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Once upon a time I decided to plant some herbs...because that seems like something easy to grow right? And sorry, even though I started with the whole "once upon a time" phrase there won't be a handsome prince in this story. Let's just get that out there right now haha.
Anywho. I picked up some little pots and seeds at the store, brought them home and got to work. I didn't have any dirt so I grabbed some from an old pot we had in the garage. I put the dirt in, placing seeds close to surface and covered with a small layer of dirt. Then I labeled (so I didn't forget what I planted, cause I totally would) and watered.
By the end of the week, no life was in sight. I watered them each day. I gave them lots of sun. After week two, nothing still. I got out the little seed packets to see how long it was suppose to take for them to sprout and they should have been little baby plants by the second week! What was going on?! I determined that either I was REALLY a bad growing-green-things person or there was another problem at hand.
After three weeks, I decided my herb pots were officially herbless.
And I also realized why my seeds weren't growing...it was the dirt! The old, used, gross-o dirt that I had transferred from the pots in my garage! I assumed since it was still, ya know, brown that it would fine. I didn't think about what may have happened to the dirt in the last few years, that maybe it lost it's nutrients! That maybe because it looked like old clumpy dirt, that it actually was :)
This experience came to mind when I was listening to President Eyring's talk. He shared the scripture in Matthew 13 about the seed, the sower, and the soil. If the soil was stony, scorched, or thorny then the seeds could not take root and grow. But if the seed was planted in "good ground" then it brought forth fruit. President Eyring shared what the seed, the sower, and the soil each represent:
My poor little herbs seeds obviously had horrible soil that wasn't providing them with the nourishment that they needed. Likewise, my testimony needs the same attention and nourishment. If I want the seed of the gospel to grow and bring forth fruit in my life, my heart has to be a place where the gospel can take root, be nourished, and grow!
And for those looking for that nourishment during conference, President Eyring testified that the "words...will be carried into the heart of the humble listener who has come to the conference hungry for the good word of God." Humility is a huge part of having good soil. We have to be willing and wanting to hear the Lord's message for us. And this doesn't just apply during general conference but always!
So take at look at your heart, the soil where you want the seed of the word of God to take root. Is it stony or filled with pride? Is it thorny or maybe filled with the world? Is it old and gross-o from the garage? (Obviously these are my own little comparisons here...) Ask yourself, "Is my heart ready to receive the word of God?"
President Eyring adds that when we pray to feel the spirit and try to listen to the spirit, we can help our hearts to receive the word of God. He also challenged us to listen to the testimonies that are shared, especially during conference, because our leaders have been praying for guidance to know what the Lord would have them say and the spirit can help us to know the truth of their words. When we listen with the spirit we will feel closer to the Lord.
So I thought it was appropriate to end with the testimony that President Eyring shared at the end of his talk and I encourage you to prepare your heart so that you may continually nourish and feel the love of God. Because He is there. And He loves you.
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Here is the entire talk if you would like to watch/listen to it :)
