Truths of the Savior's Parables, Matthew 13

[BenRaines]

This was the lesson today for Relief Society and Priesthood.

As I read it I thought of those who come here with questions and doubts. I believe the Lord addressed it perfectly here.

Are you wheat or a tare? Did you fall in fertile soil or among the rocks?

Only you can answer that question.

Ben Raines

LDS.org - Melchizedek Priesthood Chapter Detail - Truths from the Savior’s Parables in Matthew 13

[Elgama]

thanks for that Ben we were off sick again today it was good to read.

-Charley

[nimrod]

My mom said in their Relief Society class they just brushed over the Parable of the Sower. The Teacher said she didn't understand it and said "it has something to do with the Gathering of Israel." (well, sorta) I found that interesting because that particualar parable comes with an explaination. It seems very hard NOT to understand. I like to consider it in conjunction with Alma Chapter 32. It is a beautiful parable.

[BenRaines]

Sounds like instructor had not done their homework.

Ben Raines

[BenRaines]

I know this is my thread but find it interesting that there is more interest in Posers and how many wives Joseph Smith may have had than there is in discussing some of the parables found in Matthew 13.

Ben Raines

[ruthiechan]

I want to be a wheat.

When we had this lesson we talked about how some seeds just need more water or sunlight or fertilizer.

Sometimes I think that the ground the seeds fall upon represents our readiness to hear and accept the gospel, the background we came from, our experiences.

You never know what sort of spiritual ground your seeds will be falling upon, so you keep planting seeds over and over again until it takes root, because you never know when the ground will become fertile.

I also believe that the softening of the heart that occurs acts as a sort of spiritual fertilizer.

Two weeks ago a man in church gave a talk about missionary work. He talked about planting seeds, and because he knew the results of some of those seeds he planted years and years ago that didn't take root right away, it resonated. Sometimes I don't think people truly believe in the whole plant seeds so that someday one will take root. It's hard to have that sort of faith.

One fellow at church is a member today because throughout high school his LDS friends kept planting seeds and now he's a strong member of our ward. I wish I could remember what his calling is. . . Ah well.

[MarginOfError]

I'm afraid I wasn't really paying attention to the lesson as I had other things that needed to be done. I wasn't even in the room for most of the lesson. But I did hear some discussion about preparing soil, which excited me. For years I've cringed whenever someone has talked about some kind of discussion they've had with someone of another faith and said, "well, I planted a seed." I usually want to go off on a rant telling them to stop planting seeds. it does no good to plant a seed if the ground isn't prepared to receive it. Plus, I'm not sure it's the responsibility of the general membership to plant seeds. I'm pretty sure that responsibility falls to the missionaries. As members, our responsibility is to prepare the ground. And preparing soil to receive a seed takes a lot more work than a brief conversation in which the Book of Mormon is mentioned.

So, here's my take....stop planting seeds, and start preparing the ground. The work is a lot harder, but it's so worth it.

[MarginOfError]

I know this is my thread but find it interesting that there is more interest in Posers and how many wives Joseph Smith may have had than there is in discussing some of the parables found in Matthew 13.

Ben Raines

This just tugs on my heart strings and makes me say awwwww.

But I agree with you. An awful lot of light heartedness and not enough serious contemplation. Perhaps we need a new forum called "Leave us alone unless you have real intent"

Oh my...was that humor again?

[Connie]

I know this is my thread but find it interesting that there is more interest in Posers and how many wives Joseph Smith may have had than there is in discussing some of the parables found in Matthew 13.

Ben Raines

I've always found it interesting that the General discussion board gets the most traffic instead of say the scripture study board. It seems many people are only here for the social network and to get some laughs rather than to really talk about the gospel or the scriptures and help other people understand or gain our own understanding. Sad.

It also seems the only time the LDS discussion board or the learn about the mormon church board get a lot of traffic is if there's a controversial thread going on. I'm probably just as guilty as anyone on this, so thank you for the reminder Ben. I know i will try to be better.

[Wingnut]

I've always found it interesting that the General discussion board gets the most traffic instead of say the scripture study board. It seems many people are only here for the social network and to get some laughs rather than to really talk about the gospel or the scriptures and help other people understand or gain our own understanding. Sad.

That's mostly why I'm here. I'll be honest about it. And I don't know why it's "sad." This isn't an "LDS Discussion only" social network...it's an LDS social network. And it's a social network.

[BenRaines]

Lets not get off track folks. This is a gospel discussion thread.

MOE, I agree with you that we should be preparing the soil. How do we prepare the soil?

By being examples of LDS style Christian living to our neighbors, co-workers, posters on LDS.net and other people we come across in our daily lives is the best soil preparation we can do.

I may have shared this before in another thread but I served a mission over 35 years ago. About 30 years after serving in a small town in Puerto Rico I went back for a visit. Now important that you understand that back in those days there was no email, to make long distance calls was very expensive, etc. I had not had any contact with a woman that I had baptized over 30 years earlier. When I went to visit the small branch that I had served in I was the first to arrive. A man arrived and unlocked the building. I introduced myself and told him that I had served there and wondered if the sister I had baptized was still attending church their and if he knew her.

He said, Brother that is interesting, I am married to her youngest sister. After her baptism she was instrumental in all her sisters being baptized and her mother and brother. When I married her sister I was not a member. I am now a member and have been for ten years. I am the branch president.

Talk about planting seeds. I have since been back to visit two more times. One of the sisters went on a mission to Peru. Who knows how many more seeds were planted.

It is impossible to determine how much fruit has come from this one seed was planted.

Oh and this was a referral from another member who was this womans good friend.

Ben Raines

[ldslesson]

I thought a great quote in that lesson was,

"Men who have no principle of righteousness in themselves, and whose hearts are full of iniquity, and have no desire for the principles of truth, do not understand the word of truth when they hear it. The devil taketh away the word of truth out of their hearts, because there is no desire for righteousness in them."

One interesting question is how we show that we have a "desire for the principles of truth." How often do we spend time desireing truth. Do we spend time gaining it the way Joseph did and then living it the way Joseph did? What are our true desires? Desire is shown by how we spend our time, so what do we desire? That is a good indicator of what our soil is.

[Justice]

That quote sounds like Moroni 7 to me. :)

[Justice]

It's funny, I taught this lesson in ELder's Quorum Sunday. In my lesson planning, I felt moved to not even cover the parables. There were so many moving words in the lesson even before they gave Joseph Smith's explanation of the parables.

In fact, the very first sentence and paragraph were very moving to me.

As construction on the Kirtland Temple neared completion, Joseph Smith and the Saints began to prepare themselves for the great blessings they would receive there. To help prepare the brethren for the temple dedication, a session of the School of the Elders began in November 1835. This school had been established in 1834, a continuation of the School of the Prophets held earlier.

If you think of the word "prepare" as it is used here, it seems to be very different than the "prepare" we use today. It's amazing that they were using their hands, time, and talents to build the temple. They were not getting paid for their labors, but they were giving everything they could, in addition to their time and talents, to build the temple.

At first thought, it seems their "preparation" was much more meaningful since they seemed to sacrifice more. But, the longer I thought about it, the more i felt that our preparation compares to theirs. It's just different.

We may not actually sand on wood or chisel on stone, but we can contribute as a result of our daily labors as well.

The biggest difference may be that it was the first temple in the latter days.