CHAPTER 16
Apathy and indifference create large holes in lives, one that many do
not care to fill until given a reason to change. Only through love can
they gain that desire for themselves.
1 One of the greatest evils existing … is that of ignorance, coupled
with indifference. I presume that if the ignorant were not so
indifferent to these facts and to their condition they might be
prompted to learn more than they do. The trouble with men and women is
that they too frequently close their eyes to the facts that exist
around them, and it seems to be very difficult for many of the people
to learn and adapt to their lives those simple truths that should be
in fact the household words and precepts of every Latter-day Saint,
and of every home of a Latter-day Saint. How shall we stem the tide of
this evil, this indifference, this consequent ignorance? It appears to
me that the only way to do it is to wake up and become interested, or
to interest ourselves in those things which are so important and
necessary to the happiness and well-being of the children of men,
especially that which is so needful for the happiness and well-being
of ourselves individually.
2 “The first and highest standard of correct living is to be found in
that individual responsibility which keeps men good for the truth’s
sake. It is not difficult for men who are true to themselves to be
true to others. Men who honor God in their private lives do not need
the restraint of public opinion which may not only be indifferent, but
positively wrong.”
3 President Thomas S. Monson has called for a loving crusade to rescue
our brothers and sisters who are wandering in the wilderness of apathy
or ignorance. These teachings require continued loving concern, which
surely requires continued loving associations.
4 Often in the scriptures we are reminded that we should minister to
all of God’s children, that we should do so with the pure love of God
in our hearts. George Bernard Shaw once wrote, “The worst sin towards
our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to
them” (The Devil’s Disciple, act 2). Indifference can be one of the
most hurtful ways of behavior. Never should we in life allow ourselves
to turn away, walk on the other side of the street, and pretend we
didn’t see, or prohibit involvement in accepted ways. We need to learn
to love everyone, even those who are difficult.
5 He that sent his Only Begotten Son into the world to accomplish the
mission which he did, also sent every soul within the sound of my
voice, and indeed every man and woman in the world, to accomplish a
mission, and that mission cannot be accomplished by neglect; nor by
indifference; nor can it be accomplished in ignorance. We must learn
our duty; learn the requirements that the Lord has made at our hands,
and understand the responsibilities that he has placed upon us. We
should learn the obligation that we are under to God and to each
other, and that we are under also to the cause of Zion, that has been
restored to the earth in the latter days.
6 “In indifference, some things may remain in our minds, some things
may attach themselves to us. But generally what we are, what we do,
what we become is because we were willing to put in for what we want
to get out. Basically we always were. And what we shall be is what we
are, plus what we add to it--always and forever. And there would be no
better time than now to decide to learn, to do, to develop, to work,
to improve, to produce, to increase our competence, to extend
ourselves in service. ‘The darkest day in life,’ said Allen Shawn, ‘is
the one in which we expect something for nothing.’ ‘Nothing comes from
nothing. Nothing ever could.’” (The Man and the Message, pp. 101–102.)
7 But 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.
8 There are, of course, others who need rescue. Some struggle with sin
while others wander in fear or apathy or ignorance. For whatever
reason, they have isolated themselves from activity in the Church. And
they will almost certainly remain lost unless there awakens in us--the
active members of the Church--a desire to rescue and to save.
9 These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded
by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of his glory, but
not of his fulness. These are they who receive of the presence of the
Son, but not of the fulness of the Father. Wherefore, they are bodies
terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon
differs from the sun. These are they who are not valiant in the
testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the
kingdom of our God.
10 The more we incline our hearts and minds toward God, the more
heavenly light distills upon our souls. And each time we willingly and
earnestly seek that light, we indicate to God our readiness to receive
more light. Gradually, things that before seemed hazy, dark, and
remote become clear, bright, and familiar to us. By the same token, if
we remove ourselves from the light of the gospel, our own light begins
to dim--not in a day or a week but gradually over time--until we look
back and can’t quite understand why we had ever believed the gospel
was true. Our previous knowledge might even seem foolish to us because
what once was so clear has again become blurred, hazy, and distant.
This is why Paul was so insistent that the message of the gospel is
foolishness to those who are perishing, “but unto [those who] are
saved it is the power of God.”
11 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us
nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up,
and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with
much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit. But if
ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold
it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and
scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it
up and cast it out. Now, this is not because the seed was not good,
neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it
is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree,
therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
12 Such terrible and often unnecessary things happen when members of
the Church become disengaged from gospel principles. They may appear
on the outside to be disciples of Jesus Christ, but on the inside
their hearts have separated from their Savior and His teachings. They
have gradually turned away from the things of the Spirit and moved
toward the things of the world.
Once-worthy priesthood holders start to tell themselves that the
Church is a good thing for women and children but not for them. Or
some are convinced that their busy schedules or unique circumstances
make them exempt from the daily acts of devotion and service that
would keep them close to the Spirit. In this age of self-justification
and narcissism, it is easy to become quite creative at coming up with
excuses for not regularly approaching God in prayer, procrastinating
the study of the scriptures, avoiding Church meetings and family home
evenings, or not paying an honest tithe and offerings. My dear
brethren, will you please look inside your hearts and ask the simple
question: “Lord, is it I?”
Have you disengaged--even slightly--from “the … gospel of the blessed
God, which was committed to [your] trust”? Have you allowed “the god
of this world” to darken your minds to “the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ”?
13 O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your
souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death;
and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become
angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone
which is the second death.
14 From my front-line position in the mission field I can personally
testify that the enemy is well trained in the arts of eternal warfare.
The army of the devil exploits all kinds of sinful practices, and
promotes his cause through every kind of printed, audio, and visual
means. Perhaps the most cunning of all their methods is the spirit of
apathy and indifference that they use to penetrate the minds and the
hearts of mankind, to dull their feelings towards God, His Son Jesus
Christ, and His church.
15 But what? What is it that needs our personal attention? As I read
and ponder the scriptures and carefully consider the Lord’s counsel to
His followers in every dispensation of time, it appears to me that the
most important thing every one of us can do is to examine our own
commitment and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must carefully
guard against spiritual apathy and work to maintain the full measure
of our loving loyalty to the Lord.
16 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy
profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the
doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save
thyself, and them that hear thee.
17 There are lots of able-bodied men who, if they could only have a
little more faith in God, and could realize the calamities that are
coming upon the earth, and the responsibilities of that priesthood
that God has conferred upon them, they would be ready to break all
barriers and say, Here I am, send me; I wish to benefit the human
family. If Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost, let me be
possessed of the same spirit.
18 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.
19 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for
he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a
wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men
should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of
their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the
power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And
inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
20 We are following a cycle which was repeated over and over again in
the Book of Mormon. As the Lord tells us, “In the day of their peace
they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of
necessity they feel after me” (D&C 101:8). We shouldn’t be too
surprised, therefore, that the Lord is allowing some wake-up calls to
jar us loose from apathy just as he has done in previous
dispensations. In the book of Helaman, Nephi said, “And thus we see
that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, …
they will not remember him” (Hel. 12:3).
21 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Younger Elder Brooksby
1-Teachings of Presidents: Joseph F. Smith-Chapter 35: Seek to Be
Educated in the Truth
2-The Meaning of Morality by Victor L. Brown, April 1971 General Conference
3-Love and Law by Dallin H. Oaks, November 2009 Liahona
4-While They Are Waiting by Marvin J. Ashton, April 1988 General Conference
5-Teachings of Presidents: Joseph F. Smith-Chapter 27: Our Work Is to Save Souls
6-Inertia by Willian H. Bennett, April 1974 General Conference
7-Mosiah 7:33
8-Our Responsibility to Rescue by Thomas S. Monson, October 2013 Liahona
9-D&C 76:75-79
10-Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth by Dieter F. Uchtdorf,
October 2014 General Conference
11-Alma 32:37-39
12-“Lord, Is It I?” by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2014 General Conference
13-Jacob 3:11
14-The Making of a Missionary by Russell Ballard, Jr., October 1976
General Conference
15-“How Is It with Us?” by M. Russell Ballard, April 2000 General Conference
16-1 Timothy 4:15-16
17-Teachings of Presidents: John Taylor-Chapter 8: Our Missionary Duty
18-D&C 75:29
19-D&C 58:26-28
20-Spiritual Revival by Glenn L. Pace, October 1992 General Conference
21-Mark 13:35-37
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