Blossoming, Flourishing, and Rejoicing

In Pablo Neruda’s poem “Soneto LXXXIX,” he explores what he hopes will happen after he dies:

I want everything I love to stay alive.
and you I have loved and sung above everything.
Therefore, keep flowering, flowery one.

The last line is a bit awkward in English. It reads more smoothly in Spanish — “Por eso sigue tú floreciendo, florida.” But either way, it conveys an important reality: We want the people we love to flourish. We want them to grow, we want them to create, and we want them to find joy.

I thought about that poem as I read the following passage from an 1831 revelation received by Joseph Smith. In this passage, the Lord describes what will happen to different groups of people before His Second Coming:

But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.

Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.

Doctrine and Covenants 49:24-25

This passage expands upon the following prophecy of Isaiah:

The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.

Isaiah 35:1-2

I love the exuberance in both passages. The Lord delights in the happiness and growth of His children.

Mormon reported that after the Lamanites were converted to the gospel by the teaching of Nephi and Lehi, everyone in the land was blessed with peace, plentiful trade, prosperity, and an open exchange of ideas. In short, “they did flourish exceedingly” (Helaman 6:12).

How can we help our loved ones to “flourish” and “blossom?”

1. Accentuate the positive. Notice what they’re doing well and provide positive reinforcement. Support them in their goals, and celebrate their accomplishments.
2. Teach correct principles. Share perspectives and experiences which help them make wise decisions.
3. Foster their independence. Flourishing requires some level of autonomy. They will make mistakes along the way, but they will learn from those mistakes and do better next time—especially if they feel our love and support.

Today, I will remember that my Father in Heaven wants me to flourish, and I will strive to help others flourish as well, particularly my children.