"So when me and elder pulham got our talks on parables, we wernt quite sure how we were going to fill up 20 minutes worth of time on parables. So since i didnt know what to do? or what to say the first thing i did was i went straight to the Bible Dictionary and looked it up. and it says...
(Bible Dictionary: Parables: Definition 1.)
Reminds me of Oriental Masters or teachers. LIke master Splinter from the Ninja Turtles or Mr. Miagi from the Karate Kid.
Usually when the students would ask a question, the teacher explains the answer thro a parable or story. They are usually simple examples, but carry great meaning so that the student ends up teaching himself, making it easier for him to learn and understand.
LIke mr. Miagi, he taught the karate kid to wax cars, paint fences and sand floors. The karate kid just about gave up because he didnt understand how any of these things could relate to karate. But as the master explained, the boy understood that the motions he was making by doing these tasks, were actually training him in karate.
Just like the scriptures, we might be reading them and think "what does this have to do with me?". If we take a look at it in a different drection or point of view we might find greater meaning.
One thing that i like about the definition of parables is where it says "to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story". This is tru about the Bible and the Book of Mormon let alone parables. If we arent searching for greater meaning or answers then all we are doing is reading a story and we arent getanything out of it. All stories usually have some sort of symbolism or lesson to learn from them and i think that the stories wont be as meaningful unless we look for those things and apply ourselves to them.
The first thing that came to my head when i got this talk was my childhood, and remembering all the meaningful parables and stories i was told as a child. One of the ones that stuck out to me most was "The boy who cried wolf"
(Everyone knows this story but i still shared it in my talk)
When i heard this story as a child, i didnt realize the valuble lesson it carried. I didnt see how watching sheep had anything to do with me. But the more i thought about it the more i could apply it to myself. So i knew from that point on, i wouldnt yell for help from my parents unless i really needed it. And i would hate to be in a situation where i did need help and no one would come help me because they thought i was just kidding or being silly.
My second thought when i recieved theis talk was the Primary. I think primary uses tons of parables to explain the gospel to children. The first thing that came to mind was the song "The wise man buildt his house upon the rock". This song, being very simple and fun, also holds deep gospel truth. It talks about a foolishman building his house upon the sands and when the rains came his house was washed away. But the wise man built his house upon the rock and when the rains came, his house didnt budge.
When i break this song down and apply it to myself i realize the great gospel lesson that is being told.
So how i translated it was like this...
I am the men in the song, my house is my faith or testimony. The rain in my life is sin or temptation. And the rock in my life is the church. So when i put this all together i learn that when i build my faith or testimony upon the foundation of the church, and the sin and temptation come, i will be unshaken. But if i dont have the church as my foundation, then it would be easy for sin and temptation to sweep away my faith and testimony.
So in just a small fun primary song, it teaches us great things about this gospel.
There are a lot of great and popular parables in the scriptures. One of my favorites that i would like to share is the parable of the lost sheep. and it is in Matthew Chapter 18 VRS 12-14 and it says...
(Matthew 18:12-14)
Now that i have read this, apply yourself into the story. The thing i like about this one is i can be the sheep or the sheperd.
Say i'm the shepherd andi lose one out of a hundred of my sheep, but that lost sheep represents someone who is seeking the gospel, or someone who once was a member but has fallen away. Am i going to give up on that person and just be content with my ninety nine? I know god wouldnt give up on them so why should i? I'd do whatever it took to bring that person to the gospel, and when we become members of this church, we all become shepherds and its our job to find those lost sheep and bring them to god. And there are a lot of lost sheep.
Now say i was the lost sheep. At times i have doubts and worries. But god is the shepherd and i know god will always come help me when i stray a little because god cares about all his children and he will not let them fall away.
As i was studying parables i found that the most important thing you can do is to put yourself in the shoes of one of the characters in the story and see what lessons they learned to help you learn.
As missioaries this is the best way to help people best understand a scripture because if you can relate or apply to the scripture, then you're going to learn a lot more from it. So as we read scriptures we usually ask questions like "How would you feel in this situation" or " what lesson do you think this person learned in this passage?". Whe you ask people questions like these then they are able to apply themselves to it and basically teach themselves.
So i'd like to share with you my favorite scripture and its a little long but really good. Its not nescisarilly a parable but if you translate it like you would a parable and put yourself into this scripture, then its going to have a greater impact on you. So as i read just try and apply yourself to this scripture and see what you learn.
(2 Samuel 22:2-44)
I see so much strength in this scripture and as i translate it for myself it has an even greater meaning.
So i am the person in this scripture, and my enemies are sin, sadness or temptation. And so when i feel like sin, sadness or temptation are bothering me or controlling my life, this scripture says to get down and pray. And as long as i am a worthy son of god, then god will he my prayers and he will be so angry that wicked things such as sin, sadness or temptation are bothering me that he will give me the strength to destroy my enemies. Now in the scripture it also says that god came out of the heavens riding the clouds, wtih smoke coming out of his nose and fire coming out of his mouth. But when i pray i know this wont happen, but what it explains to me is the intensity of gods anger, if i am a worthy son of god then he will deliver me and strengthen me. because i shouldnt be bothered by these things.
Now as i read that and you applied it to yourselves you might have come up with something completely different, and that's the cool thing about parables, is that the meaning isnt always the same, its up to you o apply it to yourself.
In seminary they used to tell us to not water skii the scriptures, to not just snorkle them either, but to deep sea dive the scriptures, get into them and find things you had never seen before. Find extra meaning, break apart these parables and apply yourselves into them. and like the definition of parables says "Parables can reveal the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven"
(share testimony)
I hope all who read this liked it... i didnt spell check or grammar check anything haha so if its hard to understand, then i'm sorry. I was staring at the paper the whole time...
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