Faith to grow

         Our faith is very much like a seed. The Book of Mormon Prophet Alma taught this (Alma 32). How does a seed grow? Well first it has to be placed somewhere and generally in the soil for if we want it to grow. So where do we put faith? We have to let it be put into our heart and give place for it. We have to try to believe. Alma said "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith" and that is what we must do to have the seed planted in our hearts. We have to listen to the words which God has spoken and treat it like an experiment.
            When you bury a seed in the ground you aren't going to see it coming up right away and it may seem like nothing is happening. This is where we must test the Heavenly Virtue of patience. God has said that he tests our patience and our faith and maybe that's why sometimes we can't see anything at first when we plant the word of God deep in our hearts (Mosiah 23:21).
              Another requirement for a seed to grow is nourishment. It needs water, and sunlight along with the correct temperatures. For us the way that we nourish the seed in our hearts is through prayer and studying the scriptures. Only as we nourish the seed can it grow. If we do not do these things e can never know if the seed is good. But as we do this the seed will grow and bring forth fruit. The fruit of this seed is joy and happiness, peace of conscience, and a rest to our troubled hearts. We will want to continue to nourish the seed. Then we can know if the seed is good and true.

              I have done this in my own life. One example is when I was gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I couldn't sit around and do this, but I had to read it and pray about it frequently and sincerely. Then I came to know that it is true. These same principles can be applied to anyone on this earth and if done properly they can also know as I know that the Book of Mormon is true, that Jesus is The Christ, Joseph Smith was a Prophet, Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet on earth today, and The Church of Jesus Christ is the Lords Kingdom on earth. If you can have this knowledge, why wouldn't you try this as an experiment?