DILIGENCE can be best described as, “Never giving up.” As I read in First Nephi this week, the thought came to me that diligence is a lot about repenting. We are tempted to really get down on ourselves when we make wrong choices. Satan is quick to try to convince us that, “It’s all over now. You may as well let it all go cause it’s too late to do anything else.” Well, it never is over. Unless we quit.
I went to the temple today and took a name through for his endowment. It was a Spanish language session. The officiators were all apparently new. It was as rough of a session I’ve ever been through. There were technical difficulties with the film and sound. The officiators generally didn’t know when to stand and/or sit. The session was held up by not one, not two, but three sisters who had to take time-out for potty break. However, in the end, all the individuals whose names were being taken through received a valid endowment. All the mistakes were overcome. I have thought how an officiator could mess up the endowment and I haven’t come up with the answer. The Lord has organized the endowment in such a way that man can’t cancel it out.
He has done much the same with us. We make mistakes, and poor choices, and He has provided a way that overcomes our errors. His mercy takes the place of justice. Let us be diligent in finding Him. Not giving up or looking back. We were allowed to come here to succeed, not fail.
1Nephi 10:17-19
17 "And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."
Henry Eyring covers the same subject matter in a Devotional Talk in 1986. See the transcript on the web:
http://web.mac.com/gemcquain/iWeb/Site/12-Diligence.html
Moroni 7:14-19
"14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ."
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2 comments:
I appreciate how clear Elder Eyring is:
"Diligently surely means regularly. And it surely means pondering and praying. And the praying will surely include the fervent pleading to know the truth. Anything less would hardly be diligent. And anything less will not be enough for you and for me."
I also really liked Lewis Thomas's description of lying--"Lying, then, is stressful, even when we do it for protection, or relief, or escape, or profit, or just for the pure pleasure of lying and getting away with it. It is a strain, distressing enough to cause the emission of signals to and from the central nervous system warning that something has gone wrong. It is, in a pure physiological sense, an unnatural act".
Who hasn't experienced that?
Thanks for digging up this gem, it is a fantastic talk and one my eyes may never have fallen upon otherwise.
I'm diligently praying that somehow I'll be motivated to finish this paper instead of read your blog.
:)
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