Learning by Experience

I have a flower garden that has always been a bit of a challenge to me. I would like it to be beautiful, but since I have not grown many flowers, I’m not sure how to get it there. In the early years, my daughter planted flowers and nurtured the flower garden. When she moved away, there were several disastrous years. Last summer I passed a flower garden that I loved. I took a picture, bought a few of the flowers, and rearranged my garden to reflect this desired look. That garden looked great in someone else’s yard, but it was not the right one for me. So I added a few different perennials. Each summer I have to wait until the flowers bloom and grow before I know if they are going to look like what I envision. Then I adjust my plan and rearrange the next Spring. Eventually, through experience, I am achieving a garden that I love. But I can’t do it without first gaining some experience.

Life has a way of fluctuating and changing. I enjoyed my life's pattern for decades. Now it is different. Life can be happy and life can be hard. Our Heavenly Father needs us to learn many lessons as we grow on our own personal journey to increase “in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52). Many of these lessons can only be learned through experience. When we have faith in our Heavenly Father's great love for us, and his plan for our eternal happiness, our lives can have joy while we are learning these lessons.

Faith in Jesus Christ is forward-looking. Having faith means that often we don’t know what is ahead, and we don’t know the meaning of all things. But faith DOES let us know that God is with us, and trust that He is helping us as we learn by experience. When we understand that God is interested in our eternal growth, and that He loves us and wants to bless us, we can trust that each experience will help us become a little more like Him and His perfect Son.

While we are “experiencing” life lessons, some answers we seek simply may not be available to us yet, because of our limited experience and knowledge. Elder David A. Bednar teaches, “I do not know all of the reasons…, and I do not know everything about the Lord’s timing…. But some things I absolutely do know. I know we are spirit sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. I know the Eternal Father is the author of the plan of happiness. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer” (“That We Might Not Shrink,” 2013).

What about when we see our inadequacies and imperfections through the lens of our life’s experiences? What about our mistakes? Our sins?

"Weakness is not a reason to be discouraged. It is a reason to be humble," teaches Susan B. Porter, in “Receiving the Gifts of God,” November 1, 2022.

Isn't that encouraging? We don't have to feel terrible about ourselves when we recognize our need to change, or when we recognize the flaws in our personality. We only need to humble ourselves and ask for help from the Almighty, our Heavenly Father, who loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.

“And if men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

Through the grace of Jesus Christ, our weaknesses can become a catalyst for seeking our Heavenly Father’s help. Our life’s path can lead us to become more holy, more loving, more wise. Our life’s experience can bring us closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as we rely on them for guidance and light.

Last March, I started my own tomato plants in my kitchen for the first time. I thought I would see how it went. I bought some plants from my friend’s greenhouse for backup. But guess what? My tomato plants grew and most of them had lots of tomatoes. My gardening experience over the last decade has allowed me to become a pretty good gardener! But I had to learn it by experience.

Every season can help us grow within our Heavenly Father’s care, if we turn to Him. May this be a year of faith, growth, and joy for each of us.

Beth Wright enjoys clear skies, loves being with her family, and is thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.