I've always had a thing for analogies, parables, and the like. As
teaching tools, they use every-day situations and ideas to explain
complex principles, making those complex ideas a whole lot easier to
understand. Often, they can explain ideas that would otherwise be nigh
impossible to explain accurately.
Jesus Himself used parables all the time in His teaching. Sometimes this was to make the teaching of a certain principle easier. But often He didn't give an explanation. He simply allowed people to take from the "nice story" what they would- an act of mercy, given that we are each held accountable for following the doctrines we understand.
The first in this series was about ducks. The second one was about medicine.. and salvation. The third was about math class. The fourth was about engines and society. The fifth was about dirt.
This time, it's play time!
My Grandma Hale loved jigsaw puzzles. By the time she passed away, she had an entire closet full of them! Unfortunately, they hadn't been exactly kept separate, some puzzles were in the wrong boxes, and some puzzles were just in zippy bags (It happens when you raise 5 boys!). Good times ensued trying to figure out what pieces went together, what the picture was meant to be. If you don't think that was a task- The only way to make sure you had the whole puzzle was to put it together... all of them!
That's kinda like the truth of God.
He's got the full picture. He gives mankind the full puzzle, including the picture on the top of the box and we rip into and put it together. Some people don't like the picture, others want to be the one to put the last piece in so they hide one or two pieces. Sometimes people just make up their own pieces.
Now take these kinds of shenanigans and multiply them by centuries.. and add power-trippers and bad lighting for translators... you get the idea. You have loads of people who think they know what He's got going on, and they're all a little off.
But Father loves us and doesn't want that for us. So every once in a while, Father re-issues a new box with a full set of pieces for His puzzle. He gave a new puzzle to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, and Joseph Smith (not a comprehensive list, clearly).
This church has the most complete copy of Father's puzzle available on earth today. I'm positive there's more to it, but we're not ready for it. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the pieces we have, for the beauty of the picture we've been given.
Jesus Himself used parables all the time in His teaching. Sometimes this was to make the teaching of a certain principle easier. But often He didn't give an explanation. He simply allowed people to take from the "nice story" what they would- an act of mercy, given that we are each held accountable for following the doctrines we understand.
The first in this series was about ducks. The second one was about medicine.. and salvation. The third was about math class. The fourth was about engines and society. The fifth was about dirt.
This time, it's play time!
 | |
| L-R: Me, Grandma Hale, Mom Mom's first Mothers' Day as a mother. |
That's kinda like the truth of God.
He's got the full picture. He gives mankind the full puzzle, including the picture on the top of the box and we rip into and put it together. Some people don't like the picture, others want to be the one to put the last piece in so they hide one or two pieces. Sometimes people just make up their own pieces.
Now take these kinds of shenanigans and multiply them by centuries.. and add power-trippers and bad lighting for translators... you get the idea. You have loads of people who think they know what He's got going on, and they're all a little off.But Father loves us and doesn't want that for us. So every once in a while, Father re-issues a new box with a full set of pieces for His puzzle. He gave a new puzzle to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, and Joseph Smith (not a comprehensive list, clearly).
This church has the most complete copy of Father's puzzle available on earth today. I'm positive there's more to it, but we're not ready for it. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the pieces we have, for the beauty of the picture we've been given.
