Growing Faith

The prophet Alma taught the people that if they planted the word of God in their hearts it would grow into faith. He explained that if they would simply listen to the word with open hearts and then ponder and act upon the words they heard, the words would grow into faith that would direct their lives. He also instructed them how to recognize that faith was growing within them. He said they would feel it swell within them and that it would enlarge their souls and enlighten their understanding. Finally he said it would be “delicious” to them. (See Alma 32:28.) In other words, they would be able to feel the goodness of it.

I'm sure you've felt this. The word of God does grow goodness within us that is felt and savored. But it is important that we realize that any idea we plant in our minds and hearts will grow and that not all ideas grow goodness. 

Many of the ideas purported in the world today grow into feelings that discourage, darken, and leave a foul “taste” in the soul. These seeds are weeds and need to be plucked out and thrown away as soon as we recognize they are beginning to take root within us. Like any weed, if allowed to grow they crowd out all the good plants and overtake the garden.

Therefore, it is important that we occasionally tend to the garden of our minds in order to care for the good seeds and rid ourselves of the bad. In this way we assure that the good words of God will grow a healthy and strong faith within us.