Mar 20, 2023

“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”¹ In the parable of the sower we learn that we should examine our hearts to discover whether we are giving our testimony of the gospel a way to flourish. In order to do this we must have humble hearts and continue to trust in God.

Wilford Woodruff wrote in a letter to John Taylor and George Q. Cannon, “As to the infirmities of the body, I expect them, I have them. As to the infirmities of the spirit, I would to God I had less of them. I wish I had been a better man and done more good. But notwithstanding all the imperfections of my nature, I rejoice in God.”² He showed a great example of humbling his heart to plant and nourish his seed of testimony. In his life Wilford overcame spiritual afflictions with the help of the Lord. As he continued to trust in the Lord and humble himself, he overcame his afflictions. I know that as we follow Wilford Woodruff’s example, we can overcome our physical and spiritual afflictions, and our hearts will become open to hear the word of the Lord.

Natalie Hancock is a Senior Editorial Assistant at the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project. She currently attends BYU. In the future she hopes to graduate from the Marriott School of Business at BYU and open her own business. She enjoys learning about the faith and testimonies of Wilford Woodruff and others during his time.