Harvesting the Fruit
An extended family member shared a post with me the other day that brought back fond memories. The post showed his family descending upon a patch of raspberries with buckets in hand. Their buckets were full to overflowing. From the looks of things, so were their mouths and stomach. I was taken back to the days of my youth when we would descend upon Grandma and Grandpa's raspberries. After harvesting the fruit, we walked away with more in and on us than we did in the buckets. It is a sweet memory.
Yesterday, I was reading in Alma 17 and started thinking about that harvest in another way. Starting in verse 12. The hearts of of the sons of Mosiah took courage to go forth into the fields to harvest. As I read, the question of wonder entered my mind. I wonder if in their minds eye they were seeing, as I did, those large red bundles of juice filled fruit as their harvest. The anticipation of doing nothing more then harvesting, feasting, and indulging? Then reality hit me.
Keep reading:
They came to the borders of the field with visions of a great harvest. Then they were required, as in the plan of salvation to separate from one another and have a go a life alone. Moving forward as Adam and Eve, trusting in the Lord, that all would be well, they would meet again, and share in the harvest of their work.
How many of us are that way? We read that the field is white and ready for harvest. We build up great visions of just plucking the fruits from the vine with ease, just as I did as a child. But do we think about what happens when the fruit of the season is gone? What about those that prepared way before us? How was it preparing the field, planting the seeds, weeding, watering, nurturing, and protecting the vine before it was ready to harvest.
As I continued reading, I realized that the harvest is not all fun and games, laughs and giggles, and plentiful harvest. In order to have the harvest, some work has to be done. The work is not always fun. But it is rewarding.
I wonder what my grandparent thought as they watched reap the harvest. Did they find the joy in all the hard work they put forth in clearing the land, removing stumps, digging up rocks that never seemed to end, plowing the field, planting the seeds, watering, pruning, and nurturing the vine. I wonder how much joy they found as they progressed through each step? Did they follow Ammon and his brothers example, moving forward in service, being positive, overcoming obstacles, and all along envisioning the great harvest at the end of the season?
How about you?
Now that I have you all thinking about the field, some of you are thinking, well I am not on a mission, so how does it apply to me? Think about it. What field are you working in right now? Lehi and his family crossed a great and spacious field. Adam and Eve were sent from a well groomed field into one that needed work. We are all on the same mission called Mortality. This concept applies to all aspects of our lives. The Atonement applies to it all. The Savior's promise are still applicable. It does not matter what we are doing, school, work, searching for work, striving to improve ourselves, or building relationships. Each of us must separately reach out for the Iron Rod and keep moving forward.
Yesterday, I was reading in Alma 17 and started thinking about that harvest in another way. Starting in verse 12. The hearts of of the sons of Mosiah took courage to go forth into the fields to harvest. As I read, the question of wonder entered my mind. I wonder if in their minds eye they were seeing, as I did, those large red bundles of juice filled fruit as their harvest. The anticipation of doing nothing more then harvesting, feasting, and indulging? Then reality hit me.
Keep reading:
They came to the borders of the field with visions of a great harvest. Then they were required, as in the plan of salvation to separate from one another and have a go a life alone. Moving forward as Adam and Eve, trusting in the Lord, that all would be well, they would meet again, and share in the harvest of their work.
How many of us are that way? We read that the field is white and ready for harvest. We build up great visions of just plucking the fruits from the vine with ease, just as I did as a child. But do we think about what happens when the fruit of the season is gone? What about those that prepared way before us? How was it preparing the field, planting the seeds, weeding, watering, nurturing, and protecting the vine before it was ready to harvest.
As I continued reading, I realized that the harvest is not all fun and games, laughs and giggles, and plentiful harvest. In order to have the harvest, some work has to be done. The work is not always fun. But it is rewarding.
I wonder what my grandparent thought as they watched reap the harvest. Did they find the joy in all the hard work they put forth in clearing the land, removing stumps, digging up rocks that never seemed to end, plowing the field, planting the seeds, watering, pruning, and nurturing the vine. I wonder how much joy they found as they progressed through each step? Did they follow Ammon and his brothers example, moving forward in service, being positive, overcoming obstacles, and all along envisioning the great harvest at the end of the season?
How about you?
Now that I have you all thinking about the field, some of you are thinking, well I am not on a mission, so how does it apply to me? Think about it. What field are you working in right now? Lehi and his family crossed a great and spacious field. Adam and Eve were sent from a well groomed field into one that needed work. We are all on the same mission called Mortality. This concept applies to all aspects of our lives. The Atonement applies to it all. The Savior's promise are still applicable. It does not matter what we are doing, school, work, searching for work, striving to improve ourselves, or building relationships. Each of us must separately reach out for the Iron Rod and keep moving forward.
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