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LDS Church
Related links of interest:
lds.org
mormon.org
scriptures.lds.org
familyforever.com
ldschurchtemples.com
familysearch.org
byuradio.org
chperiodicals.lds.org
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My Faith
Alma 32:17-22, 26-37
17 Yea,
there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven,
then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now
I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth
a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
19 And
now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth
it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and
falleth into transgression?
20 Now
of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the
one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man
according to his work.
21 And
now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge
of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not
seen, which are true.
22 And
now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should 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 word.
----
26 Now, as I
said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is
with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection,
any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
27 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.
28 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.
29 Now
behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea;
nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
30 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.
31 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.
32 Therefore,
if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not
good, therefore it is cast away.
33 And
now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed,
and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know
that the seed is good.
34 And
now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect
in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for
ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it
hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened,
and your mind doth begin to expand.
35 O
then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and
whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye
must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this
light is your knowledge perfect?
36 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.
37 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.
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