DUMBER

I am dumber than my son.

I'm sure that I could pluralize that into sons, but I only have one story at the moment. And I don't dare ask all three boys to recall any of the dumb things I might have done...I don't have nearly enough self-confidence to withstand their answers, nor time and space enough to write them all down! But this story isn't about me being dumb (sorry to disappoint any of you). It is about Joshua being smart.

A few days ago we finished reading Jacob 5, from the Book of Mormon (amazing book, by the way, for any of you out there who haven't read it!) in our morning scripture study. Jacob, chapter 5, has got to be one of the longest, most confusing allegories out there! And yet, it is also one of the most beautiful, symbolic, and meaningful passages about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our very loving Heavenly Father, who is ever working, guiding, and loving us toward our true potential.

Anyway, we finished the chapter and moved on to chapter 6, reading this verse:

2 And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to ^arecover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the ^bservants of the Lord shall go forth in his ^cpower, to ^dnourish and prune his ^evineyard; and after that the ^fend soon cometh.

We moved on a few verses further, until Joshua unexpectedly piped up, saying, "Oh, I get it! So the olive trees are the world and Heavenly Father is in charge of taking care of the world, and Jesus comes and wants to help take care of everyone, and he has servants--those are like missionaries--to help him take care of everything, and then when the end comes--that's like the end of the world--and, I get it, that's why they're burning the bad branches..."

There really is so much more to it than that, but basically, Joshua nailed it. And all on his own, too. It took me years of reading, muddling over, and a college class or two at BYU on the Book of Mormon, before I ever even got close to the understanding he came up with all on his own. My son is definitely smarter than his mom. Sometimes it kind of spooks me, but it always awes and amazes me.