Sowing. What kind of seed are you?

In Matthew 13:3-8, Jesus gives the parable of the sower. It says,

 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

When I read this, I like to interpret it like this...

The sower is the missionaries. The seeds are people who have received the gospel of Jesus Christ. This parable is about people's reactions to receiving the gospel and how it affects their lives. 

In verse 4, it says that some seeds fell by the wayside and the fowls came and devoured them up. Those seeds that fell by the wayside, I think, are the people who don't come to church very often after being baptized and the members don't go after them and help them come back. The fowls are a representation of trials or temptations that new members go through.

Verses 5 and 6 talks about seeds who fell on stony places and sprung up, but because there was no earth when the sun came up, they were scorched. These are those who probably weren't as converted as they should have been or were those who were pushed too hard to be baptized. These people fall away easily and  go back to their old lives.

Verse 7 is definitely about trials. It talks about the seeds that fell among thorns and the thorns choked them. When new members are baptized, life seems to get instantly harder. That is why members are so important to the conversion process. They are there to support the members and help them grow. 

Verse 8 is the best kind of seed to be. It fell on good ground and grew fruit, lots and lots of fruit. These are the people that accept the gospel, have everything they need to grow (a calling, support from the ward, and daily nourishment from the gospel), and then they go and help others receive the happiness that they have received as well.

I'm posting this for you to see what kind of seed you are. It's a good way to measure yourself and see where your conversion is at. We should always strive to be the kind of seed in verse 8. It really is the best.