The prophecy in 2 Nephi 15 relies heavily on the metaphor of the vineyard. It mentions planting in the vineyard, fencing it, pruning it, digging in it, putting in a wine-press for the grapes that would grow, etc. An actual vineyard is typically a collection of grape vines used to grow grapes to make wine with, but when the term is used in prophecy, it of course means something else.

In this particular prophecy, the vineyard is used to represent the House of Israel (2 Nephi 15:7) so everything that is done to the vineyard in this chapter is something that was being prophesied would be done to the House of Israel.

In our church vernacular today, the word “vineyard” is used in a more general way. We have actually generalized the term such that it represents anywhere in the world where we are working to spread the gospel (planting the seeds of the Lord’s Word, harvesting souls, etc.). It could be another part of the country; it could be overseas; it could be in our own neighborhood. By this definition, it is accurate to say that all of us are called to work in the vineyard of the Lord.

The title of this article is also the title of a popular Spanish hymn that many of us are familiar with. It talks about working in the vineyard of the Lord (en la viña del Señor). Would it be presumptuous of me to guess that many of us who have sung this hymn over the years may not know what the words actually mean? In case that describes you, here’s a quick (admittedly amateur) translation:

Yo quiero trabajar por el Señor,
Confiando en su Palabra y en su amor:
Quiero yo cantar y orar,
Y ocupado siempre estar
En la viña del Señor.

Translation: I want to work for the Lord, trusting in His Word and His love. I want to sing and pray and always be busy in the vineyard of the Lord.

Yo quiero cada día trabajar,
Y esclavos del pecado libertar:
Conducirlos a Jesús,
Nuestra guía, nuestra luz,
En la viña del Señor.

Translation: I want to work every day, freeing those who are enslaved by sin: Leading them to Jesus, our guide, our light, in the vineyard of the Lord.

Yo quiero ser obrero de valor,
Confiando en el poder del Salvador:
El que quiera trabajar,
Hallará también lugar,
En la viña del Señor

Translation: I want to be a valuable worker, trusting in the power of the Savior: I want to work and find my place in the vineyard of the Lord.

Chorus (Coro)
Trabajar y orar
En la viña, en la viña del Señor;
Sí, mi anhelo es orar,
Y ocupado siempre estar,
En la viña del Señor.

Translation: Work and pray in the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord. Yes, my desire is to pray and always be busy in the vineyard of the Lord.

Now that you see what the words mean, can you still sing this? Is it your desire to work every day to free those who are enslaved by sin — praying and singing and trusting in the Lord? If so, sing it out and find your place in the vineyard of the Lord (en la viña del Señor)!

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.