“Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest”

There is wonderful paradox at the heart of this verse. At first glance, it seems that labor and rest are at tension in this verse. Those who enter into the rest of God must then labor diligently to help others.

Yet, those who have served a mission or had a strenuous calling know that this is not really a contradiction at all. As D&C 4 explains, it is he who thursts his sickle in with all his might that reaps salvation to his soul. It is labor in the Lord’s vineyard that brings the ultimate feeling of peace and rest.

The word speaks of rest as lack of labor, but the Lord knows that this leads to restlessness rather than peacefulness. Losing ourselves in service is how we find ourselves and come to know our Savior.

Those who truly enter into the Lord’s rest get more than freedom from suffering. Instead, they get an anxious desire to go out and relieve the suffering of others. And as they gain a confidence that they are saved, they will long to go out and be Savior’s on mount Zion.

Christ’s peace is so different from the World’s notion of peace.