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(Introductory note: So we've finally made it to the general session of stake conference. This is even further away from Elder Jensen's actual words than the other molaq quotes in the previous two svithes. He said this was the first time he was trying out this extended metaphor. I thought it worked well. But I'm)
The Church has a forester on staff who primarily takes care of lumber but they also work with a fellow in Palmyra who has, over time, been given stewardship over the Sacred Grove. He's not educated with a degree and forestry and he's not even a Mormon but he has a great love and instinct for the trees of upstate New York and the Grove in particular. The forester doesn't really approve of his methods, but they are working.
The man's name is Robert or Roger Parrot [sic? Elder Jensen even spelled it for me but I was in another room with the kids and without my notebooks and didn't quite get it] and philosophy is, basically, to let nature run its course. No more careful bark-lined paths. No more clearing away deadfall. No more removing the healthier tree's competition. And under his stewardship the Grove has thrived.
We can find a lot of lessons here. (Basically, how every thing they had done preParrot while well intentioned resulted in weaker unhealthier trees. And each of those things is a metaphor to apply in our own lives. I'll let you do the heavy lifting here.) Every tree, to thrive, must grow towards the light. And so must we.
(Conclusionary note: The most striking image in this long extended metaphor to me is the tree that, its access to light blocked, makes a right turn in its trunk, moves into the light, then begins growing upward again. I think that's just beautiful.)
Priesthood Leadership (mostly on women)
Early Sunday Morning (mostly on Mormon/gay relations)
Sunday Morning (mostly on trees)
Sunday Evening Fireside (mostly on Church History)
I liked that part of the talk too. I think it's Parrott.
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