“What? I had NO idea that was an expectation!”

At my teaching job, my principal had reminded everyone of a task that was overdue at a staff meeting, and a lot of people seemed shocked.

Quick confession time: I always felt a little awkward in those situations because I absolutely hate sounding like a know-it-all.

I hate hate hate it. I don’t want anyone to think of me as condescending.

But… I also enjoy reading instructions and contracts.

No, not the “terms and conditions” on random things I buy, no one likes those.

But if I am starting a new job, taking on a new role, or joining a new group and there are extensive directions and expectations written up in a contract of some kind?

I read every single word and make sure I understand what it means.

It’s exciting to me, and I always love being completely “in-the-know”.

And so… I had read our principal’s email a couple weeks earlier and already completed my task.

(I also have 10000% empathy for teachers missing things in emails because have you seen a teacher’s inbox before?!)

The Lord reminds the members of the church in D&C 107:99:

“Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.”

I find this fascinating because at the end of this super lengthy section about priesthood offices and duties, He reminds the saints:

Hey, YOU are each responsible for learning your own duty and then fulfilling it.

We are responsible.

In a new calling, we can be responsible and read what the handbook actually says we should be doing.

We can read the scriptures and study from modern words of prophets so that we know how to behave and act and so that we know our doctrine.

We can learn about how to help others who are struggling and then get out there and act.

We can figure out what our covenants actually mean and then go out there and fulfill our end of them.

We don’t have to wait for someone to tell us what to do.

In fact, we shouldn’t.

We need to learn, and then we need to act.

What is our duty?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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3 Responses

  1. And we need to lovingly and patiently let others learn their duty. That’s part of sustaining. Give people a chance to learn.

  2. Our greatest duty… is Holiness of Character. Our own LDS Bible Dictionary says:
    “According to the Old Testament, things or places were holy that were set apart for a sacred purpose; the opposite of holy is therefore common or profane (1 Sam. 21:5; Ezek. 22:26; 42:20; 44:23; 48:13–15). Similarly a holy person meant one who held a sacred office. The Israelites were a holy people because they stood in a special relationship to Jehovah. Under the guidance of the Prophets it was seen that what distinguished Jehovah from the gods of the heathen was His personal character. The word holy therefore came to refer to moral character (Lev. 11:44; 19:2; 21:8; Isa. 6:3–8). Israel must be holy in character because the God of Israel was holy (Jer. 7:4–7; see also Matt. 5:48). The Law of Holiness (Lev. 17–26) shows how the attempt was made by means of ceremonial observances to secure this holiness of character. The attempt failed because the later Jews observed the letter and neglected the spirit; they attached more importance to the ceremonial than to the moral; and the result was a lapse into formalism. But in the writings of the Prophets it is clearly laid down that the value of worship in the eyes of God depends upon the personal character of the worshipper.”

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