Let Your Diligence Be Redoubled

In the book La Gloire de Mon Père by Marcel Pagnol recounted the humorous account of how he, as a young boy, got lost when he secretly followed his father and uncle who went hunting in the hills near where they were staying for the summer. As he tried to motivate himself in the midst of his fear—all alone and unsure where to go—he quoted to himself a saying that his father had taught him: “Il n’est pas nécessaire d’espérer pour entreprendre ni de réussir pour persévérer.” (“It is not necessary to be hopeful in order to try, nor to be successful in order to persevere.”) Marcel’s father had told him that it was the most beautiful phrase in the French language, and it was apparently coined by Guillaume of Orange from medieval times. Marcel repeated it to himself to keep persevering as he tried to find his way home, and indeed soon thereafter found his father and uncle. I like the phrase for its message of persevering even if we don’t have confidence that we are going to succeed; we can keep trying even if we don’t have evidence that we are going to succeed. It reminds me of Mormon’s statement that even though he was “without hope” for the success of the wicked Nephites against the Lamanites he still led them forth as their commander and did all that he could (Mormon 5:2). As he had said to his son Moroni: “And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God” (Moroni 9:6). Whether or not we have confidence in our future success or not we can always persevere in doing what we know to be right and leave the rest to the Lord. We will not come under condemnation for not succeeding, but we will for not trying.  

                This French phrase also reminds me of the Lord’s words to Oliver Granger who was given a mission to settle the affairs of the First Presidency in Kirtland after most of the members and leaders left for Missouri. He said, “Therefore, let him contend earnestly for the redemption of the First Presidency of my Church, saith the Lord; and when he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord.” The Lord wasn’t concerned as much with his success as He was with Oliver’s efforts and sacrifice. He wants us to persevere in our labors in His kingdom more than he wants us to be successful by worldly measurements. The requirements to obtain the celestial kingdom are not based on our increase but our diligence in His service to the end. As the Lord put it in one revelation: “But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:5). I love the way that Joseph Smith’s letter to the Saints when he was in hiding states it: “Let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Doctrine and Covenants 127:4). We don’t need to be successful in order to keep persevering; we can redouble our efforts in His work and whether or not we find “increase” is of little importance if we are serving Him with all our heart. Even when we may not “feel like it” we can continue in faith to study and serve Him, to pray and partake of the Sacrament in our weakness. If we keep seeking to bring forth His Zion and endure unto the end, no matter what the outcome in our lifetime, we will “be lifted up at the last day” (1 Nephi 13:37).