In a way, we are seeds. And for seeds to reach their potential, they must be buried before they can sprout. It is my witness that though at times we may feel buried by the trials of life or surrounded by emotional darkness, the love of God and the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will bring something unimaginable to spring forth.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "God Will Do Something Unimaginable", General Conference, October 2020
Elder Uchtdorf is one of my favorites. They're all good, but Elder Uchtdorf has a way of reaching me. Maybe it's his humor. 😁
Anyway, he brings up an analogy that I never really considered in this way before, or at least really thought about it. We are seeds. We have enormous potential. But...in order to grow, we must be planted, and, planted into darkness. It is necessary in order to progress further.
As children of God, and without mortal bodies, we had to be planted on this earth in order to progress further. This earth is full of darkness. A darkness we never before experienced. Afterall, we came from the presence of God. There is no darkness there, or even a dim light.
Now, we are here. We have been planted and even buried. Trials and challenges, like soil on top of a puny seed, can be crushing. It can be overwhelming. We can succumb to claustrophobia or panic.
However, with the proper nourishment we can sprout and grow into "something unimaginable". We knew what our potential was at one point. Heavenly Father still knows what that is. He gives us all the nourishment we need to grow. He gives us the calm and peace amidst overwhelming, crushing darkness.
We just need to accept it!
The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree - Matthew 13:31-32