The Useless Tree

( a talk I gave in church on Aug 30, 2026)

Good afternoon brothers and sisters. I was asked to speak about our monthly theme which is “Focussing on the promptings of the Holy Ghost vs the distractions of Satan.” I want to share a story with you about why it’s important to focus on the right things. This is the story of The Useless Tree.

A long time ago in China there was a carpenter traveling with his apprentice. One day they passed through a small village and came upon a magnificent oak tree. Although the apprentice had studied and seen many trees, he had never seen anything like this. He stopped to look at the tree. It was enormous. Its trunk was wider than a team of oxen and its branches twisted and sprawled in all directions. It was beautiful.

But the carpenter didn’t even bother to stop. He just continued walking. After a few minutes the apprentice ran and caught up with him. “Why didn’t you stop to look at that tree?” he asked. The carpenter responded, “That was a useless tree.” The apprentice was surprised. So the carpenter explained, “It’s trunk and branches are knotty and gnarled and full of too much sap. Make a boat with it and it would sink. Make furniture and it would soon break. Make a door, and it would be crooked. Its wood is poor quality. It is a useless tree.”

Later that night, the carpenter went to sleep and had a dream. In his dream the tree came to him and said, “I heard what you said about me. You called me a useless tree.” “Yes I did,” replied the carpenter. “What is it that you compare me with?” asked the tree. “An Apple, pear, or cherry tree? They are valued for their fruit. But as soon as the fruit ripens the tree is stripped and treated with indignity. Its boughs are snapped off and burned. Ah, but you are a carpenter. You wish I had grown more straight, with less knots and sap, so I could be used to make fine furniture. But if I had done that, I would have been cut down long ago. You have judged me based on the value of my lumber. But I chose to value other things. And as a result I have been able to live and grow for a thousand years. I am not useless. I can provide shade for an entire village.”

Do we sometimes judge ourselves by the wrong standards, by worldly standards? Or are we able to ignore those distractions and live and grow according to God’s plan of happiness? What kind of tree do you want to become? The world values things and people differently than God does. This so-called “useless tree” became majestic and beautiful because it ignored what the world wanted. The carpenter only thought of money, or whether the lumber would be good for furniture. But the tree ignored those values. And that is exactly why it was able to grow for so long and become so full and beautiful. It may not have produced fine furniture, but it was able to serve and provide shade for an entire village. And it was able to live longer and healthier and happier than most other trees.

Do you remember another story about another tree in the Book of Mormon? Lehi and Nephi’s vision of the tree of life. Lehi said the fruit of this tree “was desirable to make one happy.” It filled people with great joy. But to get to that tree you had to follow a straight and narrow path. There were mists of darkness. It wasn’t always easy to see past the distractions, to find the right way. The scripture says that many “who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.” But others were determined and used the rod of iron, or the scriptures, to help them stay on the path until they were able to partake of the fruit.

The scriptures are a wonderful tool to help us on our way. They really are like an iron rod, getting us through distractions and mists of darkness. When I came home from my mission, I met with the stake president to be released. At this time, in the 90s, there was an emphasis on trying to read at least 30 minutes each day from the scriptures. My stake president told me, “I want to put you on the 30 second Book of Mormon program.” I said, “Do you mean the 30 minute Book of Mormon program?” “No,” he said, “Let me explain. You’ve been serving as a full time missionary. But now you’re going to be going back to school, getting a job, and more. Life is going to get busy. You should keep trying to read the scriptures for at least 30 minutes every day. But I know that things are going to change for you. Some days, you’re going to be late for work or have other stresses and you’re not going to have time to read for 30 minutes. On those days you can read for 30 seconds. You can always read for 30 seconds. Even if you’re late for work, no one cares about or notices an extra 30 seconds. That is the 30 second Book of Mormon program.”

This idea from my stake president was a blessing in my life. Even reading from The Book of Mormon for just 30 seconds in the morning, before my day starts, is like touching my hand to the rod of iron, making sure it’s still there, and I can feel it, and I’m still connected. You might be surprised how as little as 30 seconds can change your entire day. If you feel busy and distracted, maybe the 30 second Book of Mormon program is for you too.

Reading further about Lehi’s vision we find that some people made it to the tree of life but “after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.” Lehi saw:

… a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

This is one of Satan’s great distractions and deceptions. He says, you know, you could be a lot cooler. You could be like that flashy character in the spy movie. Or you could be free and happy like that person on instagram who has a billion likes. But instead you just sing in the ward choir. C’mon, you’re cooler than that aren’t you? The world tries to convince you that you need to leave behind your church activity if you want to be in the in crowd. The world will even tell you that your faith and virtues are politically incorrect. And it doesn’t matter what party you belong to. The world does not value the same things that God values.

What kind of tree do you want to be? Do you want to be something that is worth a lot of money? Something flashy that gets a lot of likes on instagram? Or do you want to be like the beautiful oak tree that ignored what the world valued? Do you want to get gain and fame? Or do you want to provide shade for an entire village? Do you want to be like that flashy character in the movie, speeding around in the fancy cars and taking crazy risks? It sounds fun. And it always pays off in the movies. But in real life it’s another story. Would you rather be like that, or would you like to have a healthy, happy, balanced life. A life of abundance and joy, but maybe different from worldliness. This world is actually a beautiful place to explore and appreciate. I love that. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the part of the world that is the great and spacious building. The people and attitudes that ridicule those who would partake of the fruit of the tree of life. You know, it’s not called the tree of yummy fruit. Or even the tree of super fun things. It’s the tree of life - it’s about your life - the kind of happy life that your father in heaven wants for you.

I know that you won’t remember most of most what I say today. But I hope you’ll remember this one thing: That next week we’re starting ward choir again and we meet in the relief society room right after church. Try to remember that.

Brothers and Sisters I testify that the scriptures are true, that the gospel is true, that our church is true, and that our heavenly father is aware of our lives. He wants to help us find true happiness. I testify that we can be true. We can avoid the distractions and the mists of darkness and find joy in what we all know is true. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.