Speaker A
I would like to speak of one particular attitude and practice we need to adopt if we're to meet our Heavenly Father's high expectations.
A message on accepting God's loving correction, illustrated by Elder Hugh B. Brown's story of faith and growth.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
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Key Takeaways
- Accepting correction is essential for spiritual growth and meeting God's expectations.
- God’s discipline is an expression of love and has a purposeful outcome.
- Trials and setbacks can lead to greater blessings and personal development.
- Faith requires trust in God's plan even when immediate circumstances seem painful.
- Gratitude and forgiveness transform bitterness into spiritual strength.
What the video covers
- The video emphasizes the importance of willingly accepting and seeking correction to meet Heavenly Father's expectations.
- Elder Hugh B. Brown shares a personal story about pruning a current bush to illustrate God's loving discipline.
- The current bush initially seemed harmed but was being prepared to bear fruit, symbolizing spiritual growth through trials.
- Elder Brown recounts a moment of personal disappointment when denied a promotion due to his faith.
- He expresses his initial bitterness and confusion, questioning God’s intentions.
- A voice, representing God as the gardener, reassures him of a divine purpose behind the hardship.
- This realization leads Elder Brown to forgiveness and gratitude for God's loving correction.
- The video encourages viewers to pray for love-inspired correction to fulfill their potential.
- It teaches that all individuals, regardless of talent or capacity, can meet God's high expectations.
- The message concludes with a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
It is this: willingly to accept and even seek correction.
Speaker A
Elder Hugh B. Brown told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago.
Speaker A
As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a current bush that had grown over six feet high and was yielding no berries.
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So he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps.
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Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the current bush were crying.
Speaker A
And thought he heard it say, "How could you do this to me?
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I was making such wonderful growth and now you've cut me down.
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Every plant of the garden will look down on me.
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How could you do this to me?
Speaker A
I thought you were the gardener here.
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Look, little current bush, I am the gardener here.
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And I know what I want you to be.
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I don't intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree.
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I want you to be a current bush.
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And someday, little current bush, when you're laden with fruit, you're going to say, "Thank you, Mr. Gardener.
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For loving me enough to cut me down.
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Years later, Elder Brown was in line to be promoted to general.
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But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon.
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Continuing his story, Elder Brown remembered,
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I got on the train and started back with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul.
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When I got to my tent, I threw my cap on the cot.
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I clenched my fists and I shook them at heaven.
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I said, "How could you do this to me, God?
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I've done everything I could to measure up.
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How could you do this to me?
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And then I heard a voice.
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It was my own voice.
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And the voice said,
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I am the gardener here.
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I know what I want you to do.
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The bitterness went out of my soul and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness.
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And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to God and say, "Thank you, Mr. Gardener.
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For cutting me down.
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For loving me enough to hurt me.
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All of us can meet God's high expectations.
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However great or small our capacity and talent may be.
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Let us pray for his love-inspired correction.
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In the name of Jesus Christ.
Speaker A
Amen.
Topics:God's willcorrectionspiritual growthfaithElder Hugh B. BrownLatter-day SaintsJesus Christpruning metaphortrust in Godforgiveness
