Diligence in the Scriptures

 Diligence is steady and constant effort and work towards a goal. Diligence is about endurance, not sprinting, and we do it with the Lord's help. Very short definition! Here's diligence in one sentence:

What do the scriptures say about diligence?

Well, here ya go!

Effort & Work

• “Let every man be diligent in all things. And the idler shall not have place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways” (D&C 75:29)
• “Let us not be weary in well doing” (Gal 6:9)
• “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Mt 7:24)
• “Be not slothful” (Heb 6:12)

Steady & Constant (Small and Simple Means)

• “The Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith… would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord” (3 Ne 6:14).
• Be faithful (D&C 5:35, 6:13, 6:37, 9:13, 27:18, 31:13, 42:66, 62:5, 81:5)
• “Be… firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” (1 Ne 2:10)
• “Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works” (Mos 5:15)
• “Let us run with endurance [active persistence, perseverance, determination, patience] the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:1)
• “They did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron” (1 Ne 8: 30)
• “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh 24:15)
• “When our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go” (Alma 26:27)
• “Watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard” (Mos 4:30)
• “Keep thy soul diligently” (Deut 4:9)
• “Be watchful and careful” (D&C 42:76)
• “They did press forward…clinging to the rod of iron” (1 Ne 8:24)
• Liahona worked “according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things” (1 Ne 16:28-29) 
• “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent” (Mos 4:27)
• “Be diligent and temperate in all things” (Alma 38:10)
• “Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided… but be diligent unto the end” (D&C 10:4)

Grace: With the Lord’s Help

• Jesus: ”Let us run with endurance [active persistence, perseverance, determination, patience] the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith [trust, loyalty]” (Heb 12:1).
• We can run with endurance (faith) because Jesus has authored our faith. JESUS is the source of all diligent effort.
• “Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you” (D&C 31:13, also D&C 24:8, 75:13)
• Grace: “Continue in the grace [power] of God” (Acts 13:43)
• Love: “Continue ye in my love” (John 15:9)
• Prepare: “the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Ne 3:7)
• Faith & Hope:
• “Hope cometh of faith, [and] maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works” (Ether 12:4) 
• "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark” (Philip 3:13-14)
• “Nourish the word,… with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof” (Alma 32:41)

At All Times, Unto the End

• Be “diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times” (Alma 7:23)
• “Continue in my word” (John 8:31, also Jacob 6:11, Omni 1:26)
• “Be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days” (Mos 5:5)
• “Endure…even unto the end of thy days” (D&C 24:8)
• “Be diligent unto the end” (D&C 10:4)
• “Be faithful unto the end” (D&C 31:13)
• “Continue in these things even unto the end” (D&C 66:12)

Rewards & Promises

• “Any man that shall… continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst” (D&C 84:80)
• Companionship: “I am with the faithful always” (D&C 62:9); “I, the Lord, will go with you” (D&C 66:8)
• Love: “Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love” (D&C 6:20)
• Peace and prosperity: “There was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God” (Alma 49:30)
• Strength: “He that is faithful shall be made strong in every place” (D&C 66:8)
• Deliverance: “if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage” (Mos 7:33)
• Victory: 
• “All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith” (D&C 103:36)
• “Inasmuch as ye are humble and faithful and call upon my name, behold, I will give you the victory” (D&C 104:82)
• Protection:
• “if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (D&C 33:13)
• Revelations, Guidance, Mysteries of God
• “Inasmuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do” (D&C 52:4)
• “They shall also be crowned … with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent” (D&C 59:4)
• Mysteries of God are granted “unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him” (Alma 12:9)
• “He that diligently seeketh shall find and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them” (1 Ne 10:19)
• “he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light” (D&C 50:24)
• Eternal Life: 
• “if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life” (D&C 18:8)
• “Continue in these things even unto the end, and you shall have a crown of eternal life” (D&C 66:12)
• Other:
• “Be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize” (Mos 4:27)
• “Because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, … ye shall pluck the fruit thereof…. Ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you” (Alma 32:42-43)

October 2020 General Conference

 This October, I went into General Conference with one major life problem, two questions, and the prayerful intention to notice themes. We often re-read General Conference talks after they’re given, but rarely do we experience the messages as a whole. So, during Conference weekend, my goal was to keep my eyes, ears, and spirit open to themes - What words or phrases did I notice repeatedly? What is the Lord trying to teach me with that? 

I also prayed to hear promptings and guidance - what do I need to study and do after Conference? 

I don’t have children yet, so my home is pretty chill. I took LOTS of notes during each session, writing down phrases or ideas that stood out to me - from the speaker’s mouth and from the Holy Ghost. 

At the end of each session, I went through my notes:

• I marked invitations to study certain topics or materials (like the promises to covenant Israel or manual on financial self-reliance)
• I marked promptings of things to DO (like get a temple recommend, do more family history, etc)
• I marked words of phrases that appeared in my notes multiple times, and made a list of that session’s themes. 

I did this after every session. So on Sunday afternoon, I had five lists of things to study and do, and themes. I combined all this into a big chart. This chart is my focus board for the next six months - what to study, how to learn, what to do. 

I felt, as I watched Conference, that it was just so rich. I felt like there was so much information and inspiration and guidance, and so much that I missed just listening to talks once! So my hope is to work through each of the themes I noticed, studying them in the General Conference talks and scriptures. 

Some of the themes I noticed were:

• Become like Christ, be transformed
• Press forward, be diligent, by small and simple means
• Unity (many references to Enoch and 4 Nephi)
• Christ as the source of peace, joy, and hope
• Benefit of afflictions and trials (blessings, increased faith, exaltation)

So over the next 6 months, I’ll be studying and compiling quotes and insights and (hopefully) sharing here! 

"Who do you say I am?": A Testimony

 

God is difficult. God is unseen. God can be hard to find sometimes.

God is a symbol, a metaphor. God represents our deepest aspirations for ourselves and the cosmos. God is a vision of what could be, and the strength to make that vision a reality. 

God is the energy of electrons vibrating. God is the constant expansion of the universe, and God will be its collapse. God is photons. God is whatever magic that turns sunlight into food. God is breath, God is the mechanism that turns glucose into movement. God is the energetic connection between people. God is love.

God is healer and God is healing. God is our immune system and herbs and doctors.

God is justice. God is listening to the marginalized and oppressed. God speaks in their voices. God's righteous indignation pours out upon the oppressor and the unrepentant. 

God is Black Lives Matter. God is a dead black body, shot in the back 7 times. God is the tears of a bereaved mother. God is the child whose parent lies in a grave. God is the signs held high, God is the sweat that falls for hours in the hot sun, God is the water and powerade donated buy strangers. God is the fire that demands we see and hear the enslaved, just as God was the fire on Mt. Sinai. 

God is reconciliation, repentance, forgiveness. God is a new path through the wilderness. God is a shadow by day and pillar by night. God is the Rock that gives Living Water. God is our food, our drink, our strength. God is our refuge, our shelter, our very present help in time of trouble. God is our comfort, our peace, our joy. God is the smile of a friend. 

God is the sovereign king over all the earth, whose we welcome with trumpets. God calls us to repentance, to change, to transformation into the image of Christ. God gathers us in as we gather the fall harvest. God is judge, attentive to our deeds and sealing us in the Book of Life. God is atonement - the opportunity to change, make things right, start anew. 

God is near, within every cell. God is every song I sing and every tear I cry. God is life itself. 

Hallelujah

Source: Google Images

Easter. Spring. For as long as I can remember, this time of year has been my favorite. Maybe it's just because my birthday is this time of year - spring is the first thing I knew. Maybe it's Easter eggs and bright colors and cute chicks. Maybe it's the gentle warm breezes that pull us out of a crisp winter. Maybe it's new life and sunshine and redemption and hope and promises.

As a kid, I liked spring. Maybe it was bright colors, or pretty flowers, or buying a new Easter dress. Even when I was in the traps of my eating disorder and bound by heavy depression, I still liked spring.

But when I came back to life, Easter and spring gained a new significance.

Though I began treatment in the fall, I embraced recovery in the spring. 
A year later, I was introduced to the gospel in the spring. 
Another year later, I was baptized, in the spring.


When I found the gospel, I was in the midst of a pretty bad relapse with my addiction and depression. I can remember one afternoon, sitting on the floor in my room, crying and desolate and desperate to just feel okay again. And I thought about the things I'd just head about Jesus Christ and realized - it would be okay. It's wasn't at the time, but it would be. And I would be okay. The gospel gave me permission to hope, something I hadn't done for a long time.

And that's what Easter is all about, to me. Hope. Redemption. Easter means that life can come out of the ashes. It means that like a phoenix, it doesn't matter how crushed our lives are, how much it looks like it's the end. Because of Christ, it doesn't need to be the end. Because of Him, we can ALL find new life.

Hallelujah.

When You Don't Meet Your Own Expectations

I intended to do this cool advent study. I meant to lean about hope and peace and joy and love. For the week of "love," my brother and sister were out of school, so we hung out. And I was TIRED from learning so much in the previous three weeks. I didn't study Love.

I also meant to celebrate Christmas majestically, compiling and reading the story of Christ's birth, from all the scriptures. Starting with prophecies from Isaiah (and here) and Micah and Hezekiah and Nephi and Alma and Samuel the Lamanite. Going forward to the Annunciation to Mary and Joseph's dream, to the sign given in 3 Nephi, and the wonderful journey to Bethlehem and the birth and the angel choir in Luke.

It would be so beautiful, I knew, to read it all together.

But that didn't happen.

I'm not sure exactly why.

Things haven't been bad. Maybe that's why, because things have been so gloriously peaceful and calm for a few days. Maybe I just missed my old fashioned hot chocolate and Book of Mormon, no additions or explanations. The purity. the simplicity. "For behold, my soul delighteth in plainness" (2 Nephi 25:4).

Either way, I thought about Love last week. I thought about my family. I thought about the gifts I'd purchased, hoping they'd like what I'd chosen. I thanked my Father for the gift of His Son. "For God so loved the world."

I know it must have been difficult for Him to let His Son go. "He gave His only begotten Son"

Because He loves us so much. He loves us. He loves us. He wants us to live with Him forever. "That whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

I thanked my Father for the Atonement, knowing the pain and restraint it must have taken to watch His Beloved Son, even as He cried out, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me" (Matthew 26:39).

I know He loves us. I know He loves me.

"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 

Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong."

My studying didn't exactly go as planned, but I still learned. He always teaches us, even when we don't realize it.


So even though I'm late, Merry Christmas, guys.

(source)

Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, 

the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world. . . . 

At the going down of the sun there was no darkness . . . There was no darkness when the night came. . . .

There was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day.

3 Nehpi 1:13-14, 19

Is This Who We've Waited For?

(source)

Follow the star to a place unexpected,

Would you believe after all we've projected,

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all,

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in His mother's shawl,

Just a child -

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many gods have poured out their hearts,

    to romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior,

All that we have, whether costly or meek;

Because we believe.

Gold for His honor and frankincense for his pleasure,

And myrrh for the cross He will suffer.

Do you believe,

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many gods have poured out their hearts,

     to romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

"How Many Kings," downhere

"Would you believe after all we've projected a child in a manger? Lowly and small, the weakest of all, unlikeliest hero, wrapped in His mother's shawl, just a child." 

The Old Testament is full of prophecies about this Savior, Messiah, Christ, anointed One, the special person who would come to rescue and deliver the Jews. Grand prophecies, wonderful expectations. But the angels came with songs of a baby, born to a common girl, in the little unknown town of Bethlehem. He was not great. He did not wield political power. He would not overthrow Caesar. 

"Is this who we've waited for?" Is this really the One we've been waiting for? Could it be, just a child? 

He is the King of kings, stepped down from His throne, to be one of us. He's the Lord of lords, who abandoned His home to live among His people. He's the Greatest of greats, who "humbled Himself," and "[had] not where to lay His head" (Philippians 2:8, Matthew 8:20). 

"How many gods have poured out their hearts to romance a world that is torn all apart?"

"The God of the whole earth [has] been slain for the sins of the world" (3 Nephi 11:14)

"Behold the sufferings and death of Him who did no sin" (D&C 45:4)

"How many fathers gave up their sons for me?"

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, 

and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

"Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior, all that we have, whether costly or meek, because we believe." 

Because we believe, bringing our gifts to the infant Savior, in a place unexpected. Gifts of time, gifts or love, gifts of life, gifts of self. "We can, out of faith in Him, give a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We can repent and make sacred covenants with Him. . . . You can give Him the gift of doing for others what He would do for them. . . . Each act of kindness to anyone becomes a kindness to Him . . . With all the kindnesses we give for Him, the greatest we can offer is to point those we love and serve toward Him, the only source of eternal life. The most precious gift I have to give is my witness of the Savior" ("The Gift of a Savior," Pres Eyring, First Presidency Christmas Devotional 2010). 

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many gods have poured out their hearts,

     to romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Is this who we've waited for?

This is. He is the Creator, Sustainer, Stronghold breaker (Meredith Andrews). He is the one who authors salvation, who paid the price of sin, who extends the arm of mercy, who releases us from the chains of darkness, who publishes peace.

This wet, squirmy infant, "wrapped in His mother's shawl," is the magnificent Savior we have been waiting for. 

This is who we've waited for. 

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The Gospel is Made for Us

The principles and patterns of the gospel are given that we may know peace and a fulness of happiness, in eternity, yes, but also here among the trials and afflictions of this life.

Yesterday was a very hard day for a few reasons.
1) I've been having some difficulty lately with my mental illness, and was told on Wednesday by a new professional that she wouldn't be able to help me.
2) Today I had a 10-page paper due, that yesterday was about halfway done.
3) My supervisor at work is moving ten hours away, with about two weeks' notice (her husband's company is transferring him), so she's training two of us to take her place, while trying to square away moving. On top of that, this week is one of the busiest of the year with a Christmas program this weekend.

So a lot of stressors. I was freaked out all day yesterday.


I have loved my advent study. I have loved filling my life with hope through the words of the prophets.

But yesterday, I needed peace.

So I bypassed my self-imposed rules and meditated on the concept of Week 2 - peace.


These verses came to mind:

"I will not leave you comfortless: 

I will come to you. . . . 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:

 not as the world giveth, give I unto you. 

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

(John 14:18, 27)

And He did. He calmed my spirit so I could get all of my work done. He restored my soul.

"Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together for [our] good” as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets. This type of hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear, doubt, and despair"

(Pres Uchtdorf, "The Infinite Power of Hope," October 2008)

This life is hard, but His love is bigger.

~ ~ ~

"It's love so undeniable, I can hardly speak

Peace so unexplainable, I can hardly think . . .

You're a Good, Good Father

It's who you are . . .

And I'm loved by you, it's who I am."

(Christ Tomlin, "Good Good Father")

 (source)

Advent: He's Coming

"A Savior is Born," christmas.mormon.org

An advent is "a coming into place, view, or being; arrival" (source). For Christians, Advent is the time before Christmas, when we remember and prepare our hearts and homes for the birth of Christ. 

I grew up doing Advent calendars counting down to Christmas Day, lightning Advent candles each week, and hearing Advent sermons in church. 

Since my conversion, since being a Christian has started to mean something to me, Christmas has become more of a special and holy time for me. As a preteen/teen, I didn't really care about Christmas, honestly. We decorated and got happy for no reason, we had to spend time together (usually fighting), and more miserable things? Why would I like that? Why would anyone like that?

"He is the Gift," mormon.org, 2014

Last year, mormon.org released a video entitled "He is the Gift" (above). I attended a Christmas missionary event at my friend's ward (congregation) and watched the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. I realized just how monumental and significant this event was, this birth. This time of celebration became more important and holy to me. I began to think about what this season means, what the birth of this little guy really shows us. Just like everything Heavenly Father does, it's hope. It's peace. It's joy. It's love. That's what it's all about. 

Traditionally, Advent was celebrated by families or churches with an Advent wreath, holding five candles - four purple and one white. The purple are lit, one each Sunday, for four weeks preceding Christmas. And the final white candle is lit on Christmas Day (or Eve) to signify the birth of Christ. Each candle, and each week of Advent, has a theme. They are, in order: hope, peace, joy, and love. 

The Christmas season has taken a special importance in my heart this year, even more than last year. I'm amazed that Heavenly Father would send His Beloved Son, cold and alone, and watch Him to the point of His tremendous suffering for me. I'm so grateful that my God choose to become human like me - with this not perfect body that aches and gets hungry, with this flesh that's wants unholy things, in this world that is nothing close to His heavenly home. It's amazing, to me, to think of my Savior, the Lord, the King of Kings, a little squirming baby, unable to walk or talk or anything. Cold and crying, because He was human like us. To think of His mother, this young girl who was an amazing servant for God, to accept this calling, to mother our Christ. Being a mother is scary enough, but to mother this one? Unimaginable. 

So this season, in this time of Advent, when we wait for our Christchild, I've decided to embark on a special study pattern, to study what prophets ancient and modern have taught about these four things that Christ brought to our world when He was born - hope, peace, joy, and love. 

Join me? 

(source)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6