Future Apple Trees

This last week I have been thinking a lot about seeds. I think it all started when the relief society pres showed us some little baby plants that she had planted and it made me think about how amazing it is that life can come from such a tiny little thing as a seed. 

Before planting the seed, many times we don't know how the plant will turn out, or if it will give us fruit, or exactly how much time it will take before the plant reaches its full potential, but  we plant the seed with the hope that SOMETHING will happen. 

As a missionary we plant many seeds. 

We talk with a countless number of people with the hope that something we say will trigger the desire within them to know more. Most of the time we don't ever see any sign of future growth and that can be a downer sometimes, but I am a witness that the point is not how many apples we pick, but rather how many future apple trees we plant. If we do our best, then there is no reason to lament the lack of fruit. Sometimes it just isn't the season yet. 

In the Book of Mormon, 
the prophet Alma talks about a different type of seed. 
One that, if planted and nourished will help us to know if the message of the restored Gospel is true. 
He explains: 
But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

 "Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

 "..But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, 

then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? 

Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

   And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? 

I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

  Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not,

behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

  And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, 

and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, 

ye must needs know that the seed is good." (Alma 32:27-28, 30-33, The Book of Mormon)

I know that the invitation that Alma gives us really works. 

That we can know what the truth is. I, like Alma, invite all to plant the seed 

of the gospel and enjoy the blessings of the fruit that it gives us. 

Con amor, Hermana Jones