He points out that good ground means having understanding. For one cannot act in faith without having a correct understanding of how to act. If we just go around doing whatever we think might be a good thing to do, we have no assurance that this will ever produce faith unto salvation. For salvation is given alone by Christ to those who have Faith in Jesus Christ (see Galatians 1:6). Faith requires that one act, for faith without works (action) is dead (see Jacob 1:11-12).
Composition of Good Ground
So how does one have good ground? Good ground is the result of the presence of 3 different types of soil: Clay, Sand and Silt. An over abundance of any one of those elements, and the ability of the ground to produce is diminished.Clay helps retain water and distributes heat. Sand counteracts by allowing the movement of water and reflecting heat with little retention. Silt gives life to growing plants through the death of previous plants.
We posses the traits of clay in our lives when we value what the Heavens send down upon us in love and mercy. The degree to which we treasure what Heaven sends is the degree of the amount of clay present in our souls.
We posses the traits of sand by allowing for flexibility in our life for the Lord’s voice to guide us and when we allow for time to ponder over the things Heaven sends to us. If all we do is focus on retention but do not allow for time to allow those things that we retain to sink deep into our hearts -through solemn, careful and ponderous thought- then even though we retain it, it only stays on the surface and does not sufficiently help.
Silt is not something which soil naturally possesses but rather is deposited in soil as the soil allows for the abundance of fruitful growth in its midst over an extended period of time. Certain soils may not naturally allow for such growth initially, but with the help of the Heavens, through the process of wind and water movement, silt from one land may flow to an area of another and be deposited in such abundance to allow for the establishment of ‘good ground’. Such is the case for the gentiles.
An over abundance of silt generally produces a very acidic level of soil, and so too much silt can be a bad thing. This presents itself in soil by causing death to the growing plants because they cannot process the soils nutrients quickly enough.
For this reason the Lord, usually does not send to us more words of Life, until we are prepared to receive them by acting on them. We demonstrate this ability by our faithfulness (implementation by our acts) to what He has already sent (see 3rd Nephi 12:1).
The adversary of our souls however, is eager to attempt to foil the plan of our Father by either increasing the pH level of our soil composition through taking away the light that we possess, (see T&C 93:11) or by decreasing the pH level through flooding us with commandments which we are not yet strong enough to abide. We may see this in extreme teachings of piousness which produce zeal without knowledge (see Proverbs 2:271). Additionally the adversary of our souls has always been willing to provide information devoid of sufficient understanding. King Solomon suffered such an overload of information, and paid a terrible price for it throughout his life (See 1st Kings 2:85-86).
Providing that any certain type of soil is not overly rocky and thus preventing the necessary root growth, a soil may yield in abundance with the appropriate level presence of these 3 soil composition types.
Problems for the Gentiles
As I said regarding the gentiles, we have not produced a sufficiently amount of righteous men among us to be able to establish the soul composition type represented in silt. We may have an abundance of clay or sand, but silt has not been a soil composition type typically found among gentiles (see 2nd Nephi 15:1). As a result, God in His mercy has sent to us the testimony of righteous men in the form of scriptures. Those righteous men have historically been long since dead, but potentially we can reap the benefit from them, because in their words one finds Life! (see 2nd Nephi 14:1)Yet the Savior warned us in the parable that soil that maybe good, (having the proper ratio of clay, sand and silt) can allow for the growth of thorns (weeds). As any gardener knows, allowing the presence of weeds will allow for the choking out of the fruitful plants that the gardener desires to grow.
The Savior clarified that the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this world were the weeds which choke out the fruitful plants which are desirable to grow. Riches are deceitful because in this world they give the illusion of stability. However, in eternity (things which exist before and after this mortal life) we shall see that only through living by the words of Life, can we ever find stability, security or peace.
If we go through the process of preparing our heart (soil) to adequately have the appropriate levels of clay, sand and silt, how do we then, as soil, prevent the growth of weeds which naturally thrive in this world?
We must pay them no heed. We must take the time to discipline ourselves to divorce ourselves from the cares of this world. By hungering and thirsting after righteousness (the fruitful plant) instead of just having possessions (weeds) to measure our worth or eternal value. We must prioritize the things which God values: His children; one another. (see Isaiah 20:7)
