “And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of my calling” (Jacob 2:3).  Jacob also described how they did “labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates” so that their testimonies of the Savior would be preserved (Jacob 4:3).  His son Enos similarly showed great diligence in his duties as a spiritual leader of the people, saying that he “prayed and labored with all diligence” and that his people did “seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God” (Enos 1:12,20).  His son Jarom similarly testified how “the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence” (Jarom 1:11).  Their implicit invitation to all of us is to similarly be so diligent in our worship of the Lord and our service to Him. Jacob’s quotation of the allegory of the olive trees highlights the Savior’s command to us in the last days to so work: “Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way” (Jacob 5:61).  If we do so, Jacob promised this to the faithful: “And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard” (Jacob 6:3).