Comparing my pine tree to our little branch

As I was looking at my pine tree yesterday morning, I thought that our little branch, here in Battipaglia, is very similar.  Many days, I feel like we are not making any progress at all.  Paul is working so hard, and doing so many good things, but it seems like there is not any growth at all.  But I suspect that Heavenly Father, looking down from a higher view than we have, does see things that we dont see from here on earth.  I hope there are tender sprouts of growth happening all over.  We hope that we can grow and that the members can gain strength from one another and that new members will join and add their testimonies and faith, so that we can become a ward.  Our little primary could grow and be  full of children, who are the hope of the church for the future.  We dream of having families sealed together in the temple.  Right now, we only have three families who belong to our branch.  Two of those families have their children all grown up.  Only one family has young children.  Imagine a ward with only three children in it. We have only four men who come each week and who hold the priesthood, plus we have three missionary men who almost double our priesthood. But we have 5.... 11 year old boys who are investigating the church right now and wouldnt it be wonderful to have a new generation of faithful young men who will hold the priesthood and be leaders here in the future.  They would be like the growth on my pine tree.