FRUIT OF OUR LABORS (part 2)

One year as I was walking behind my rear-tined tiller while wondering about one of those annual on-again-off-again springs in Northern Nevada – and keeping an eye peeled on Mt. Peavine – I came to realize that gardening in Washoe County shares many characteristics with the principle of forgiveness. To start with, just like gardening in the Reno area, if conditions are not carefully adhered to, forgiveness can also turn out to be a futile exercise and very little will ever be gleaned from our efforts.

Just a few random thoughts on harvesting a fruitful result from practicing the principle of forgiveness:

We must always keep our attention attuned to the words, counsel and example of our Lord and Redeemer – with our eye single to the mountain of

His message, forever learning how to gauge the subtleties of his teachings.

If ones concentration is turned inward and they are sensitive to personal needs alone they will seldom make the essential first step needed to bring about the knitting of souls which happens as they receive the blessings which come from true forgiveness.

If appeasing is ones only effort, ever sensitive to the needs of others they may find themselves constantly emptying their reservoir of strength and never taking time to replace needed elements until, sadly, one day they find themselves void and unable to forgive again.

If one finds their life has become a continual exercise of avoidance and excusing they may soon find themselves hiding from the sometimes difficult journey of life, doing fewer and fewer of the activities they once enjoyed.

Like gardening, the successful practitioner of the principle of forgiveness may find that while they were exerting a great deal of time and effort in gaining an understanding of the art of forgiving, there were many residual benefits which resulted from their efforts.

Like so many gospel principles, forgiveness demands diligent awareness which if adhered to can result in many residual benefits, bearing unexpected fruit which is sweet and desirable.

If we are to find fruition from our efforts to forgive we must never weary– never mistaking the act of forgiving for the purpose of the exercise. We were not placed here to forgive a single trespass, but to gain a forgiving nature.

Forgiveness is never complete until hearts have been mended and souls have been knotted together again.

Forgetting must never be mistaken for forgiving – although real forgiveness will always demand a great deal of forgetting.

Many times neglecting the process of forgiveness causes self-soul-suffering – while I fester upon a trespass I may needlessly and endlessly suffer while he who made the offense has long ago gone merrily on his way.

As in all principles of enlightenment that person who sincerely puts forth the greatest effort will reap the greatest yield.

President Spencer W. Kimball stated: “Across the barren deserts of hate and greed and grudge in the beautiful valley of paradise, we read in the papers and hear on television constantly that the world ‘is in an awful mess.’ Not true! The world is still most beautiful. It is man who is off center.

The sun still illumines the day and gives light and life to all things. The moon still brightens the night. Oceans still feed the world and provide transportation. Rivers still drain the land and provide irrigation water to nourish crops. Even the ravages of time have not sloughed off the majesty of the mountains. Flowers still bloom and birds still sing and children still laugh and play. What is wrong with the world is man-made.”

“It can be done. Man can conquer self. Man can overcome. Man can forgive all who have trespassed against him and go on to receive peace in this life and Eternal Life in the world to come.”

With all the readings and preachings about forgiveness, eventually someone must dig the dirt and plant the seed – as I search the scriptures over and over again I find that that burden of that most difficult first step is placed on me.

If the labor of forgiveness is to bear fruit it is I who must begin to prepare the ground for an eventual fruitful yield.