“The scriptures enlarge our memory by helping us always to remember the Lord and our relationship to Him and the Father.” ~Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Christ interprets this parable for us, helping us understand that we must prepare our soil for the gospel so that it will take root and flourish.
The parable of the sower warns us of circumstances and attitudes that can keep anyone who has received the seed of the gospel message from bringing forth a goodly harvest... We have the seed of the gospel word. It is up to each of us to set the priorities and to do the things that make our soil good and our harvest plentiful. We must seek to be firmly rooted and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We achieve this conversion by praying, by scripture reading, by serving , and by regularly partaking of the sacrament to always have His Spirit to be with us. We must also seek that mighty change of hear that replaces evil desires and selfish concerns with the love of God and the desire to serve Him and His children.
Dallin H. Oaks; April 2015, General Conference
Ornament
Seeds remind us to think about the ground we have prepared for the word of God.
This story demonstrates Jesus' power to not only heal physically, but to heal spiritually through forgiveness of sin. What a beautiful thing!
A bedridden, paralyzed man desiring to be healed was brought to a large gathering, but unable to get him close to the Savior, his friends took him to the roof of the house where the Savior was and lowered him down. Seeing this demonstration of faith, with great purpose not yet known to His listeners, the Savior declared, "Man, they sins are forgiven thee." ... The Savior knew that many people followed Him because of His mighty miracles. Already He had turned water to wine, cast out unclean spirits, and healed the nobleman's son, a leper, Peter's mother-in-law, and many others. But with this paralyzed man, the Lord chose to give evidence to both disciple and detractor of His unique role as Savior of the world.
Craig A. Cardon; April 2013, General Conference
Ornament
Isaiah 1:18 paints the picture of of sins being red as scarlet, but they can be made white as snow through repentance. The Savior has the power to forgive sin.
The video of President Eyring has him discussing the importance of building on the Rock of our Redeemer because it will keep us safe through the storms of life. The Bible video is the last segment of the Sermon on the mount. It touches on many teaching including not judging, the golden rule, and asking and finding. The last section is the parable of the wise and foolish man.
Quote/Principle
The principle I chose to focus on is building upon the rock of the gospel and being strong through the storms of the world and the challenges that will come.
Our journey through life has periods of both good times and bad. Each presents different challenges. How we learn to adjust to the changes which come along depends on the foundation on which we build. The gospel of our Lord and Savior provides a sure and solid foundation. It is constructed piece by piece as we gain knowledge of the Lord’s eternal plan for His children. The Savior is the Master Teacher. We follow Him.
Elder L. Tom Perry, Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families, October 2014 General Conference
Ornament
We must build our house upon the rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prayer is a principle taught to us from being just little, but we can always learn more about how to pray and how to listen.
Little children, young people, and adults alike, please believe how very much your loving Heavenly Father wants to bless you. But because He will not infringe upon our agency, we must ask for His help. This is generally done through prayer. Prayer is one of the most precious gifts of God to man. J. Devin Cornish; October 2011, General Conference
(After this quote the Lord's Prayer is outlined with lessons from each phrase)
We can rise above the natural man and become the individuals our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ know we can become. We can be perfect.
Concluding this part of his sermon, Jesus reiterated that the old law was fulfilled in his coming, and that there was now a new order of things--a higher law--to guide our relationships with one another. Then follows the invitation for us to become perfect as Jesus and the Father are perfect... Knowing that becoming perfect through Christ is eventually possible and that the Savior is "pulling for us" is a compelling thought.
Larry E. Dahl; The Higher Law, Ensign February 1991
Ornament
The Lord has asked us to be perfect to aim for all we can become. The sun represents the Celestial Kingdom that as we follow the higher law with the Savior's grace we will make it.
Today reading the verses in Matthew that are knows as the beatitudes, as well as the quote below are a great way to discuss some of the ways we can follow the Savior's example.
As a unit the Beatitudes may be looked upon as a complete set of laws to bring about perfection... The challenge of the Beatitudes is a celestial challenge, and applying them in our lives leads to eternal life. Dr. Monte S. Nyman, “I Have a Question”, Ensign, December 1974
Ornament
The Beatitudes are a ruler by which we can measure how we are doing in following our Savior.
Jesus Christ knew who he was and what his mission was. He declared it by quoting scriptures and stating they were fulfilled. We need to believe Him. We need to follow Him. We need to not fight against His laws.
As Jesus stood in his hometown synagogue at Nazareth and discussed this prophecy in gracious words, how eagerly he must have yearned for his startled friends and neighbors to understand how God had anointed One in their midst to minister to their greatest needs. (See Luke 4:16–22.) Whoever among them understood Isaiah would know also why Jesus would work with sinners, sacrifice his life, and feed the hungry and thirsty with the bread of life and living water. The divine Messiah was to be the Savior who gathers those who are lost, comforts those who mourn, looses those who are bound, and heals those who are sick. Having applied this prophecy to himself, all one had to do to test the divinity of Jesus’ calling was to see how well his ministry corresponded to this prophecy to see whether he truly was the anointed One. He challenged John’s disciples and any would-be-believer to come and see.
Kieth Meservy; April 1987 Ensign
After one of his journeys in Palestine, Jesus came to his own city and taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Those who heard him were astonished at his doctrine, but they were also offended. He had been their neighbor, and they resented his assuming to teach them. They said: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?" Jesus was grieved at their rejection of him and "marveled because of their unbelief." It was then that he said, "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." But he was rebuffed not only in Nazareth, By the end of his ministry, it seemed that nearly the whole country had turned against him. As he contemplated his rejection in Jerusalem, he looked down upon the city and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ... how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt 23:37) And then he foretold the result of their rejection ... He said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate... And what is the lesson in all of this? It is that no people can fight God and live!
Mark E. Petersen, October 1979, General Conference
