Read: Jacob 5
Mark: Jacob 5:61-62
"Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his Church meetings. Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood and has earned the Duty of God Award and is an Eagle Scout. Give me a young man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me such a young man, and I will give you a young many who can perform miracles for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life." -- President Ezra Taft Benson
To ponder:
How can you prepare now to labor diligently in the Lord's vineyard?
There is so much in the allegory of the olive tree. It's so long! LOL. But isn't that the point? God never stops nourishing us, pruning us, digging about us and dunging us. He never stops grafting branches and tossing other in the fire. He exclaims, "What more can I do?" I can't say for sure that I understand everything in this passage of scripture, but I do know that God loves us and does more for us and our personal growth than we'll ever realize in this life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading I had the image in my head of the vineyard with Christ tending to the trees, and I just really want a big painting of it now!!! I imagined having faces on the fruit--my face, too--and wondered how bitter or sweet my fruits would be to the Lord. I wonder if Greg Olsen would ever do a painting of this (or if he already has)?
How can I prepare to labor? I guess I should start by reaching out more to people everywhere instead of minding my own business. I think God will open those doors to us when we make better efforts.
Jenny, I learned that this chapter is the longest one in the whole Book of Mormon! :) I love your idea of a painting--wouldn't that be great! You must contact Greg Olsen! Maybe he could make it into a whole calendar!!!
DeleteI really wanted to try and understand this chapter; I knew that it was important and that it was an allegory; I learned that in an allegory every object or idea represents something! I pulled out my "The Book of Mormon, Verse by Verse" and started studying! Here's what I found out--I hope this helps each of you!!!
ReplyDeletev. 3, tame olive tree: house of Israel
v. 3, vineyard: the earth, the world
v. 3, decay: wickedness, apostasy
v. 4, master of vineyard: Jehovah/Jesus
vv. 4, 5, pruning, digging, nourishing: work of the Master and servants to save the people
v. 7, servants: prophets!!!!
v. 7, wild olive tree: Gentiles
vv. 7, 9, fire, burning: judgment, exile, death, destruction
vv. 8, 36, roots of the tree: original gospel covenants
vv. 8, 9, grafting natural branches into wild trees: branches of Israel dispersed
v. 17, good fruit: good works!!!
I went back and re-read the chapter after finding out what each of these objects represented. Wow! And did you know that in verse 29, the servant is Joseph Smith?
We just have to labor diligently. We prepare to labor diligently by doing exactly what we are doing: Trying to obey the commandments each and every day, going to church each Sunday, fulfilling our callings, partaking of the sacrament to renew the covenants that we made at baptism (and to reflect on what we did during the past week, repent, and strive to be a little bit better each day). We must share our testimonies and knowledge with those around us. It's like we are the natural branches, planted here and there, spread out pretty thin, so that we can help others grow. I know that as we help others grow, we will in turn grow. As President Monson said in the last general conference, we need to be a little better, be a little kinder, love a little more!
You are going to have your weaknesses or dying branches. You replant the strong branches and feed them with scriptures, prayer, going to church, and love. Eventually the goal is to have a multitude of strong, fruitful branches.
ReplyDeleteWhen attractive turn us away from God several things happen and several things need to be done to turn us around. God will give us trials. This may seem like putting salt on a wound especially if we know we are struggling already, but He does this to humble & strengthen us at the same time. He will remind us of the many things He has already provided us: prophets, scriptures, the gospel, holy ghost & family. We also have our will though. His actions do not always result in what He hopes for because we have a choice in the matter and get in our own way. We must learn to trim the things in our lives they keep us from the path to Him. Some of the things are not evil, but not where He needs us to be spending time and energy. We may also need to replant ourselves on better ground.
ReplyDeleteIn His mercy &/justice He would do no more than He has and is doing. The choice is ours.