Improve Our Time

In speaking about the purpose of this life, Amulek said to the Zoramites, “And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed” (Alma 34:33). The phrase “improve our time” is an interesting one and it is not immediately apparent what exactly he meant. But I think it is something along the lines of “improve ourselves in the time we have.” The French translation for “if we do not improve our time” is this: “si nous ne faisons pas meilleur usage de notre temps,” which translated back into English is roughly “if we do not make better use of our time.” At any rate, clearly Amulek was suggesting that what is needed in this life in the short time that we have is improvement. The Lord doesn’t judge us based on the talents or actions of others; He judges us based on what we do with the gifts He has given us individually. He put it this way in a modern revelation: “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” He also encouraged the Saints “that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:3, 18). The key here again is to improve on what He has given us. We are not responsible to try to be like others, but we are held accountable for what we become based on what He has given us.

As Elder Renlund quoted a Jewish scholar who feared as he approached death: “If God says to me, ‘Zusya, why were you not another Moses?’ I will say, ‘Because you didn’t give me the greatness of soul that you gave Moses.’ And if I stand before God and He says, ‘Zusya, why were you not another Solomon?’ I will say, ‘Because you didn’t give me the wisdom of Solomon.’ But, alas, what will I say if I stand before my Maker and He says, ‘Zusya, why were you not Zusya? Why were you not the man I gave you the capacity to be?’ Ah, that is why I tremble.” What we do with the gifts God has given us matters far more than how those gifts compare with those of others. Elder Renlund added, “Indeed, God will be disappointed if we do not rely upon the merits, mercy, and grace of the Savior to magnify the God-given abilities we have received. With His loving assistance, He expects us to become the best version of ourselves. That we may start with differing abilities is irrelevant to Him. And it should be to us.” He of course made that clear with the parable of the talents—the Lord did not compare the quantities of increase for three people who received 10, 5, and 1 talents. But He did chastise the last man who had done nothing with what he had been given: “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury” (Matthew 25:26-27). In a modern scripture the Lord said this, likely referring to the parable: “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them.” We may be able to hide our talents from the world, but we will not be able to hide them from the Lord. We should consider this invitation carefully: “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, thus: Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (Doctrine and Covenants 60:2, 13). Our talents were given to be improved upon, not to be buried.    

The Savior made this sobering statement, paraphrasing the words of John the Baptist: “The ax is laid at the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:7). This was given to the people in Zion who had made covenants with Him, and the message is clear: we should seek to bring forth fruit. That could represent a lot of things—good works, talents, service, learning—that could perhaps be summarized by Amulek’s statement: “Improve our time.” As we seek to improve our time and bear spiritual fruit, no matter what we were given to start with, the Lord will magnify us and make use of our talents to bless His children.