I Would Rather Not Do It

In March 1831, John Whitmer received the official commandment from the Lord to keep a history of the Church. The Lord said, “Behold, it is expedient in me that my servant John should write and keep a regular history, and assist you, my servant Joseph, in transcribing all things which shall be given you, until he is called to further duties” (Doctrine and Covenants 47:1). One article about John Whitmer highlights the fact that he really didn’t want this responsibility. Joseph had asked him previously to do it when Oliver Cowdery was no longer able to. The article relates, “Whitmer was comfortable transcribing Joseph Smith’s revelations but hesitant to embrace the unfamiliar role of historian. He told Joseph, ‘I would rather not do it,’ but he agreed to accept the assignment if the Lord willed it—in which case, Whitmer continued, ‘I desire that he would manifest it through Joseph the Seer.’” That response is something that all members of the church have probably felt on multiple occasions in the assignments we have received to serve in God’s kingdom: “I would rather not do it.” But if we only took the callings and responsibilities that we wanted to do, there would be few indeed that would be filled! I think we would have almost no bishops or Relief Society presidents, the nine-year-old boys would rarely have an activity days leader, and the church building would certainly never be cleaned! Like John Whitmer, we must all learn to do things that we may not initially want to do—that is part of consecrating our time and talents to the Lord. Just as John did, we may seek confirmation from the Lord that what our leader has asked us to do is indeed His will. And we will almost always, like John, find that indeed He wants us to do that thing that we would rather not do.

           The Savior of course was the perfect example of doing what God wants even when we do not want to do it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He did not want to do this most difficult task ever given, and yet He did. Instead of focusing on His own will, the Savior aligned Himself with the Father’s will and fulfilled the terrible mission He had received. He highlighted this to the Nephites: “I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning” (3 Nephi 11:11). He also related in our dispensation, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;… Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19). He did not say, “I did the Father’s will and actually it wasn’t so bad.” No, the thing that He did not want to do—suffering for the sins of all mankind—was unimaginably hard. But He did it and He would surely say that it was worth it. That hard thing we are asked to do may, on the other hand, turn out to be something we do thrive in and really enjoy. But if not, if what we fear to be hard is indeed hard, we are certainly in good company with the Savior who held fast to the end in completing the mission He received.  

            Unfortunately, John Whitmer’s service ended with his own excommunication and departure from the Church in 1838. But for those seven years he did perform his duty as a historian, and he finished his record with these words:  “Therefore I close the history of the church of Latter Day Saints, Hoping that I may be forgiven of my faults, and my sins be bloted out and in the last day be savd in the kingdom of God notwithstanding my presnt situation.” I think we all hope that as we strive to serve in whatever capacity we are called to in His kingdom—even when we want to say “I would rather not”—He will look upon our service and likewise forgive our sins.