Elder Nielson: ‘Discipleship is not a spectator sport’

If the story of the Good Samaritan were told today and a man was caught by thieves and wounded on the street, not only would the priest and Levite not have helped him, but they would have pulled out their smartphones to film and share him in the social media?

In contrast, Mormon was described in the Book of Mormon as “quickly observed” (Mormon 1:2).

“Disciples of Jesus Christ are quick to observe,” said Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Presidency of the Seventy. “Instead of looking down, we always look up. We look at who we can help, we look at what we can do to spread the gospel, we look at what we can do when others are in need.”

Earlier this week, 113 million people watched the Super Bowl. Before that, more than a billion people watched the World Cup. Today, people are spectators, always waiting to see what others are doing, Elder Nielson said at an Ensign College devotional on Tuesday, February 14.

But the Savior taught the people to do and to serve. “Discipleship is not a spectator sport. That requires you and I to take action,” Elder Nielson said.

What does discipleship look like?

When a legal scholar asked Jesus Christ how to gain eternal life, the Savior responded with the two most important commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might, and with all your might Spirit; and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).

Then the attorney asked, “And who is my neighbor?” In response, the Savior told the parable of the good Samaritan. After a man fell among thieves, a priest and a Levite came by and did not help. But a Samaritan showed mercy and helped the victim (Luke 10:30-37).

Jesus said to the teacher of the law, “Which of these three do you think was the neighbor of the one who fell among thieves?” And he replied that it was the man who showed mercy. Jesus told him to go and do the same.

Elder Nielson taught that the scriptures warn of the latter days. 2 Timothy 3:2 says, “For men shall love themselves.” And Doctrine and Covenants 45:26 says, “The heart of men shall fail them.”

Elder Nielson listed some of the things that are happening today:

1. Constant screen time.
2. binge watching.
3. The Spectator Effect.
4. Film with the smartphone instead of helping.

But Doctrine and Covenants 58:27 says, “Men should be diligent in a good cause.” Meanwhile, James 1:22 says, “Be doers of the word.” And Elder Nielson said John 7:17 was also a powerful teaching: “If anyone does his will, he will come to know of the teaching.”

With this in mind, Elder Nielson told the students, “If you want to learn about missionary work, you must do it. If you want to learn about the temple, you must go to the temple. If you want to learn how to serve other people, you must actually serve other people.”

He emphasized: “We must act.”

“We live in incredible times”

Elder Nielson said the growing number of missionaries, members, and temples around the world shows that there has never been a better time to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ than now. The Church and its members have an incredible capacity to give and to serve their neighbors around the world.

“We live in incredible times,” he said. “I hope you, as disciples of Jesus Christ, can see that this is an amazing time to be alive and that you will have a deep desire to be an active participant as we continue to advance this work worldwide.”

Nephi said in 1 Nephi 3:7, “I will go and do.” Those words “go and do” are vital for disciples of Jesus Christ, Elder Nielson said. The same is true of the words “pressing forward” of 2 Nephi 31:20 and the message of Doctrine and Covenants 128:22—“Shall we not press on for so great a cause?”

Disciples of Jesus Christ can move forward in faith in Him, knowing that with Him they can achieve anything.

“Discipleship is not a spectator sport,” Elder Nielson concluded. “You and I must be really good at it. When we see people in need, we have to respond. When we see people struggling, we need to help. That’s what students do.”