I heard a story about a father whom was teaching his daughter how to ride a bike for the first time. His little daughter strongly desired to ride her bike on her own as she had seen her older sister do.
In Alma thirty two, Alma teaches about taking the leap of faith to learn something new, or gain a knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel. Alma gives instructions in these scriptures that reminded me of this story.
Alma gave instructions as he said these phrases, " Awake, and arouse your faculties even to an experiment upon my words; give place for a portion of my words; give place that a seed may be planted in your heart; if ye do not cast it out by unbelief, it will begin to swell withing your breasts and you will say that it is a good seed, for it begineth to enlarge my soul." ( Alma 32:26-30)
In this story the little girl had decided to try the experiment of faith as she asked her father to teach her how to ride a bike. She felt she was doing well on her experiment as she tried the instruction that her father gave, but the moment she saw something coming that she was not familiar with; a curve on the pathway, she began to cast out our belief, and rather than continue the course with her guide holding tightly, helping her along, she jumped from the bike in fear.
Sometimes experimenting upon the word and beginning to " plant the seed " in our hearts can be much like learning something new. The feeling may be unfamiliar and we may feel tempted to cast the seed out, or flee from an new feeling, or in other words, shut it down.
However, continuing in this senerio if this little girl does not try her experiment again, she will never learn to ride a bike. Although she might fear the change of " trying the experiment " she must trust her father and closely follow His instructions, and allow Him to be her guide. Like this little girl's father, our Father in Heaven is mercifully patient with us, and will allow us to " experiment upon His words" as often as we will try; and He will even allow us to progress and " experiment " upon new doctrines and principles that we may wish to learn about from Him, besides just the knowledge that His restored gospel of Jesus Christ is true. We only but need " plant the seed " with preparation and He will tell us if it is a truth through the spirit.
There is also written in the New Testament a complimentary parable that Jesus Christ taught in Matthew 13: 3-8.
In this parable we learn of some other important factors of " planting our seed of faith " .
In Matthew 13:3-8 it reads;
" Behold a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon the stony places, where they had not much earth: and for-with they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked them; but others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
In this parable we saw two senerios. In one senerio the sower carelessly tried to bury the seed with out preparation. His seeds fell by the wayside and were eaten by the birds. Some fell among the thorns and were choked out. This sower learned that sowing where birds ate and where thorns choked out was not profitable. Had this sower prepared the soil before sowing, he could have possibly reaped one-hundred fold.
In another senerio the seed was planted in " good ground " or in other words this seed was planted in a " prepared heart " ; and this seed brought forth good fruit. Thus, we see the statement , " Whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall reap", being a truth. This careful and prepared sower brought forth that hundredfold.
So how can one " prepare the ground " before they plant their seeds? How could this little girl have been more prepared to learn how to ride her bike, without "casting her seed out " and jumping off the bike? She can be prepared to understand what it is that she is must do on this bike, by researching and questioning her father, or guide?
In our senerio we can pray and ask our Father in Heaven or our guide for personal instruction about what areas in our life we may need to change our behavior so that we are not surrounding ourselves with " dangerous birds " or " thorns to choke us " ? We can research in the scriptures where we can find " good ground" ? If we are seeking extended faith on a certain principle or doctrine we can see what kind of fruit this doctrine has brought others whom have experimented with it? Above all, we must desire to trust our guide, Our Father and His Spirit.
And as Alma says in Alma 32:41, he says that our seed will grow into a tree if we but, " NOURISH THE WORD, yea nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with GREAT DILIGENCE, and with PATIENCE, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FRUIT THEREOF, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white; yea and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit, even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst."
There have been certain principles and doctrines that I have wished to gain stronger faith in. My experience has been " nourishing " with the scriptures or the "word " and asking my Father in Heaven in prayer have been most helpful for me. As I applied these instructions I have been able to receive witnesses of truths, and personal instruction on how to strengthen my faith in my own life.
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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