Trees and trial

Ohio, is full of trees, thousands, possibly millions of the things, the branches reaching over the roads and the fields, they provide shade and comfort as well as good timber as the early pioneers in Kirtland no doubt discovered. The wood that built the Kirtland temple as well as all the major (and minor) buildings in kirtland could have been and probably were planted long before the restoration of the Gospel began in 1820.

Trees are amazing as they build and grow yearly strengthening themselves in times of ease for times of trials. They can start out so small, the Acorn is a good example, a small seed of a tree growing to the large and majestic oak trees. they learn to absorb extra water in times of great rain and to use that water quickly to fund new growth of branches to increase leaf production to in turn help with photosynthesis also to build up their internal structure and weather them against the Storms that are sure to come

we are much like tree's, for those of us who grew up in the gospel we had things rather easy as the floods of spiritual water flowed from our primary classes and all those songs we never really forget. 

those early years led us to branch out and explore, then came harder times and harder years as choices we have to make came into play, school got harder and kids got meaner and sometimes it was all we can do to sing "i'm trying to be like Jesus" in our head and not deck someone.

as we get to middle school and high school we notice the flood of waters are gone and we recede back to our reservoirs to protect us and sustain us through what could be a long winter. we can keep the water flowing as we read and pray and attend sacrament and dwell on the Lord but it's not as "free" as it once was, we must start growing strong roots to reach the water far below us to lift it up to continue helping us grow. 

this is a pattern that continues throughout life as we have ups and downs but we know that as long as we keep digging for water we will be sustained 

so keep digging and know that we are all here together to bless and uplift and inspire

thank you all for your support during the harder times 

Elder Bone

OCM  

(i'll be honest sometimes I just type and I have no clue where I am going with it but it's therapeutic to me)