Diligence

Marina Bair

Rel 121 sec 58

Sis. Hallen

09-24-08

If we are a diligent people throughout our lives, we will be blessed here in mortality and in the life to come. Before we can talk about the blessings that come with being diligent, we first need to be sure that we understand the meaning of diligence. Menander said, “He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor.”[1] Diligence equals hard work plus persistence. To become good at anything it takes time and persistence. For instance, I started playing the piano when I was about seven years old. I certainly was not good right off the bat; I had to work hard and put in the time to be able to play “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin and some Beethoven pieces decently. And truth be told if I had put forth more effort and hours, I could have been able to play Chopin's Fantasy, which I can not play right now. However, that is the idea of diligence. I worked and am still working to get better. The same idea holds true for school, though I would describe diligence, in reference to school, as good study skills with the addition of time. Now that we better understand what diligence is, we can go forward and discuss the application thereof.

We have been told to "Learn wisdom in thy youth," (Alma 37:35). In the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet we read, "The Lord wants you to educate your mind and improve your skills and abilities. Education will help you to be an influence for good in the world. It will help you better provide for yourself, your loved ones and those in need. Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices to obtain learning," (emphasis added). We learn from this that we should be diligent in receiving a good education so that we can be able to provide for our families and those in need; and so that we, as mothers and fathers, can teach our children.

Diligence, good study skills and time, is the key to a successful education. If we do not take the time to study for our classes, how can we expect to succeed in those classes? There will always be at least one class that we struggle with more than any other and to that I say, "What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence,"–Samuel Johnson [2]. If we work hard and take the time to practice, the thing will become "easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased,"–President Heber J. Grant [3]. Diligence is a virtue that we should strive to have throughout our lives because of its usefulness.

After graduating and starting with our career, we should work diligently in that job and our chances for success will be much greater. As Miguel de Cervantes once said, "Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness, its opposite, never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes."[4] The same is true for stay-at-home mothers. For all the things mothers do: take care of the kids, teach them, clean the house, cook and any other hobbies or goals that they want to accomplish, they must be very diligent and patient. My mother told of you experience in being diligent as a mother. She said, “While I was raising eight children, I continued to seek for opportunities to learn and be informed. I learned early in my marriage that if I wanted to have an intellectual conversation with my husband, I had to have something intelligent to say. I started reading the newspaper, and news magazines. I took a college class here and there. Eventually, my children were grown and I found that I was prepared to teach school. Instead of teaching while raising my children, I raised them and then started to teach. It took 33 years to keep informed so that I did not backslide after earning my Bachelors Degree. It was a diligent effort and well worth it.” I have gone over the importance of being diligent pertaining to things of this world and now I want to discuss the importance of diligence from an eternal perspective.

"We sow a THOUGHT and reap an ACT

We sow an ACT and reap a HABIT

We sow a HABIT and reap a CHARACTER

We sow a CHARACTER and reap a DESTINY."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson [5]

With destiny being the Celestial Kingdom, we learn from Emerson that we need to have a character worthy of that kingdom. How do we gain that kind of character? And how does being diligent help us reach that goal? From Emerson we learn that the habits that form our character first begin with our thoughts. In D&C 121:45 we read, "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God," (emphasis added). We must be diligent in keeping our thoughts clean. It is certainly not easy, but I know that if we pray and have the spirit of the Lord with us, He will help us. Along with keeping our thoughts clean, we should be "feasting upon the words of Christ," (2 Nephi 32.3), learning His commandments and His will. These thoughts will turn to actions. And our actions that we are consistent in preforming will become our habits.

Habits do not come from doing something once in a while, but rather from a constant practice. If we want a Celestial type of character we need to have those types of habits. We need to “pray always,” (2 Nephi 32:9). We need to study the scriptures that we may know the word of God and listen to His prophets. D&C 88:78 says, “Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.” If we teach with the spirit of Christ, He will reveal things unto us. We need to “keep the commandments and endure to the end,” (D&C 14:7) if we do the Lord will bless us with eternal life. And finally the one that I think is most important is found in 2 Nephi 31:20 it says, “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life,” (emphasis added). That scripture has so much in it! Steadfastness, press forward these verbs require commitment, work and time. This is diligence! With Christ and the Celestial Kingdom as the goal. I know that if we are constantly practicing and working to have righteous thoughts and habits that our character will be a righteous one. I know Christ lives! And I know that if we are diligent in keeping His commandments and obeying His prophets we will make our goal. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Works Cited:

[1] www.brainyquote.com

[2]www.brainyquote.com

[3]Conference Report, Apr. 1901, p. 63

[4]www.brainyquote.com

[5]Ralph Waldo Emerson