The Story of the Caterpillar and the Butterfly

I like the story a sister told at our stake conference on Sunday about two caterpillars who met on a rock and became fast friends.  Every day the caterpillars would come to the rock to visit and enjoy each other's company.  One day, one of the caterpillars came to the rock as usual, but the other caterpillar did not.  The first caterpillar waited and waited for his friend, but he never came.  Day after day the caterpillar stopped by the rock looking for his old friend, but not finding him.  Finally the caterpillar forgot about his companion, and went on with life.

One day as the caterpillar was munching on a leaf, a lovely butterfly touched down next to him.  "Hello, old friend," said the butterfly to the caterpillar.
 "Do I know you?" asked the dazzled caterpillar.
 "Of course," replied the butterfly, "I am the old friend you used to meet on the rock.  I have become a butterfly. You can become one, too, you know."
"No, I did not know," said the caterpillar.  He thought that there was nothing he wanted more in the whole world than to be a butterfly.  "Please tell me how I can become like you!" he cried.
Well, you have to do two things replied his beautiful friend.  First, you have to want to become a butterfly.  That part is easy.  The second thing is much harder; you must stop wanting to be a caterpillar."


I love this story!  King Lamoni's father stopped wanting to be a caterpillar when he exclaimed, "I will give up all of my sins to know thee."   (Alma 22:18)

I need to give up being a caterpillar if I ever  want to become a butterfly!