Seeds, Ground and testimony

Alma 32 – talks about testimony and compares it to a seed if planted in rich soil, it will grow.

I love the visual of this entire chapter.  I especially appreciate the 42^nd verse and these words:  diligence, faith, patience with the word.  Why?  One must keep working at it diligently – daily – and have the faith that God is good on his promise.  Why does reading the scriptures require patience?  For most of us, it will not come with the first reading.  Oh, I believe we will have our faith increased, but if we don’t turn right around and start over, it will be like the seed thrown on barren ground as was written about in verse 39.  Then after being patient and reading numerous times, it does begin to be delicious and you find your time in the scriptures is a feast.

This reminds me a little of when we first moved to Alpine.  The ground up here is horrible and left me without a desire to garden.  My neighbor taught me to work with the ground, putting in organic matter and making it rich.  This really did work!  I was thrilled.  Then a year later, as it became time to plant again, I went out to my ground and started to dig.  It was hard as a rock again!  What’s that all about?  Oh, I must put organic matter into the ground every year – constantly – making the ground just right to nourish a seed for growth.  What an analogy!