As a teacher my intent is to increase knowledge and understanding in my students, however, the more I pursue this goal I often find myself learning more from them. Our theme this month is butterflies, however as our studies have taken place my testimony of the eternal truth of ”becoming” has been strengthened.
“And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do
this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” Mosiah 27:26
Together my students’ and I have the opportunity to watch
the miraculous transformation of life take place in these beautiful creatures.
I received the caterpillars when they were minuscule and had
to transfer them to individual cups with food before my students could begin
watching the process. Transferring such tiny and fragile creatures took great
care. Our Heavenly Father takes such care with each and every one of His
children. He has a divine plan in store and knows what we are capable of
becoming.
For a several days the caterpillars eat and eat and eat. We
read and discussed Eric Carle’s The Hungry Caterpillar. During a discussion I posed the following questions to
my students.
“Why do you think the caterpillar was still hungry?”
“After he ate through chocolate cake, an ice cream cone,
pickle, slice of Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, a piece of cherry pie, one
sausage, a cupcake and a watermelon why did he have a stomachache?”
During our conversation I emphasized the importance of
eating healthy foods. We can eat food with little or no nutritional value,
leaving us “still hungry” or with a “stomachache.”
How does this compares to our spiritual journey? We are
surrounded by food of all kind to be eaten. What are we feasting upon? Are you
still hungry? Do you have a stomachache? Perhaps you are not feasting upon
those things that matter most. Are you feasting upon the word of God? As we
feast upon the scriptures and modern day prophet and apostle’s words our souls
are fed. Our craving for understanding and purpose is satisfied and we begin to
change.
“Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give
place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold if it be a true seed,
or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist
the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and
when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It
must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it
beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding,
yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” Alma 32:28
The other day my preschoolers in their innocence and desire
to see movement turned over the cups with these tiny caterpillars inside. The
magnifying glasses I had provided to help them see in greater detail were instead
being used as instruments to tap on the cups repeatedly as the children were
saying, “Move caterpillar move.”
How often do we neglecting to look at our lives through the
eternal magnifying glass to see the progression we’ve made, even the smallest
changes taking place in our lives? Are we instead impatiently tapping on the
cup wanting change and progression to take place faster than the Lord sees fit?
A colleague of mine gave me a copy of Maryjo Koch’s A Butterfly’s View of Life: Eat Sleep Fly.
After completing this unit with my students last year. This picture book
illustrates the beauty of this transformation. These simple statements from the
text ring out with eternal truth.
“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it is
going to be a butterfly.” 1 Samuel 16:7
“To become a butterfly, you must want to fly so much that
you’re willing to give up being a caterpillar.” Alma 32:27 What faith it takes
to allow the process to take place and believe something better truly will come
from it.
“Butterflies are caterpillars that struggle and come through
in flying colors.” Doctrine and Covenants 121:8
I have watched the caterpillars create their chrysalis; yet
I still wonder about the depth of the change taking place. Once the chrysalis
is formed the caterpillar’s struggles do not suddenly cease. Through my
observations I’ve seen chrysalises hanging by a thread at the top of the cup
shaking intensely as the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly takes
place. At times I have worried the chrysalis will fall, but I have found they
are securely attached. Helaman 5:12
Finally the most symbolic part of the transformation to
become a new creature is when the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis. Within
the chrysalis a dye has been formed to color the butterfly’s wings. As the
chrysalis is broken this bright red dye bleeds out into the butterfly cage. I
have to explain to my students this is dye not blood.
Think about that for a moment. It is through the cleansing
and purifying power of the Atonement of the Savior, Jesus Christ, our complete
transformation can be made. To become new creatures is not something we can do
on our own.
“And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore
nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments
in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and
their faithfulness unto the end.” 3 Nephi 27:19
Through this infinite and eternal gift we can obtain wings
to fly; a new life, even eternal life. But first we must be willing to submit
to the storms and allow the transformation to take place.
“And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you
shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”
Doctrine and Covenants 14:7
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