He That is Slothful

The Lord gave this instruction after encouraging us to do good things of our own free will: “But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:29). If we are slothful, we will not progress spiritually. Two other passages in the Doctrine and Covenants refer to being slothful. In the parable of the nobleman and the olive tree, the servants were described this way: “And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:50). They wouldn’t build the tower that the nobleman had commanded them to build, and their laziness led to the enemy destroying their vineyard. In a later revelation the Lord also said this: “He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:100). The word slothful of course reminds us of the animal whose name in French is the same word as lazy (parasseux). Their speed, when threatened, is about 0.17 mph, which means that if they are moving quickly they could theoretically go a mile in six hours. Videos of sloths highlight just how painfully slow they go, and that gives a visual image of what the Lord was talking about in these verses. He does not want us to be lazy or to sit around waiting for someone to tell us what to do. Instead, we must strive to accomplish what He asks in the best way we know how, seeking to use both His guidance and our own best judgment as we move forward with faith and trust. I remember occasionally as a missionary we would be in situations where we simply wouldn’t know what to do. Our plans and backup plans had fallen through, and we were left wondering where to go. The best advice I received about how to act in that situation was this: “Do something.” Rather than sit and refuse to do anything until we knew for sure exactly where to go, it was better just to get up and pick somewhere to go and talk to people if no inspiration came. The Lord can work through us much better when we are moving and doing than when we are sitting idle.

               There is a story in the Book of Mormon that is related to this idea. After Moroni was able to capture the city of Mulek, he had a lot of Lamanite prisoners to deal with. He sent them to the city Bountiful, and Mormon recorded this: “[Teancum] caused that [the Lamanite prisoners] should build a breastwork of timbers upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of the ditch against the breastwork of timbers; and thus they did cause the Lamanites to labor until they had encircled the city of Bountiful round about with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to an exceeding height. And this city became an exceeding stronghold ever after; and in this city they did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea, even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their own hands. Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor; and he desired all his forces when he should make an attack upon the Lamanites” (Alma 53:4-5). I have written before how one application from this is that if we work hard and avoid idleness, we will more easily guard ourselves from doing evil things. Perhaps a corollary is this: as we strive to follow the Lord’s leaders, He can guide us more easily. Of course these prisoners did not want to be guided, but we do and as we follow the leaders He has given us—like these Lamanites followed Moroni’s command—the Lord will be able to lead and direct us. Just as it was harder for Moroni to guard the prisoners while they were idle, so too it is harder for the Lord to guide us when we are slothful. And even when we do not know exactly what we are supposed to do, we can always do something, even “many things of [our] own free will” and “bring to pass much righteousness” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27).