In 1841, the Saints were leaving Missouri. And they had not built a temple in Jackson County as the Lord had commanded.
But they weren’t just slacking—they’d faced a lot of persecution and violence. And apparently the Lord took that into account! He said:
“When I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:49).
So if you do your best to fulfill an assignment but are prevented by your “enemies”—which may include foes like illness, injury, depression, and worldwide pandemics—it’s OK. Whatever you were able to do, the Lord will accept.
Maybe it goes without saying, but it’s nice to hear: God doesn’t expect us to do things that we cannot do!