Faith is like a little seed

I was eating an apple one day and I found this seed, so I thought I would try an experiment and see if it grew. Just like this seed, I invite you to experiment with the Gospel- plant it in your heart and see if it grows.

"But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."

I placed it in a tea cup with water and it started to grow! So it must be a good seed.

Just like a seed, the gospel needs to be planted in our hearts in order to know if it is good. If it starts to grow, then it must be!

"Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. 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 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."

Every day it grew, it was exciting to see. Just like when we have experiences that testify what we are doing is right, like answers to our prayers, reading a scripture that applies to us, people saying just the right thing at church, our testimonies grow and its exciting!

"Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge."

Its continuing to grow, but it doesn't really look like anything yet- I kept wondering if the sprout was supposed to look like that, it wasn't green... Just like this seed, at first our testimonies are tiny, and we ask hard questions, but nevertheless- be patient and your testimony will grow.

"But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow."

Its starting to look like a sprout! It looks good! Patience and continuing to exercise our faith does work!

"And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away."

We can tell the difference between a good and a bad seed, this one is good because it grew. But we are not done. We need to plant it, nourish it, let it grow up until it becomes fruitful. Our testimonies are the same, we know its good, but we need to nourish it, and let it grow until we see the blessings that come from it.

"Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
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...
But if ye will 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, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life."