Faith to Wait

"Waiting on the Lord" Elder Jeffery R. Holland, October 2020 General Conference

 Elder Holland said “we are not the first nor will we be the last to ask such questions when sorrows bear down on us or an ache in our heart goes on and on...” 

 “...but there will be times in our lives when even our best spiritual efforts and earnest, pleading prayers do not yield the victories for which we have yearned...”   

“...But sooner or later we learn that the times and seasons of our mortal journey are His {God’s} and his alone to direct.” 

“The point? The point is that faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see his arm revealed in our behalf.  That can be difficult in our modern world when many have come to believe that the highest good in life is to avoid all suffering.  that no one should ever anguish over anything.  But that belief will never lead us to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. “ 

Our world today defines prosperity as: A State of being prosperous, wealth, success, profitability, affluence, riches, opulence, ease, plenty, comfort, security, luxury. 

Yet when we struggle none of these material, physical and very temporal things bring us comfort or healing.  

A friend once told me "When I am feeling low or need comfort I don't run to my jewelry box and while holding my jewels close feel comforted and healing.  Our material possessions do not bring us comfort and peace when we are struggling.

In Helaman 12:1 We are taught the we can be temporally prospered. 

  “....We see that the Lord in his great and infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who  put their trust in him.  Yea, We may see that at the very time when he doth prosper his people,  in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold and in silver, and in all  manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, delivering them out of the  hands of their enemies....and in fine doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his  people...” 

“Yea then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do  trample under their feet the Holy One – Yea and this because of their ease, and their exceeding  great prosperity.” 

“and thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions,...they will  not remember him.” 

What if we adjust the definition of prosperity to: 

1. An increase in knowledge both spiritual and temporal

2.  An increase in our abilities and gifts

3. An increase in our trust and belief in God 

4. An increase in revelation to guide us

5. An increase in strength to overcome temptations  

1Ne 2:20 – and inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall PROSPER, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea even a land which I have prepared for you; a land which is choice above all other lands. 

This journey to prosper them, took leaving their homes and wealth and comfort, becoming nomads for 8 years and more, hunger, want for comfort for new mothers and babies, the trial and error trusting in the Liahona's guidance, making bows and arrows, building boats and sailing whichever way the Lord would take them, rebuilding new lives, family disputes and finally the division of brothers.   

Yet, as you read Nephi, when they trusted they were led to the more fertile parts of the path. The trial and struggle were never taken away, but the Lord guided them to the places where they would be most comforted on their journey if they would see the blessing in it.

  

I Jarom 1:9 “And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us.  But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spoke unto our fathers, saying, Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the Land."

The war chapters are a great illustration of what happens when we keep the commandments, even when our resources may be weaker than the enemy, we are strengthened insomuch that we are prospered against the enemy. This promise of prosperity to conquer and overcome the adversary is really our purpose.   

As Elder Eyring said “God’s purpose was to give his children the opportunity to prove themselves able and willing to choose the right when it is hard. In doing so their natures would be changed and they could become more like him. He knew that would require unshakable faith in Him.”   This change in our natures is the true purpose of the Lord prospering us.  

This brings us back to Elder Holland’s point that faith means trusting in God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see his arm revealed in our behalf.  

Faith, is the trusting in God even though you do not understand or KNOW what the outcome will be.  And there will be times when your knowledge is insufficient and you must trust in the bigger picture that God has 

Alma describes faith as the planting of a seed with the hope it will grow into a fruitful tree. Faith is the continuing to nourish our small plot of earth where our seeds are planted with the hope that it will bring us strength in time weakness, and courage despite our fear.  

The Gardener looked around his  perfect and whole garden enjoying the fruits of his labors. Trees for shade and comfort and to find a measure of peace under, flowers to bring joy to the eyes and fragrance to refresh the senses, a garden yielding all measure of fruit and vegetables to satisfy hunger, and all  manner of plant diversity for the benefit and enjoyment of man.  As he looked around he felt joy at the measure of his creation.   

 One day a woman, having seen this wonderful garden from afar, and seeing that it had what she lacked, came to the Gardener seeking help.  The Gardener had been waiting for one such as her to come to him for help with her own garden plot.   

They talked about her land, what kind of soil and stones, weeds and waste were around and found a fertile part where the soil was loose and ready to be planted.   He gave her the Seed of a tree to plant first, with instructions on the care and nourishment of the seed.  She went back to her garden and began to do as he instructed.  Tilling and nourishing the soil, she planted the seed. As she waited for the seed to grow, she looked around with her new knowledge and saw where she could continue to till and nourish more of her ground.   

 Time went by and the seed grew into a seedling as she continued to nourish it.  She saw this with excitement and went to The Gardener for more seeds to make her garden beautiful.  He gave her some flowers to plant around the tree, which she eagerly planted and nourished.  Over time her tree grew under her diligent care and it began to sprout leaves providing wonderful shade. What Joy she felt to have this place where she could take a moments rest and rejuvenate after working hard under the hot sun.   

She began to notice others’ gardens around her in all different phases of growth, some with areas that were barren and rocky, some were left to run wild with all manner weeds,  and some gardens you could see a beautiful garden beginning to form, from the diligent toil of its gardeners.   

 She saw some people who sprinkled seed over the top not really wanting to put too much effort into preparing the ground. Others she saw trying to transplant fully mature trees and flowers so they could have instant shade and comfort and beauty.   She saw some who had a tree and a few flowers but they had stopped at that and were just enjoying the shade of the tree with no desire to expand their gardens, and  yet others with many flowers but no trees.    And she saw gardens each in different stages of expansion and each beautiful in their uniqueness and diverse in their landscape.  

 She saw unique plants and trees not yet in her own garden and wondered at their beauty and usefulness.  Inspired by these she visited the Gardener again wanting these same plants.  Disappointed when The Gardener gave her ones that were less than spectacular, she went away with a little less enthusiasm.  She nonetheless planted them and nourished them here and there, a little less diligently, but they grew and flourished.  Year after year, she slowly grew her garden.  

At times she would go to The Gardener and he would send her away with nothing new, but with instructions to remove the rocks from an area of her own land.  Other times he told her how to prune and harvest, and share the seeds from her own plants to others.  Other times he would give her something special to enhance a particular spot in her garden.  

 Her trust in the Gardener words, over time, grew into knowledge and she knew how to care for and nourish her Trees and the flowers around. Some plants were still new and she was required to trust the gardener on the unique instructions for the care of each of these plants.  

As times and seasons changed and the season of planting was past, he gave her instructions on how to care for and protect her plants during the winter.  Pruning them, mulching them, Covering the more fragile plants to protect them from the harshness of winter.  In the first winter she diligently followed instructions to protect her new little seedlings.  yet as the years went by, she began to think the Trees and plants were strong enough and she could get by with less and less protection, and she could relax in her efforts just a little and focus on the more special plants more than the common ones.   

 Then one Winter came early and colder than any she had experienced.  Quickly and frantically she went about her garden trying to salvage what she could, Not knowing if her efforts would save anything. Heading to The Gardener for advice, he told her to be patient, continue on, and wait. Trust. She did what she could and waited sheltering by her big tree, hoping her garden would survive.  When the first signs of spring came, she looked around the garden to see what had survived. She began to see growth come up again from her protective efforts, yet, some plants didn’t come up and so with a trusting heart, knowing she had done it before, and with ever more diligence she replanted, knowing better how to care and protect them.   

Yet she saw the other gardens, where only a few fragile flowers had been planted, no trees that could shelter and protect, had not survived and their gardeners were giving up and abandoning their efforts.  She saw others that were crying out in sorrow for what they had lost and they began to doubt The Master Gardeners advice, that maybe none of it was correct and began to be uncertain as to what to do with the remnants of their garden.  And those that had tried to transplant mature trees found their trees had toppled because the trees hadn’t adjusted to the soil conditions and hadn’t been able to deeply root themselves year after year.   

If Christ were a master Gardener, then His life’s example is illustrated as a Garden full of trees for shade and comfort and to find a measure of peace under, flowers to bring joy to the eyes and fragrance to refresh the senses, a garden yielding all measure of fruit and vegetables to satisfy hunger and thirst, and all manner of plant diversity for the benefit and enjoyment of man.  

We are being asked to go forward with faith, and turn the plot of earth we have been given into a magnificent garden. To change our natures to reflect the beauty and wonder of God by planting, nourishing, and protecting the seeds of the gospel truth, until they are magnificent trees that “spring forth unto everlasting life.”  

 

And he works with us where we are. If we only have room prepared to plant a single flower and watch it grow, he asks us to let that “particle of desire work in you even until you believe and are able to give place for a portion of my words.”  and we must not cast it out by our unbelief and impatience or neglect.  We must be constant and vigilant in sowing and growing our garden so that it will be strong enough to withstand the storms and winds and the winters in our lives.  

“In a biodome experiment, a garden was provided the perfect growing conditions for growing trees, fruits and vegetables, as well as humans.  People lived in the biodome, for many months at a time, and everything seemed to do well with one exception, When the trees grew to a certain height, they would topple over.  It baffled scientists until they realized they forgot to include the natural element of wind.  Trees need wind to blow against them because it causes their root systems to grow deeper, which supports the tree as it grows taller.  When wind blows against the tree, it does not stand rigid, resisting the flow of energy. It does not push back.  the tree accepts the strong wind as a blessing that helps it grow. “ Dennis Merritt Jones “redefining moments, the art of uncertainty and the art of being.

Winter for our garden is important, especially if we have prepared and protected it sufficiently.  In winter, if our trees are protected with layers of insulation around the roots, it can protect them from becoming frozen. This layer of insulation keeps the roots active and growing ever deeper, and replacing previously damaged roots.  This will translate into excellent above ground growth during the following summer. Whereas if we have not sufficiently protected our trees, the roots become dormant in the freezing ground and the freezing, heaving, and cracking of winter soils physically damages roots, particularly the fine feeder roots in the uppermost layers. This in turn can affect the trees ability to take up water and nutrients, it will limit spring buds forming and limits branch growth later in the year.  Continued damage to the tree will also lead to dead trees.  

By and by, season after season, through storm and winter there will be times of much fruit and growth among the branches, and there will be times when our trees are sparse and we must focus on digging deeper roots to strengthen the whole tree. 

 

How has your faith matured through your struggles? 

While experiencing difficult times what has helped you be strengthened and renewed to continue on and wait for God’s timing?  What has allowed you to persevere and not give in to discouragement? 

What part of your testimony have you relied on most through these trials?  

What Blessings have you seen come into your life because you have been patient through trials? 

 

Our struggles, looking retrospectively, can show us the bigger picture of why events, that occurred in the past, have a direct impact on our development now.  We can compare who we were to who we have become through our trials and realize his wisdom is much greater than ours.  Seeing the bigger picture allows us to have greater trust in God’s divine plan for us and we allow him to guide our life.  

 

As Christ was suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, 3 times he came to his disciples outside the gates, needing their faith and strength and prayers to help strengthen him.    

Gather around you friends and family who can strengthen, encourage, and remind you to keep trusting, until spring comes again and the fruit of your trees bloom one again. 

 

In the Garden of Gethsemane as Christ was supplicating the father it states Luke 22: 43-44. “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly.  In the Greek it reads "and in a huge struggle, he extended himself through prayer."  

Extend yourself in prayer.  Turn it over to God.  Stop wanting things. Stop asking for things that will fulfill your own neediness and selfish desires.  Humbly and sincerely recognize that while you wish this struggle to be removed from you, not my will but thine be done.  Trust that he will consecrate all your suffering and difficulties for your good. Pray in gratitude for his hand in your life and pray for angels of heaven to strengthen you.  

When asking the question: which part of your testimony do you rely on most during your struggles, I received this reply  “the first time I began to believe the church was true.” the experience he had as a boy that planted this seed, continued to grow through his nourishment of it, affecting his future decisions such that the tree began to grow and become so productive that it is the strength he relies on when all else is in turmoil. “I believe the church is true” and therefore I believe in its promises. 

For myself, I always rely on the belief that God will always do better for me than I can do for myself. Since my youth, I have experienced his guidance and seen his hand protecting, nourishing, and strengthening me. Where I am in life is filled with so much more joy and happiness than I ever planned or imagined for myself. And when I am faced with challenges these experiences always rise up to give me courage to continue on and do hard things.  

We can also find strength in the promises given in our patriarchal blessings.  These blessing are to be a guide and strength. When all else fails read it often and trust in the promised blessings given directly to you from our Heavenly Father.  

 

While situations may improve, challenges may let up, sometimes they do not.  yet no matter how our prosperity comes, either through improved physical situations or increased spiritual capacity, the blessings do flow if we will only see. Patience, increased trust, greater wisdom in God’s plan, prayers changing from “me’ focused to prayers of gratitude for the small and simple blessings of each day, prayer focused on reaching out and strengthening others.  these small and simple spiritual shifts align our wills with the Father, bringing us closer to him, and fulfilling the 1st commandment to Love God with all our heart might mind and strength.  

The more we come to love him, the more we are willing to Wait on the Lord.