The Tree and Me

    I was asked to give a talk by my husband Walt who is 1st councilor in the Bishopric.  When he  asked me to speak and I told him NO.  On Christmas Eve, he asked if I remembered I was speaking and I asked him if he remembered I had said NO.   He is persuasive when he thinks he's right, so I spoke.  I was given the topic of the Restoration, and I narrowed it to testimony of the restoration.  A conversation I had with my sister- in -law Sharon Arnold, a few years ago, was brought to recall as I put my talk together.  She and I had been discussing challenges many have in staying committed to the Gospel.  She had explained that she thought they must have a "tradition- testimony and not a conversion- testimony".  I had never heard that term before, so I asked her to share more.  She explained that a traditional testimony would be one based on family traditions. A testimony of the importance of  activities that revolve around family such as baby blessings, baptism, attending church,  blessing on the food, family prayers, even accepting a calling because they have seen their mother and father serve.  She said the traditions are important, but a conversion- testimony is one based on personal knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith is a Prophet, and that the Priesthood was restored.    I was going to use Sharon's insight, and I had the talk somewhat together, when I woke up Sunday morning remembering a tree that had blown down in our neighbors front yard a few years ago.  I liked that tree and had tried to plant one similar in our front yard.  The next image was of me struggling to remove a misplaced cactus last year.  What was this all about?  It finally dawned on me I was being given a personal parable to share with my talk.  This morning I awoke with the impression to record it here.
    When our neighbors built a new house, they planted one tree in their front yard.  It was beautiful, shaded their windows from the harsh west sun in the summer, and dutifully dropped its' leaves allowing the sun to warm their home in the winter.  The first to put leaves on in Spring displayed almost a fluorescent green color and seemed to glitter.  It grew quickly and majestically within the next few years. One day a violent wind storm came and blew it down.  The next day I went over to see for myself.  I was amazed at how shallow and weak the roots had been.  They seemed so small in comparison to the attached strong tree trunk and limbs that had put on such a show for the last few years.
    I had wanted a tree like theirs, so I searched for the perfect specimen.  I did not want to spend a lot of money for huge one, so I found a tall one that had a good size trunk.  I placed it in the middle of some evergreens that I thought would not only add support, but would look terrific with the hedge surrounding it.  I thought about staking it well, but someone told me that it weakened them that the evergreen hedge would be enough.  It grew for several years.  I would watch it sway occasionally, and from time to time, I would have a little voice in my head tell me to stake it.  The experts must have been right, I reasoned.  Look how well it grows, straight and strong.  The tree's beauty could not be beat with the trimmed evergreens encircling it.  I don't know if the sudden storm was forecast, I only know it came blasted in as the sun was setting.  I still remember looking out the front window watching its that seemed to come so quickly out of nowhere.  I saw my tree swaying from side to side.  An alarm went off in my head that I must hurry and stake that tree.  I ran out in the sideways rain, thunder, and a wind so strong that I could hardly stand up. Defeated I ran back in the house.  I had not been at the window long when above the storm I heard the crack and saw the tree trunk shattering just a foot or so above the ground.  Why had I listened to the "experts"?  Why had not given this beautiful tree the support that it needed?   Sometimes I think of that tree when I have taught my own children, grandchildren, or been involved with youth in the church.  Do I depend too much on others to provide the support until a firm testimony is secured? 
    Last year I realized a cactus, in our zero scape front lawn, was getting too big.  It was supposed to be a little accent, but it now blocked the view of a large clay pot that we put in front of our window.  I typically am not a cactus lover, but when I saw this variety I changed my mind.  It was purple with streaks of green, beautiful in it's own right, but it needed to go.  Due to it not being that large, I thought I would save it, find another spot or give it to someone who valued it.  I planned my removal early during the cool morning long before the sun hit the front of the house,  After much digging, and many shovels full of dirt, I realized I had not loosened much of the root, let alone got it to the point of transplanting.  When the shade disappeared, I soon abandoned my goal of gently transplanting and went into attack mode.  The root system was dense and deep, and the outer root layer thick and protective.  My shovel was a tough one, but was bending at the base.  I was afraid it would break, so I went in search of the perfect tool.   I emerged with a sharp bar, a sledge hammer, and leather gloves to my elbow.    I was now armed for battle.   As the roots began to give way, I was amazed at how heavy they were.  I had to chunk them into smaller pieces, so I could toss them into a large wheeled industrial trash bin that quickly filled to over flowing.  After the murder was over, I tried to wheel the bin to the curb and could hardly move it.  I looked into this now massive hole and could still see little roots that dripped water.  It was as if they were tears and the cactus was of saying it could have endured for countless years, if only I had left it alone.
     Traditional testimony is good, but it cannot endure on its' own.  Just like the tree, it looks good, feels good, and can even bring limited joy, but when winds of adversity come it cannot stand on it's own.  A testimony built on personal conversion is like my purple cactus.  A testimony that protects itself from the harsh erosion of the world, one whose roots are deep, keeping a reservoir of living water for the rough times.  One of my favorite scriptures I memorized years ago is Helaman 5:12. "...it is upon the rock of our Redeemer...  ye must build your sure foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you...."  May I, as well as my family, strengthen our testimony- roots and add to our reservoir of living water.