faith experience one, day two

Alma 32:17-43 has many nuggets of goodness on faith.  I was particularly drawn to verse 41

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

It reminds me that faith takes time and work.  I need to work on my faith everyday, and that my faith will only grow as much as I work.  The analogy between faith growing and a seed growing means the most to me.  When I am tending my garden everyday I get great returns on my plants.  However in the last few months I have let my plants dry up and only one plant remains strong.  This teaches me that even if I have a strong faith today, it could be gone tomorrow if I don't work on it.

The same must be true about prayer.  Prayer one way I develop my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  As a missionary I prayed all the time.  It was easy then because I was in a mind frame and  an environment that was conducive to constant, meaningful prayer.  Like caring for my plants everyday, then tapering off, now I am working on re-establishing my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  This experience (in the last two days) has given me the opportunity to talk to my Heavenly Father again, and on a more consistent basis.

-ARi