Alma Compares Truth (the Word of God) to a Seed

Then Alma and his brethren began to preach God’s word to the people in their synagogues, houses, and streets. After expending great effort, they began to have success among the poor class of people, who had not been allowed to go into their synagogues because they could not afford fine clothing. Because their fellow Nephites had not allowed them to worship God in their synagogues, considering them to be worthless and unworthy, the poor had become poor in heart and were humble and teachable.

As Alma was teaching some of the Zoramite people on Onidah Hill, a large crowd of these poor people came near. Their leader said, “We are despised, especially by our priests, because we are so poor. Our priests have banned us from our synagogues, even though we built them with our own hands. Now we have no place to worship our God. What should we do?” When Alma heard this, he turned around to face the man. With great joy, Alma realized their afflictions had truly humbled them—that they were now prepared to hear the word. Alma stopped speaking to the other group and stretched out his hand to the humble, crying out, “I see that you are lowly in heart, and if so, you are blessed. Your brother asked me what you should do, now that you cannot go into your synagogues to worship. Do you think that you cannot worship God unless you are in a synagogue? And do you think you should only worship God once a week? It is good that you have been cast out from your synagogues because of your poverty, for now you are humble enough to learn wisdom. Because you have been compelled to be humble, you are blessed, for sometimes the humble will seek repentance. And surely, whoever repents will find mercy. And whoever finds mercy and continues in righteousness throughout his life will be saved.

“You are blessed because you are compelled to be humble. But can you see that those who truly humble themselves because of the word are blessed even more? Yes, those who truly humble themselves, who repent of their sins and continue in righteousness throughout their lives will be blessed much more than those who are compelled by their poverty to be humble.

“Blessed are those who humble themselves without being compelled, who believe in the word of God and are baptized without stubbornness of heart. Many say, ‘If you will show us a sign from heaven, then we will know for sure and we will believe.’ But is this faith? No, for if you know something, you have no need of faith. Those who know God’s will and do not do it are cursed much more than those who only believe God’s word and then fall into transgression. Judge for yourselves, for there is a reward for those who know, and a reward for those who only believe, and everyone will be judged and rewarded according to what they did with their knowledge, or with their faith.

“Faith is not perfect knowledge. If you have faith, you hope for something which is true, but which you cannot see. Remember, God is merciful to all who believe in His name. First of all, He wants you to believe His word that He gives through angels to men and women. And many times little children have words given to them that confound the wise and the well-educated.

“My beloved brothers and sisters, just because you have asked me what to do in your poverty and affliction, do not think that I judge that all of you have been compelled to be humble, for I believe that some of you would have humbled yourselves regardless of your circumstances.

“Now, as I was saying about faith, it is not a perfect knowledge. You cannot know perfectly that what I am saying is true, for faith is not having a perfect knowledge of things. But if you will listen and try an experiment with my words, using just a little faith (even if you have only the desire to believe), then let your desire work within you until you can make a small place for my words in your heart.

“Let us compare the word to a seed. If you make a place to plant a seed in your heart, and if the seed is good, or true, and if you do not discard it by your unbelief, or by resisting the Lord’s Spirit, then it will begin to grow. And when you feel it growing in your heart, you say to yourself, ‘The seed (word) must be good, because it is starting to enlarge my soul. It is beginning to enlighten my understanding and satisfy my soul.’

“Now does this experience increase your faith? Yes. But the seed has not grown into a perfect knowledge just yet. As the seed continues to grow and sprout, bringing joy to your heart, you feel that it is good, and that feeling strengthens your faith even more. After having these feelings, are you sure that the seed is good? Yes, you are, for only a good seed would grow. If a seed does not grow, it is not good, and you throw it out. Because you have tried this experiment—planting the seed—you felt it grow and sprout. And now you know it is a good seed.

“Is your knowledge perfect now? Yes, your knowledge in that particular thing is perfect. You do not use faith anymore because you know the seed (word) has enlarged your soul, sprouting up and enlightening your under-standing—expanding your mind. Then is this real? Yes, because it is light, which is real and good because it is discernible. Therefore you must know that it is good.

“Now after you have felt this light, do you have a perfect knowledge of the word? No, you only know that the word is good, so do not lay aside your faith. As the seed becomes a tree—as your knowledge increases—continue to use your faith by nourishing the tree with great care. Allow it to establish roots, to grow to maturity, and to bear fruit. If you neglect the tree by forgetting to water it, the tree will not take root. When trials and temptations come, you will fall if you do not have strong roots. And when the Lord of the harvest comes to His vineyard, you will be a barren tree, worthy only to be pulled out and burned. If this is the case, you will not be pulled out because your seed was not good, or because you did not want to be harvested. You will be pulled out because you did not nourish the tree. You will not have borne the fruit that you could have tasted (enjoying God’s love).

“Remember, if you do not nourish the word by your faith, looking forward to the fruit, then you will never taste the fruit of the tree. But if you prove to be diligent by using the little faith that you have, and patiently heed His words each day, looking forward to living with your Heavenly Father again, then your faith will become stronger and stronger, until at last you are reunited with Him. If you use diligence, faith, and patience in nourishing the seed (word), allowing it to take root in you, eventually you will taste the fruit, which fruit is most precious, sweet, and pure. You will feast upon this fruit until you are filled, and you will never hunger or thirst again. Then, my brothers and sisters, you will receive the great, eternal reward for using your faith, diligence, and patience with God’s word.”