The branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine . {We have to stay connected to Jesus.}
If you want to nourish a plant you don’t splash water on the branches, you water the root.
The branches of your testimony will draw strength from the root.
We nourish the root, the root produces and nourishes the branches, and the branches bring forth the fruit which nourishes us and those around us.
Faith is not faith if it is never tested. Faith is not strong if it is never opposed.
A testimony is not something that you build once and it continues forever. It’s more like a tree that you have to continue nourishing.
The things I learned in my youth about the fundamental principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ have been my firm foundation throughout my life. The covenant connection I forged with my Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son has stayed with me—long after the Zwickau chapel was dismantled and the stained-glass windows were lost.
We can forget what we learned before if we do not continue on the path.
Knowing what is eternal and what is not is key to growing a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Church.
The restored gospel of Jesus Christ, as the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “embrace[s] all, and every item of truth.” But that doesn’t mean that all truth is of equal value. Some truths are core, essential, at the root of our faith. Others are appendages or branches—valuable, but only when they are connected to the fundamentals.
…
In other words, Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice are the root of our testimony. All other things are branches.
This is not to say that the branches are unimportant. A tree needs branches. But as the Savior told His disciples, “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine.” Without a connection to the Savior, to the nourishment found in the roots, a branch withers and dies.
If there seems to be any conflict between the roots and the branches, cling to the roots.
If you want to nourish a tree, you don’t splash water on the branches. You water the roots. Similarly, if you want the branches of your testimony to grow and bear fruit, nourish the roots. If you are uncertain about a particular doctrine or practice or element of Church history, seek clarity with faith in Jesus Christ. Seek to understand His sacrifice for you, His love for you, His will for you. Follow Him in humility. The branches of your testimony will draw strength from your deepening faith in Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.
Strong faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t happen overnight. No, in this mortal world, it’s the thorns and thistles of doubt that grow spontaneously. The healthy, fruitful tree of faith requires intentional effort. And a vital part of that effort is making sure we are firmly rooted in Christ.
If faith grew spontaneously it would not make us stronger.
We must ask ourselves: Is my testimony based on what I hope to happen in my life? Is it dependent on the actions or attitudes of others? Or is it firmly founded on Jesus Christ, “rooted and built up in him,” regardless of life’s changing circumstances?
We have to ask that question regularly.
Faith is strong when it has deep roots in personal experience, personal commitment to Jesus Christ, independent of what our traditions are or what others may say or do.
Our testimony will be tested and tried. Faith is not faith if never tested. Faith is not strong if never opposed. So don’t despair if you have trials of faith or unanswered questions.
We should not expect to understand everything before we act. That is not faith. As Alma taught, “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things.” If we wait to act until all of our questions are answered, we severely limit the good we can accomplish, and we limit the power of our faith.
Faith is beautiful because it persists even when blessings don’t come as hoped for. We can’t see the future, we don’t know all the answers, but we can trust Jesus Christ as we keep moving forward and upward because He is our Savior and Redeemer.
Faith endures the trials and the uncertainties of life because it is firmly rooted in Christ and His doctrine. Jesus Christ, and our Father in Heaven who sent Him, together constitute the one undeviating, perfectly reliable object of our trust.
Faith is about being able to distinguish between the things we can count on and the things that aren’t always dependable and then acting based on the ones that are dependable.
A testimony is not something that you build once and it stands forever. It’s more like a tree that you nourish constantly. Planting the word of God in your heart is only the first step. Once your testimony starts to grow, then the real work begins!
Leave a Reply