Elder Justin Taylor: Cut Out Apathy

Hey everyone... I had a great last week. I got the new companion settled in and all is well. There are 3 of us and we are working hard and focusing on our purpose.

I love a good challenge and that's what I feel I have overall with all of the new changes going on!

Our mission president a few weeks ago talked about cutting out apathy ... Apathy means a lack of emotion or interest.   So I looked for scriptures to teach to some missionaries that I had in a meeting and this is what I found...

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thingwhich our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.  39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness. 40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God;therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day. 41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and thenthose marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in theirjourney; 42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel adirect course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because oftheir transgressions.

So, in the Book of Mormon we are taught a valuable lesson... that a family or group of people or individuals who were faithful received miracles and guidance with their "compass." Now, for us, we all don't have a Liahona but we have the Holy Ghost which is like a Liahona. If we have faith in the Lord and our Heavenly Father and if we need help and guidance He will do so BUT we need to have "works" too. Work is key to many things; we need to push forward and make things happen and turn to God. I love the quote I heard that says, " Work as if it is all dependent on you, but have faith as if it is all dependent on Him."
When we do all we can the Lord will help us. I don't know about you guys but I'd much rather be guided by God than to do it by myself... I'd mess up SO much.   The reason those people in the scriptures messed up is because they had APATHY! They were " slothful, forgot the exercise faith, diligence." They got caught up in the "norm" of things; in the world or the Natural Lazy Man. They thought they could clock out and take a break for a little bit and that God would still do everything for them. PROBLEM. God doesn't spoon-feed us when we are hungry and send down money if we need it or wash our clothes if we are tired. He doesn't work that way. We are all children, even if we are old or young, and the only way a child can learn is by doing things themselves.

We cannot have apathy towards our family, our job, our callings in church, our children, friends, school or whatever it may be. Again, APATHY is the lack of emotion and interest. We need to have emotions in all parts of our life; to be filled with joy and love and trust and faith. We need to be interested in people around us and interested in our responsibilities so that God can bless us for our works and faith.

If you need a break then pray and ask for help, take a deep breath, read some scriptures, go on a walk, or do whatever you need to do but DO NOT build up APATHY. Don't lose your purpose or focus or faith in God and become lazy; always be anxiously engaged in a good cause!!

Thank for all your support and love. I pray this helps you or someone else that  you feel needs to hear these things!

Love,Elder Taylor

Me and my Shi Ma ( Anita ) looking at her horse named Lady