The Lord Often Taught with Parables

A parable is a story given to help liken a teaching to understood concepts. Below I have listed questions and parables that I believe help to provide answers to the questions.  

1.   What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

a.   Parable of the tares (wheat growing alongside evil)

2.   Why does the Church send out so many missionaries?

a.   Parable of the tares (going forth and teaching others to come to Christ before the day of gathering)

3.   How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier?

a.   Parable of the mustard seed and the leaven (seeds start small and then grow to a much larger size)

4.   ​Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church?

a.   Parable of the treasure and the pearl of great price (people gave up everything to have the gospel)

5.   Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church?

a.   Parable of the Gospel net (those who are not righteous cannot be part of the gospel net)

 In Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 through 46 we learn about great sacrifices in the parable of the treasure and pearl of great price. The parable teaches that a person would sell “all that he had” in order to obtain the pearl or treasure. I haven’t had to sell all my belongings or trek like the pioneers did to obtain blessings of the gospel of Christ. However, I have made my own personal sacrifices like becoming a bolder member of the church even though this is out of my comfort zone. I also sacrifice my time and talents for callings and my family. All of my sacrifices are worth it because I am blessed when I live righteously.

         Later in these verses it refers to a net (vs. 47) and this is representing the kingdom of heaven. Christ teaches that the bad will be taken from the net (kingdom of Heaven) and the good will be gathered up. I think He is teaching that only the righteous will be allowed entrance into the kingdom of heaven and that we need to pattern our actions now in order to be part of the good that are gathered into the kingdom.