Once upon a time there was a once a young tree planted in a quiet field. Each day, the gardener came by to water it and tend the soil, To anyone passing by, the tree looked like nothing special—just a small, fragile sprout.
As weeks passed, other plants nearby grew faster and taller. They basked in the sun, proud of their quick progress. The little tree, on the other hand, didn’t seem to change much. Its leaves stayed few, and its branches were thin. But what no one could see was that its roots were growing deep.
Then came the drought.
The ground cracked, the sun beat down, and the winds howled. One by one, the tall, shallow-rooted plants began to wither. But the little tree stood firm. While others had grown up, it had been growing down. Its roots had quietly dug deep, tapping into water far below the surface.
When the rain finally returned, the little tree was stronger than ever. It hadn’t just survived the storm—it had been prepared for it.
We often want spiritual growth to be fast and visible. But sometimes God asks us to grow in ways the world doesn’t see. Scripture study, sincere prayer, quiet obedience these are the deep roots that sustain us in the droughts and storms of life.
Growth takes time and it doesn't have look dramatic. If you're drawing closer to Christ daily, your roots are going deep.
Elder Michael A. Dunn introduced an approach to personal growth and spiritual development: focusing on small, consistent improvements.
He introduced a compelling approach to personal growth and spiritual development: focusing on small, consistent improvements.This was based on inspiring story about the British cycling team's transformation under coach Sir Dave Brailsford. For over a century, the team had little success, with no British cyclist ever winning the Tour de France and only a single Olympic gold medal since 1908.
Brailsford introduced the concept of "the aggregation of marginal gains," focusing on making 1% improvements in every aspect of performance. This included optimizing equipment, training methods, nutrition, sleep quality, and even hygiene practices. For example, they tested different massage gels for faster muscle recovery, taught riders proper handwashing to reduce illness, and customized pillows and mattresses for better sleep.
These small, consistent enhancements led to remarkable results. Within five years, the British cycling team won 60% of the gold medals in track cycling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2012, they set nine Olympic and seven world records at the London Olympics. That same year, Bradley Wiggins became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France, followed by Chris Froome's multiple victories in subsequent years.
Elder Dunn used this story to illustrate how small, consistent efforts in our spiritual lives—like daily prayer, scripture study, and acts of kindness—can lead to significant personal growth over time. He emphasized that, through the Savior's grace, even our modest efforts are magnified, leading to profound spiritual transformation.
I sometimes struggle with creating new habits but the way i started was remembering to pray at least before i went to bed, within the next few days I was doing it also when i woke up. I have this thing for researching topics so for my daily scripture i am using the We Believe app...this has led me to post on here daily additional stories or scriptures that has helped me have a more spiritual day...
What can you do to grow 1%?
TRANSLATED TO SPANISH
TRADUCIDO AL ESPANOL
El élder Michael A. Dunn presentó un enfoque para el crecimiento personal y el desarrollo espiritual: enfocarse en mejoras pequeñas pero consistentes.
Compartió una historia inspiradora sobre la transformación del equipo de ciclismo británico bajo la dirección del entrenador Sir Dave Brailsford. Durante más de un siglo, el equipo tuvo poco éxito: ningún ciclista británico había ganado el Tour de Francia, y solo habían obtenido una medalla de oro olímpica desde 1908.
Brailsford introdujo el concepto de “la suma de pequeñas mejoras marginales”, que consistía en hacer mejoras del 1% en cada aspecto del rendimiento. Esto incluía optimizar el equipo, los métodos de entrenamiento, la nutrición, la calidad del sueño e incluso las prácticas de higiene. Por ejemplo, probaron diferentes geles de masaje para una recuperación muscular más rápida, enseñaron a los ciclistas a lavarse las manos correctamente para reducir enfermedades y personalizaron almohadas y colchones para mejorar el descanso.
Estas mejoras pequeñas y consistentes llevaron a resultados extraordinarios. En menos de cinco años, el equipo británico ganó el 60% de las medallas de oro en ciclismo de pista en los Juegos Olímpicos de Beijing 2008. En 2012, establecieron nueve récords olímpicos y siete récords mundiales en los Juegos de Londres. Ese mismo año, Bradley Wiggins se convirtió en el primer ciclista británico en ganar el Tour de Francia, seguido por múltiples victorias de Chris Froome en los años posteriores.
El élder Dunn usó esta historia para ilustrar cómo los esfuerzos pequeños y constantes en nuestra vida espiritual—como orar a diario, estudiar las Escrituras y realizar actos de bondad—pueden llevar a un crecimiento personal significativo con el tiempo. Enfatizó que, gracias a la gracia del Salvador, incluso nuestros esfuerzos más modestos son amplificados, lo que nos lleva a una profunda transformación espiritual.
A veces me cuesta crear nuevos hábitos, pero comencé recordando orar al menos antes de dormir; a los pocos días ya lo estaba haciendo también al despertar. Me encanta investigar temas, así que para mis escrituras diarias uso la app We Believe... esto me ha llevado a compartir aquí todos los días historias o escrituras adicionales que me han ayudado a tener un día más espiritual.
¿Qué puedes hacer tú para mejorar un 1%?
