He Shall Do My Work

Today marks 216 years since the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith in Sharon, Vermont. As I read in Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy of the work that this modern prophet would do, I was impressed by these words from the Lord: “And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work” (2 Nephi 3:8). The Lord made Joseph Smith great in His eyes because the prophet did the work that the Lord commanded him. Joseph put aside his own will and sought to do the work that was given him from heaven, despite the terrible costs. He revealed this instruction from the Savior to his brother Hyrum: “Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:20). Surely Joseph sought to live by these words as well, and he showed throughout his life that he was fully committed to keeping the commandments of the Lord and doing whatever was asked of him. He wrote in November 1834: “No month ever found me more busily engaged than November; but as my life consisted of activity and unyielding exertions, I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it.” In the journal where this statement is recorded those final two words are underlined, and we can see from his life that he did indeed seek to do what the Lord asked. He translated scriptures,  sent missionaries all over the world, built cities for the saints to gather to, sought to establish Zion, constructed temples, and did many other things as the Lord commanded him to restore the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I love this idea because it helps us see what we need to each do individually to find favor in the eyes of the Lord: accomplish the work He has individually for us. The angel Moroni told Joseph in 1823 “that God had a work for [him] to do” and he spent his life trying to fulfill that (JSH 1:33). We likely won’t be called to translate new scriptures or personally build temples, but the Lord has a unique work for each of us that we can accomplish if we strive to know and do His will. For example, Oliver Cowdery was given a unique work that he was prepared for: “Behold, the work which you are called to do is to write for my servant Joseph” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:4). He had the incredible opportunity to be scribe for the Book of Mormon. Similarly the Savior told Thomas B. Marsh, “I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:6). The Lord said to Joseph Smith’s father: “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2-3). I am confident that He would say the same to each of us who are striving to follow Him—if we have desires to serve God we are called to the work, and He has a unique work for each of us to accomplish based on our talents and circumstances. As President Hinckley put it: “We have work to do, you and I.”  

Joseph of Egypt was told this by the Lord about Joseph Smith: “And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them” (2 Nephi 3:7). The work he did in the 1800s was indeed of “great worth” as he established the foundation of the Restoration, and I am confident that the work that each of us can do in our lives will likewise be of great worth as we seek to do that work that He has prepared for us.