“On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear tree.” (“The Twelve Days Of Christmas”). “And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh;” (D&C 38:18). It is tempting to view a promise of land flowing with milk and honey as some paradisiacal Eden of effortless ease. No one will need to work because everything will just flow towards them without anyone having to lift a finger. However, it seems unlikely that this is what the Lord intends. When the saints settled the Salt Lake Valley, they called the place Deseret, which means honeybee. This was partly in anticipation of the Lord's promise of a land flowing with milk and honey and partly in recognition that if such a promise were ever to be fulfilled, the saints would need to look to the industriousness of the honeybee. For honey to flow, hundreds of honeybees must tirelessly labor to bring tiny droplets of gathered nectar, flying from hive to flower, back and forth, back and forth. For milk to flow, eight or eighty maids and lads must be up at four in the morning to milk all the cows. The land of promise is not a promise of freedom from work but a promise of work that is meaningful and productive. I think deep down we do not fear work in and of itself, but only that our efforts will go wasted or unrewarded. But if we will come unto Christ and work with Him, then we know that our labors will be valued and fruitful. I am so grateful for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and for the Sacrifice that He made so that we may all have the opportunity to be engaged in a great and eternal work and glory that flows endlessly.
