A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 32:30-43 I am reading through the process of how to nurture the seed of faith. This morning, I am particularly interested in how I can continue to cultivate the principle of gratitude which I have recently made a dedicated study of. As I have studied gratitude and humility , I've found the application over this past week to be proof of the principles and their soundness. I'm past this first step of testing the seed. Now I want the fruit, but I feel that the seedling is faltering a little. Verse 37 reads: And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit. I'm grateful that Alma didn't stop there though, and also addressed what happens if we neglect the seed. Verse 38 is a warning that if we neglect the seed, when the heat of the sun comes, w...

Alma 32:22-29 As I read these next few verses, I'm contemplating the relationship between the seen and the unseen, God's commands given to prophets  to write the word of God, and how that becomes something that can be seen, so that we can believe in those things which are not seen. And then light, the light of God, the light that Joseph saw in the grove after he exercised his faith! Alma had to teach these poor and impoverished people how to believe. He had to give them instructions on how to have faith. The first step is humility.  The next is a desire to believe.  The final step is to plant the seed of faith in the word of God.  There is a parallel here in the Savior's teaching about the sower and the seeds found in Matthew 13:3-23 . It's also noteworthy that one of the first things Alma says is this: ...remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his ...