The Lord Often Taught With Parables

Teaching by Parable is a method that many teachers throughout history have utilized. A parable is a way to teach a truth or principle by telling a story in a relatable context. During parts of the Savior's earthly ministry, he taught many principles and divine truths through the use of parables. The following are some parables that the Savior taught that can be found in chapter 13 of the book of Matthew:

• Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Tares- This parable tells about a wheat crop that is corrupted by tares which, in a literal sense, are a weed called "Bearded Darnel" (Lolium temulentum). This parable can be used to describe the future of the Lord's church in the Latter-days. At the last days, or the time of the harvest, the members who are seen as wheat will be separated by those who are seen as the tares and be gathered in the farmer's barn.
• Matthew 13:31-33 Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven - These two short parables speak of something that starts out as very small and grows into something magnificent. This Parable can be likened unto the gospel, how it is relatively new compared to some churches and how it started out small and has become a church with more than 150 million members. 
• Matthew 13:44-46 The Parables of the Treasure and The Pearl of Great Price - These Parables are both stories about a treasure that is found by someone and how that person gives up all he has to obtain it. These parables can be applied to those who give up a lot of worldly wealth and recognition in order to serve the church and/ or maintain their membership in it. A sacrifice that we have seen given by many of the Savior's own disciples.
• Matthew 13:47- 50 The parable of the Gospel Net - This Parable talks about fisherman gathering fish into a net and casting out the bad ones once the net is brought ashore. The fisherman mentioned in the parable are the missionaries who spread the gospel(the net) throughout the world and when the fish are brought in and sorted out, it symbolizes the people who have strong testimonies to get them through the tests of life and also those who don't have a strong enough testimony and end up being tossed back into the sea(the world). I think that this parable also speaks to why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 50,000 missionaries out at a time all over the world. The gospel net must be cast throughout the world. 

I love the parables of the Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price. When I think about my life and what I know about the Gospel, I think that I would be willing to give up anything to be a part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In my life I guess you could say that I have sacrificed some things like my time and energy for the gospel, but I don't see it like that, because I loved the time that I spent doing things for the gospel and I wouldn't have rather done something else.
I also appreciate the parable of the Gospel Net. Like I said earlier, in this parable I think that the net represents the gospel and how it is taught by missionaries (who are the fisherman) to God's children all over the earth. I think that gathering the fish into the net and bringing the net to shore represents the missionaries baptizing investigators into the gospel. The process of gathering the good fish into vessels and casting away the bad fish can be compared to people losing there faith and not staying part of the gospel, because there testimony wasn't strong enough.
Sometimes the parables that the Savior taught can be hard to understand, but that is part of the beauty of them. When we desire to learn more about them and develop our testimony, it becomes easier for us to discern their meaning and apply them to our lives. We should seek to understand these teachings, because in them, we can learn the mysteries of the kingdom of God.