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In some of the most notable and momentous events on
this earth, the Lord provided, as beautiful
settings for these poignant historic and monumental events, fine and splendid
gardens.
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~ The Garden of Eden ~
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve conversed and walked with God the Father and Jesus Christ,
and lived in the joy of their presence prior to being cast out
into a fallen state.
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~ The Garden of Gethsemane ~
As we contemplate the most significant yet agonizing event of all time, that of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, we can find solace that it took place
in a garden – the Garden of Gethsemane.
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~ The Garden of the Tomb ~
The Resurrected Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene in the Garden of the Tomb, where Christ had been
laid for burial. This first appearance and testimony of Christ’s victory over physical
death brings hope to all!
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~ The Sacred Grove ~The Sacred Grove was also in a place of respite where the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father
appeared to Joseph Smith. It was in this natural garden that Joseph
Smith was taught that the Kingdom of God would be restored
in preparation for the Lord’s coming.
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“For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he
will comfort all her waste places; and
he willmake her
wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the
garden of the Lord. Joy
and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and
the voice of melody.”
— 2 Nephi 8:3
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Imagine with me another type of garden
(a metaphorical garden)
a most beautiful, exquisite, and expansive garden.
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In this garden of superb beauty is a caretaker, a Master Gardener, who
lovingly cares for every detail of His garden. His only desire is that the flowers in His garden sup with Him
daily and partake of all the nourishment He has to offer for their
well-being. In this garden there is every flower and tree imaginable.
Their beauty surpasses all, enhanced by their variety. Their uniqueness
and splendor is a wonderful reminder to all - of the love that the Gardener
has for His garden.
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The trees in this expansive garden give
strength, grandeur, and protection to the flowers,
as do fences and gates that safeguard the garden
from outside predators.
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The uniqueness and variety of the flowers create a landscape of beauty to exceed all. In the garden are found many diverse conditions that help them grow
more beautiful and strong. Their distinct circumstances and
even hardships, experienced while being nurtured, ultimately create a magnificent landscape.
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At times, though, some of the flowers in the garden compare
themselves with each other, even though each is uniquely
and tenderly loved the same by the Gardener, no matter its size,
its color, its shape, or the hardships it must grow in. He
sees their true beauty and loves them no differently.
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Some of the flowers in the garden are hardy, while others
are very fragile and require tender care, but the Master
Gardener helps them to see that their own unique gifts of beauty
and strength are of great worth.
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The Master Gardener loves to come across a field of wild
flowers. What joy they bring! Their greatest desire is to bring
happiness to all they come in contact with. Though it may be difficult to find order among
some wild flowers, the Gardener recognizes their gift of joy and contentment
with life.
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At times the flowers are found growing amidst the rocks of hardship. Even
in such difficult circumstances they can flourish and share their
great beauty.
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Often times there are flowers who feel they are insignificant or feel lonely
and not part of the garden or worth the
Gardener’s attention.
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We are often reminded that everything has a
purpose, even if it may cause discomfort or pain. Ultimately our joy is more
full because of the challenges
we have faced.
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As unique and radiant as the flowers are, their full
potential and ultimate purpose are only made
manifest when they bring joy to those who visit the garden, which will in turn help them to forget about
themselves.
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Often there are noxious (and even obnoxious) weeds, such as
“Morning Glory,” that enter without warning. If not properly
taken care of on a daily basis, they slowly and subtly entangle the flowers and ultimately choke them from all the joys of being in this beautiful garden. The
Master Gardener has a plan to rid the devastation of
“Morning Glory.”
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The Gardener helps the flowers understand that each new day is a fresh
start and that each can be renewed and still partake of His offerings, even if
they have gone for a while without
His nourishment.
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The love that the Master Gardener has for each flower and tree in his Garden surpasses all.
However, in order for Him to fulfill His ultimate design, He must have
helpers that work in His garden that act as
caretakers.
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Sisters, you are the flowers in this beautiful and spacious garden,
and the trees represent the presence and the
blessings of the priesthood.
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The priesthood can shelter us from the storms and the
entanglements of Satan if we will only utilize their blessings
and the gift the Master Gardener, our Savior Jesus Christ, offers us. He deeply
loves each one of us and knows us personally. He sees all that we are and what we will yet
become.
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All He wishes is that we come to Him daily and
receive of His nourishment and partake of His eternal blessings, which will bring
us immense joy and consolation even in the
seasons when we must grow amidst the rugged rocks of
life.
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Throughout our lives, we encounter the very subtle influences of
“Morning Glory.” Satan is working at all times to slip in thoughts and
influences that may cause poor judgments. This can prevent us from coming to the Lord to be
nurtured by Him. The greatest gift of all, the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, can uproot and cast out all sources of “Morning Glory” in our lives. It can become our source of comfort from the ailments of life and bring us hope and peace in a
time of discouragement, sorrow, or sin.
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“And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should
bemade; therefore God himself
atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan
of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God,
anda merciful God also.”
— Alma 42:15
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I see all of you as the most
beautiful women in the Lord’s
garden of life . . .
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even though there may be some who are feeling a
bit wilted or malnourished, or feel they are not worth the Savior’s
love and attention.
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I can assure you that each one of you is worth the
Lord’s deepest love and attention.
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There is not one of us that He does not
understand or cannot relate with. He knows each of our joys AND our pains, sorrows,
and heartaches.
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Sisters, I have been called to be one of the Master Gardener’s
many helpers!
I can clearly see the beauty found within each of you. By aligning
our lives with Christ, partaking of the wellspring of nourishment He freely offers, and by being faithful to the covenants we have made, we will see our inner splendor
that shines brighter than any physical beauty.
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How grateful I am for the strength that surrounds the women of the church by their goodness, and
the power and the protective care of the
priesthood that each of us can utilize.
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Sisters, did you know that you too are the
Lord’s helpers?
How might each of us be an assistant or helper in the Lord’s great work?
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Perhaps by being:
A Visiting Teacher
A NeighborA FriendA Sister
A Grandmother A Daughter A Mother A Wife
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Each of you is a daughter of our Father in Heaven. Each
is a member of this wonderful sisterhood. Laurels, you are soon entering into the most glorious gathering of Relief Society sisters in history. Your preparation will help you to be more effective
helpers in this, the Lord’s most important Work of
Salvation.
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Because of the covenants we have made with our
Father in Heaven, we are blessed immensely and
also carry the privilege of living our lives to
exemplify Him.
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Our joy will be great in His eyes and our joy will be magnified as we “sup” with Him daily AND
share of this great joy with others.
How we do this is by following the Relief Society Purposes,
which are....
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“Increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen
families and homes,and seek out and help those
in need.”
— Relief Society Purposes
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“Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice,
and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.”
— D&C 25:13
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“A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment
of a million things, most of which are important. …
Sister Julie Beck’s “Priorities”
From April 2010 BYU Women’s Conference —
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… A good woman must constantly resistalluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her
responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But
with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life
confidently. The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be
acquired in this life.”
Sister Julie Beck’s “Priorities”
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As Sister Beck speaks of the importance of prioritizing
our lives, I believe this is the very thing that allows finding the joy the Master Gardener,
our Savior Jesus Christ, speaks of. Sister Beck often speaks of prioritizing with
these three categories.
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“Essential”
Daily Scripture StudyDaily Prayer
Temple AttendanceSacrament Meeting Attendance
In the “Essential” category are those things that help us to obtain Eternal
Life. Some of these are:
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“Necessary”
Temple and Family HistorySharing the Gospel
Church ServiceCompassionate ServiceCooking, Cleaning, etc.
In the “Necessary” category are those things that help us to become self-reliant
and serve our family and the Lord, such as:
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“Nice to Do”
VacationsGoing out to lunch
Reading a novelCraftsEtc.
In the “Nice to Do” category, are things that will not save us but are enjoyable,
and more so when the other two categories are accomplished first. Such as:
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It is critical that we prioritize, as Sister Beck has counseled us. As we do, our joy will be more replenished and full, and we will also be more effective as helpers in
the Lord’s Garden.
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“Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and
stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto
the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the
purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification
cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”
— Helaman 3:35
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In President Thomas S. Monson’s closing remarks at the April 2011 General Conference,
he states:
“We face many challenges in the world today, but I assure you that our Heavenly Father is
mindful of us. He loves each of us and will bless us as we seek
Him through prayer and strive to keep His commandments.”
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“But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to
grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting
life.”
— Alma 32:41
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________ Peter Lassig story ________
I would like to briefly tell you of a man that I spoke with last year. His name is Peter Lassig. Bro. Lassig was at one time the gardener for President Kimball. Years later he was asked to be the gardener for the grounds at Adam-ondi-Ahman to beautify those surroundings.
He was also assigned to help beautify the Salt Lake City temple grounds and oversaw the creation of the gardens on the top of the
Conference Center. How might the Church’s efforts to beautify and take care of sacred
grounds relate to us? Sisters, if the church is beginning the process of preparing these
sacred grounds for the Lord, should we not be more anxiously engaged in such a righteous
cause as putting our lives and the lives of our families in order, to become spiritually and physically prepared for the time when the
Lord comes again?
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Where can we find our garden as a refuge?
We will find our refuge as we serve in the temple frequently,
partake daily of the scriptures, and pray fervently to a loving Father in Heaven, and as we faithfully serve our
family and God in His Kingdom.
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As we contemplate the singularity and beauty of each
individual sister in this stake, we come to appreciate how the Lord is specifically concerned with and
devoted to the uniqueness that lies within each of us and our
capabilities and purpose in this great work of salvation.
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We are His ministering angels here on earth to help strengthen the
eternal bonds we are building. As sisters, we should love, honor and cherish one another, as we unite with the sacred splendor of the
priesthood and receive the sanctifying power of the atonement
in our daily lives. We are all His helpers in this immense and
wonderful work in the church. We are beautiful and tender flowers, Daughters of God, who, with His supply of nourishment, will find
ourselves -
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“Becoming Joyful Covenant Women of Christ.”
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This talk was given on January 28th, 2012, by Renée W.
Packer
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