Faith

Faith in Christ is one of those things that is often difficult to develop, and yet it is one of the most crucial things we will do in this life. That faith can guide us through this life and give us the comfort we need when life gets hard. A prophet from The Book of Mormon describes faith as a seed and describes how seeds grow when planted and given the nutrients they need. My mother recently sent me a small kit to grow flowers. I was so excited that I got to take care of something and make it grow, I planted them according to the specific instructions with how far below the surface to plant them, I watered them daily with just the right amount of water. I put my pot in the sun so that it could soak up the wonderful rays, and the soil is very good. Then I waited for them to grow.

Nothing was happening. I started getting frustrated that my plant was not growing, I wondered if I did something wrong, but I continued to wait. Plants don't always grow when we want them to or as fast as we want them to (ask a farmer), but when the conditions are right, they will grow. This is much like faith. Faith does not usually grow overnight, it takes time for faith to grow. Like waiting for a tender plant to grow, we must be patient with our faith, continuing to give nourishment even if it seems that nothing is happening. 

About a week ago, I saw the first signs of my little plant. I was so excited! They were still very small though, and still needed special care in order to continue to grow. Our faith is the same, it is hard work. It requires diligence, but it is worth it. We must read from the scriptures, pray with sincerity and with an open heart to the answers that God is ready to give us, and we must follow His commandments. The prophet Alma taught: "Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to ye will begin to say within yourselves-It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."

Faith will grow as we nourish it with truth and light from our Savior, Jesus Christ. We must be patient. God does not work on the time schedule that we might wish, and God is not one of immediate gratification.

There is a promise in The Book of Mormon that states, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." I want to add my testimony to that of the prophet, if you will ask God you can know that Christ is our Savior, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true.