"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost" (3 Nephi 12:6)

I have a basil plant that is hydroponic. It needs water in order to get its nourishment. I have to make sure it gets water every day. While my husband and I were out of town for 6 days I asked one of our children to make sure it got water daily. Well, he forgot. Since we have been back the plant hasn't been the same. Some of the stems have gotten hard and it takes a very long time for it to soak up water. It is like its heart has hardened and won't allow it to let the nutrition from the water get to the leaves. Most of the leaves are light green now, and not the rich green they once were.

As I read my scriptures today I thought of this plant and I thought of how we, in our lives, choose whether or not we soak up the Living Water, the Savior (see Jeremiah 17:13) whether or not we "thirst after righteousness" (Matt 5:6). Sometimes, I think it is as simple as remembering to water the plant. The water being the nourishment that the Savoir offers us, the plant being us. But sometimes when we have forgotten to drink, we get dehydrated and become hardened. What to do then?

Unlike my basil plant, we don't have to give up. There is an answer. The answer is: "...repent (which means " a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined (Bible Dictionary)), and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts" (Jacob 6:5). Don't become like my basil plant which stem had become hardened and takes really long time to soak up nutrients. "Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?" (Jacob 6:6) Don't let your spirit die, not even a tiny bit. Every day is a chance to be reborn in Christ. Every day is a chance to drink of the waters of life, to remember Christ.

All too often we "quench" ourselves of the very nutrients that will strengthen and help us, "the words which have been spoken concerning Christ...and...the good word of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost...and [then we] make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which [has] been laid for [us]" (Jacob 6:8). These are the very things we should be "drinking in" to sustain us spiritually and to help us "always remember Him" (Moroni 4:3; D&C 20:77; Moroni 5:2; D&C 20:79;  Mosiah 5:12). Sometimes I don't think we mean to make a mock of the great plan of redemption, but we do when we forget about Him. Sometimes we just get busy and, well, lazy and forget to water the plant. And that's when we "quench the Holy Spirit" (Jacob 6:8).

The Apostle Paul said it simply: "Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Instead, water the plant, feed your spirit. Christ said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost"(3 Nephi 12:6). Choose to drink deeply on a daily basis. Christ is the fountain of living waters (John 4:11-14). He will help us grow and become trees of life (see Proverbs 11:30). It is our choice, and what a blessing He will lead the way. Remember Christ. This I testify is the best drink you will ever have in your life!

"I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it..." (Jacob 5:47)

We have an apple tree in the back yard that has been pruned a lot over the years in various manners. In taking care of this tree I have learned that when I prune it, it will grow more where it has been cut. I find that very interesting. In order for new growth, I must cut away some of the tree. If I want the part of the tree to grow that seems to be smaller to get larger, I must cut it back a bit in order to help it grow.

This is what Christ does with us. He has done this with all the generations of time, He will "prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not" (Jacob 5:4). When He "prunes" us to help us grow by having us go through afflictions, trials, and challenges, we sometimes don't like it at all because it isn't easy and it definitely hurts. Being "pruned" hurts us because we think we are growing just beautifully and want to stay in the same shape we are in. If it were that simple, none of us would ever need to exercise or worry about eating correctly again. But it takes some real "pruning" to change some of the behavior that we have grown accustomed to doing.

Notice that the Lord also tells His servants to "nourish" the trees (nourish or nourished is found 22 times in Jacob 5). The Lord does nourish us and strengthen us, but sometimes we refuse to accept the nourishment He is offering. It is just like my son who refuses to eat what I have made for dinner even though he has eaten it numerous times in the past, because he just discovered that I have been putting mushrooms in the dinner all this time, and he supposedly hates mushrooms. Don't we do this, at times, to the Lord? He offers us nourishment, but because it isn't convenient, or in a form we like, or is something new, we refuse to even read, or listen, or try what is offered because it isn't to our "taste". It takes real faith to open our hearts and minds to accept that God knows more than we do (see Mosiah 4:9), that truth doesn't change, neither does God, for He is a God of miracles (see Mormon 9:9-11). It takes real faith to be humble enough to follow a prophet who speaks out and tells us to "ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe" (Pres. Thomas S. Monson) especially in a world where wrong is right and right is wrong.

The Lord will "dig about [us] and dung [us]" (see Jacob 5:76). He will make sure we are properly cared for through His servants the prophets. We have been promised "...the President of the Church will not lead the people of the Church astray. It will never happen" (James E. Faust). Yes, dung can be fertilizer, but I also believe that in life, sometimes, dung just happens. Everyone has it in their lives, some more than others. I can tell you right now, the grass is greenest where you are standing. Just open your eye, your spiritual eyes (see 2 Nephi 16:10), and you will see just how much you have been blessed. It is awful when we compare ourselves to others because we are comparing our worst to others best, or sometimes our strengths to others weaknesses. We don't see the whole picture when we are doing the comparing. That isn't our job to makes such judgements, that is called "incorrect judgement". It will and does make you unhappy, ungrateful, and only see the "dung" in your life rather than the incredible gift that fertilizer brings, growth!

You know, when the tree is pruned, digged about, pruned and then dunged, the fruit comes. "By their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20). What fruit do I want to produce? Do I want good fruit? Let your roots soak up the nourishment that Christ has given us in the "good word of God" (Hebrews 6:5), produce "good fruit" (Matthew 7:17) and trust that when you are being "pruned" the Lord, the Master Gardner, knows exactly what He's doing and that you are being shaped into the most beautiful tree you could ever imagine. You are in His care. Christ is the Master Gardner and knows exactly what He is doing. Even when we have a lot of "fertilizer" in our lives. This I testify.

"...Ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long..." Jacob 6:7

I love good food. It doesn't have to be expensive, but I do like good food. One of my favorites is butternut squash soup with a little bit of Gorgonzola cheese in it. Or pumpkin curry soup, hot bread out of the oven, I grind the wheat and everything. I love fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and fresh basil and balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzled over it. My mouth is watering just picturing all this yummy soul food. Home made macaroni and cheese with bacon or sausage in it, so cheesy and good. It is nourishing to me and comforts and lifts my spirits.

Nourishing to the soul. Food can be that way, filling and nourishing. I love it when it is cooked just right, and boy can it be a bummer when it isn't. This week I got a thawed out chicken breast sandwich, which was way too expensive and a  hair in it to boot. I was bummed. The waiter/owner didn't even apologize. Guess that's the breaks when I don't make my own food or go somewhere I know is a really good place.

There is a guaranteed place to get "good nourishment" every time you enter. It is the scriptures, you will be "nourished by the good word of God all the day long" (Jacob 6:7) if you choose to partake. Sometimes, we have a feast before us, and then we don't chew or swallow, but spit it right back out as if there is a hair in it. We don't really partake. The scriptures really do have that kind of power- to nourish you all day long. How? Because when we "feast upon the words of Christ" (see 2 Nephi 31:20) something happens to us. We are changed. We are fed in a way that man cannot feed us. The words of Christ are able to actually heal and strengthen us, both physically and spiritually.

In the most recent General Conference (you can view all addresses here) Elder Richard G. Scott, an apostle of the Lord, (just think of that alone, an apostle of the Lord,) testified of the power in pondering scriptures:

"Pondering  a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one's ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing." 

The Power of Scripture

We get to choose whether or not we want to allow this power that is there for us to partake, lift, and heal us both physically and spiritually or just rot on the shelf. We decide what we think about. In The Guide to the Scriptures we are taught that "the power to think is a gift from God, and we are free to choose how we use our power to think. The way we think greatly affects attitudes and behavior, as well as our standing after this life. Righteous thoughts lead to salvation; wicked thoughts lead to damnation."

Remember: "To be carnally-minded is death (that is spiritual death), and to be Spiritually-Minded Is Life Eternal" (that's S.M.I.L.E.) (2 Nephi 9:39). Choose to be spiritually minded every day~ smile! Have eternal life (A Christ like life) every day by being spiritually minded. It is our choice! And one of the easiest ways to help us direct our thoughts and "feed our minds" is to read the scriptures daily. "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God" (D&C 121:45).

In my own life I have felt and experienced this nourishing and healing power as I have studied the scriptures. There is a calming influence that has come into my life as I have chosen to "receive the pleasing word of God, and [I] feast upon His love; for ye may if your minds are firm forever" (Jacob 3:2). Not only can we feast upon His word, but we can feast upon His love. Come and be changed...be nourished by the good word of God and feel His love! This I testify will never fail you, but will heal you and strengthen you and is food and nourishment for the soul. And it tastes better than anything I've ever eaten!