I have spent a lot of time thinking about the fifth chapter in the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon. It contains a long series of questions that you can ask yourself to determine where you are at spiritually in your life.
Several years ago, I used chapter 5 as a format to create a list of questions personalized to me that I could ask myself to see where I stood. I keep this list of questions in my scriptures in Alma 5 and read through it every so often to see how I’m doing.
What are my priorities? What are they supposed to be? Is _____ taking precedence over other, more important, things? What is keeping me from praying, studying my scriptures, and writing in my journal? Why do I have so many excuses for not _____? Am I making the best use of the time I have been given each day? Am I improving, progressing, and moving forward? Or am I standing still or even moving backwards? Am I a wise steward over what has been placed in my responsibility? If called to leave this earth at this time, would I be ready? Am I worthy of all the blessings, honor, and glory that have been promised me? When was the last time I felt the Spirit? What was the last personal revelation I had? Could I be accused of being a follower of Christ? Are my children and ancestors proud of me? Or am I a weak link in my family’s chain of faith? Is my faith such that I can put everything in the hands of the Lord? Am I keeping the covenants I have made both at baptism and in the temple?
It’s quite the list of questions. But it definitely makes me take stock of what I am doing with my life.
From Alma 5 there are three questions in particular that stand out to me every time I read the chapter, two from verse 14 and one from verse 26.
Have ye received his image in your countenances?
Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
Today I found myself specifically thinking about what it means to have a change of heart. Which led me to thinking about dirt. I’ll explain. In the New Testament there is the parable of the sower. In the Book of Mormon we have Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. Both contain four different groups or situations. I put together this table to examine them.
| The Dirt (Matthew 13) | Explanation of the dirt | People (1 Nephi 8) |
| 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Matthew 13:4 |
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Matthew 13:19 |
31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building. 32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads. 1 Nephi 8:31-32 |
| 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Matthew 13:5-6 |
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Matthew 13:20-21 |
21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood. 22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree. 23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. 1 Nephi 8:21-23 |
| 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: Matthew 13:7 |
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. Matthew 13:22 |
24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. 25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed. 26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth. 27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit. 28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost. 1 Nephi 8:24-28 |
| 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Matthew 13:8 |
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth and endureth; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:23 (JST) |
30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree. 1 Nephi 8:30 |
The first group does not understand the word of God, it is not planted in their heart. The second group starts off great and fizzles real fast. The third group starts off great as well, but is soon ashamed and even distracted. Think of all the “cares” that exist today that try to choke our faith and joy. The final group though, not only starts off good, but they endure. Their faith is a continual thing. A seed planted in their heart will truly grow.
So thinking about dirt, the dirt in our yard is good for growing cactus and weeds, and not even that great at the weeds. When we get a garden going it’s going to take a lot of work to get the dirt ready. We’ll have to make sure it isn’t super hard and stony. We’ll have to keep the weeds and thorns pulled so they don’t take the nutrients and water from the plants we want to grow. We’ll have to maintain our gardening enthusiasm and not forget to water it after a week or so when the newness wears off. And we’ll have to frequently add fertilizer to keep the soil rich. Changing desert soil to garden soil is not a simple matter. It takes work and constant attention.
Having a change of heart so that the image of Christ is reflected in our countenance is the same thing. We have to keep our priorities right and remove those things/people that keep us from doing what we know we should, make good friends that will help us have a richer heart. We need to constantly nourish our hearts and souls with scripture study and meditation. And it is not something that we can do once and check off our list, it is something we need to constantly work at to make sure we still feel that way now.
If I tried to make our dirt fertile in one go I’d be exhausted and frustrated and feel it was pointless. Changing our hearts takes time as well.
While we believe fully in the mighty change of heart described in the scriptures (see Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:12–14, 26), we must understand it often occurs gradually, rather than instantaneously or globally, and in response to specific questions, experiences, and concerns as well as by our study and prayer.
Elder Cecil B. Samuelson, Testimony, April 2011 General Conference
However, as you change your heart, you will also change your life. Your life will become a fertile place for spiritual growth and light. Just like the hard work of making a garden will be worth it when we get to eat fresh tomatoes, the hard work of changing a heart is worth it when you reach the tree of life and get to partake of the love of God.
21 Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.
1 Nephi 11:21-23
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
Good post! Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” reads a little differently in the Greek. None of us have any choice but to endure to the end of our lives, no matter how long or short that may be. But υπομενω “hypomeno,” lit. “to remain under,” implies more than merely making it to the end of a thing, whatever state you may be in when you get there. The connotation is “remaining behind when others have departed.” It’s more than clinging to the rod. It’s more than partaking of the fruit. It’s even more than disregarding the voices that shout at you that it’s not worth it. It’s also disregarding the people who have listened to those voices and abandoned you. A friend recently pointed out to me in regard to one of the moral issues of our day that the world has already turned against me, and there’s nothing I can do to change it. His exact words: “the ship has sailed.”
My response? “I’m the lighthouse.” :brett:
A great thought in return!
Enduring is so much more than just living till you die. Everyone does that. Enduring requires effort and work.
I really like the imagery of being a lighthouse. Many of those ships that have sailed are out in dangerous waters that they don’t recognize. Maybe if the lighthouse shines strong enough someone on the ship will take a lifeboat and come back. But he’s probably right, many of those ships won’t come back except in pieces.
Keep A-Goin’!
Ef you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin’!
Ef it hails, or ef it snows,
Keep a-goin!
‘Taint no use to sit an’ whine,
When the fish ain’t on yer line;
Bait yer hook an’ keep a-tryin’-
Keep a-goin’!
When the weather kills yer crop,
Keep a-goin’!
When you tumble from the top,
Keep a-goin’!
S’pose you’re out of every dime,
Bein’ so ain’t any
crime;
Tell the world you’re feelin’
prime
–
Keep a-goin’!
When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin’!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin’!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like sighin’
sing-
Keep a-goin’!
Frank Lebby Stanton