THE TREE OF LIFE
“It will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life” Alma 33:23
Tasting the Fruit of the Tree of Life
As a small boy growing up in California, I remember going with my family to an orchard to pick peaches. We went at just the perfect time. The peaches were perfectly ripe, covered in a soft fuzz and were the size of a soft ball. I can still remember biting into the sweet fruit, juice exploding down my face and covering my shirt. It may still be the best thing that I have ever tasted.
The scriptures are full of the symbolism of tasting and eating as we experience the love of the Lord through his gospel. Said the psalmist, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalms 34:8). The Book of Mormon prophet Lehi had a vision in which he was led to the tree of life. “And as I partook of the fruit thereof,” he said, “it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit” (1 Nephi 8:12).
It is natural to want our family and loved ones to experience the same joy that we have. As much as Lehi wanted his family to taste what he had savored, ultimately his aspiration was that they would receive of the whole fruit. In fact, in the Garden of Eden, God said, “I placed at the east of the Garden of Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life” (Moses 4:31). It was at this point where Adam and Eve were taught of the gospel plan which would enable them to progress to the point where they could fully eat of that promised fruit. The Lord, in His mercy will allow us to periodically taste of the fruit of the tree of life but what He really wants is for us to take the seed from the fruit and plant it in our heart, nurture it and care for it that it may grow to be our very own tree of life.
Planting the Seed
The prophet Alma taught the allegory of planting the seed of faith in our hearts, which he likened to the word of God, saying, “Now if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me” (Alma 32:28).
A mere desire to know is sufficient to plant the seed of faith. It will grow if it is exposed to the light of the sun, watered, nourished, and properly rooted.
The Light of the Son
Our souls yearn for light. At first these swellings may be so subtle that we may ask, “Is not this real?,” Alma responds, “I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good” (Alma 32:35). Elder Bednar describes the process by which we discern light as similar to watching a sunrise. Said he, “Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light” (April Conference 2011).
In section 50 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord states, “that which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (Verse 22).
Nourishing the Seedling
Feeling the seed grow is just the beginning, like a lick or taste of the fruit to come. There is much work yet to be done. “And behold,” said Alma, “as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us” (Alma 32:37). All plants require a source of water to grow. When Nephi was shown the interpretation of his father’s dream he was shown that the tree was planted at the source of the fountain of living waters, the water being a representation of His love for us (See 1 Nephi 11:25).
Jeremiah draws from the same imagery when he declared, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
It was faith that allowed us to plant the seed. Faith led us to seek the light of the Son and his fountain of living waters. Our seed began to grow, branches sprouting and reaching towards heaven. Further sustained growth requires pruning from the master Gardener, a process we know as repentance. Consider Zenos’ Allegory of the Olive Grove where the master’s servants proposed, “Let us prune [the tree that is not bearing fruit], and dig about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto thee” (Jacob 5: 27).
Repentance allows us to concentrate our growth around the core principles of the gospel. It is at this point that our small tree is ready to bear fruit for the first time. “The first fruits of repentance [being] baptism” (Moroni 8:25).
Partaking of the sacrament each week allows us to stay close to the source of living water. It allows the pruning process to occur when the off shoots are yet young and easily removed. As we witness that we do always remember Him, the master Gardener, we will have his spirit, or his light to be with us. Little by little our growing seedling takes root, becoming a small tree “by [our] faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof.” (Alma 32:41)
Taking Root
For that tree to produce the desired fruit, our roots must grow strong. Consider your own roots. Our ancestors play a large role in our ability to participate in the gospel of Jesus Christ. As much as the atonement is an intimate act of love between the Savior Jesus Christ and ourselves, it was accomplished for the whole human family in a single, infinite act of love. We were never meant to seek salvation alone. For this the Lord has repeatedly declared before he comes to the earth a second time, “I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet...And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming” (Doctrine and Covenants 2:1-3). To Joseph Smith it was revealed, “For their,” meaning our ancestor’s, “salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers--that they without us cannot be made perfect--neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:15).
In my capacity in the Stake Presidency I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting with many of you as you renew your temple recommends. I especially enjoy hearing the circumstances which have led you to plant the seed of faith in your life either for the first time or to try again. On many occasions as we talk of the temple, it becomes clear to me that your ancestors have guided you to the covenant path so that they, with you, can taste of the fullness of the gospel fruit.
Ultimately, we are all part of the Lord’s family, members of the body of Christ. Our own roots are strengthened when they intermingle with the roots of those around us. Sister Pinegar taught in General Conference, “The giant redwood trees that grow in California have a very shallow root system. When they are surrounded by other redwood trees, the strongest, fiercest wind cannot blow them over. The roots of the giant redwood trees intertwine and strengthen each other. When a storm comes they actually hold each other up.” (Patricia P. Pinegar “Teach the Children” Oct Conf 1994). This is the power of home and visiting teaching, allowing is to draw strength one from another.
Sharing Our Fruit
As we have taste of the Lord’s love for us in our own lives, plant the seed of faith and nurture it, we will seek to share it with others. We will feel a closeness to our ancestors and will be actively engaged in finding their information. As we pray for help, they will be allowed to guide us in our search. As we fill the temple, we will feel their presence, their love and appreciation. They will watch over us and the ones we love.
As good as it is to hold the precious fruit of the tree of life in our hands, savor its goodness and allow the sweet juices to spill down your shirt like I did as a small child, may we, like Alma, labor without ceasing, that we might bring souls unto repentance; that we might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which we do taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost (See Alma 36:24). This applies first and foremost to our families but absolutely applies in our covenant duty as shepherds of Israel to those we have been asked to watch over as home and visiting teachers. President Bunderson has encouraged us as the Lord did to Peter, to feed His sheep. May I suggest that we feed them a heavy dose of the fruit from the tree of life that we have nourished in our own soul, springing up in us unto everlasting life (See Alma 33:23). May we lead them to the Master of the orchard and to His Holy House is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
