1 Nephi 12:19-EoC

As Nephi was hearing the words of the angel talk about the large and spacious building, he saw, again, his future posterity and the future posterity of his brothers. He saw that because of the pride and temptations of the devil, that his seed had, they were overpowered by the see of his brothers. He saw that the seed of his brothers did so with multitudes. Many generations pass away with wars and rumors of wars plaguing the people. I'm not sure at this point if the Nephites have been killed off. But it says that the people, not specifying who exactly, became a dark and loathsome people, full of idleness and abominations. Perhaps at this point he is referring to the Lamanites, but the Nephites did become dark and loathsome, too. Well, it really doesn't matter because anyone that did not denounce God was killed.

The word idle stuck out to me. I did a quick search for the word forms of idle in the scriptures. Here are some interesting results:

1. In Proverbs 19:15 it says: "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."
2. In Proverbs 31:27 it says: " She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."
3. In Ezekial 16:49 it says: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
4. In 1 Timothy 5:13 it says: "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."
5. In 2 Nephi 5:24 it says: "And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey."
6. In Alma 1:32 it says: "For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings, and in strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible."

Well, I think that you get the idea. We cannot be idle. Everywhere there is idleness in the scriptures, there is sadness and wickedness. So, be anxiously engaged in a good cause (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:27)!