“They have brought you joy.” And who has the privilege of bringing joy to the Savior? His Church—His people. But how is this possible? He brings us joy, but how can we bring Him joy? By our love. See, loving heart, how He delights in you. When you rest your head on His chest, you not only receive joy

but give it to Him; when you gaze lovingly at His glorious face, you not only find comfort but give Him delight. Our praise also brings Him joy—not just the song from our lips, but the melody from our hearts filled with deep gratitude. He loves us, not because of the value of our gift, but because of the love that motivates it.

The gardener takes his knife and prunes the fruit trees to make them produce more fruit. His little child follows behind and says, “Father, I don’t see any fruit on the trees after you’ve cut them.” No, dear child, you wouldn’t, because the fruit will

come later. When the season is right, you’ll see the golden apples that owe their existence to the pruning knife. Graces that are meant to last take time to grow; they are produced through trials, but not immediately.