There is a parable of a sower in the scriptures that has most impressed me on my mission. It is found in Mark 4: 26 and 27:
´´And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.´´
It is amazing to see how the Lord really does His part. I feel like a laborer which daily is amazed by the growth of the plant. I cannot explain. It is nothing short of a miracle. I know not how the seedling can sprout and reach the height of a tree in so short a time.
Not long ago I left seedlings in Las Colinas/ La Borgoña, one of my first areas and now I am back in the same stake again. We had a Stake Conference last Sunday and I saw many converts for the first time in a year. Victor and his son were there and Carlos received the Melchizedek Priesthood. He should be leaving for a mission about the same time I leave mine. It is a wonderful feeling to see in the first pew of the conference center lined up 5 recent converts all to be ordained Elders in that same Priesthood. I don’t know how it happened. Chevo, Migdalis, Felix and Heisel are all active and it was great to see them. They have callings too. There was a part of one talk that they asked all of the recent converts to stand up and I saw them all proudly erect with smiles on their countenances. I don’t know how the Lord does it, but He does.
We experienced a wonderful wedding last night with Cristobal and Marta. They were giddy and it was just so funny. I can’t help but see these weddings and think about the future one which they will have as they kneel across the alter and make eternal covenants one with another. It was the first wedding I have experienced up until this point in Nicaragua where they exchanged rings. They aren´t a rich couple by any means but it sure made it special because so many don´t have that same experience. What is even more special is to see the seedling sprout and spread more seeds as we find new investigators through those we are teaching. I don’t know how it happens, but it does. There in the wedding were nonmember relatives of the couple and we will begin teaching them soon. Also we met two other people whose spouses aren´t members and we are going to teach them too so that they can experience the joy of the gospel.
We talked about the conversion process with the Alvarado family who now is almost complete with all of the family but two members baptized in the last month. They shared their feelings and thoughts on how much their lives had changed because of the message.
As we visited Fransisco and Maritza who will be baptized this week as well we were surprised to see that the daughter greeted us with a Gospel Principles book in hand. She said she had been reading. How? I don´t know. I don’t know how she got the book but she learned a lot ha ha. Her and her spouse accepted baptismal dates for next month. I don’t know how the Lord makes the seed grow, I just see it happen.
Neither the harvester nor the farmer can take too much credit for having a big crop. At the end, we have to thank God for making it all grow. I might not understand the process so much, but I DO know one thing. All things are possible when God puts His almighty hand to the sickle with us and we do His work together.
These seedlings will continue to grow and flourish, as will all those who diligently seek to labor in His work.
May His mighty hand shape us, mold us, make us grow and may we accept this change with all our heart. After all, the gospel of Jesus Christ is power unto Salvation for everyone that believeth. May we believe that this seed can change us, even overnight.
Elder Russell
