Find the Truth

It can be difficult to know what is true.  In this age of satellite TV and broadband Internet, we are bombarded with more information than we can really process.  Our senses are overloaded with information.  There seems to be no more room for faith or for God.  So, how does one begin to believe?  There is no scientific method that leads a person to faith in God, but the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon give us some hints.

Paul said, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  Sometimes, to gain faith, we must begin by hoping that something is true.  In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Alma gave a sermon on how to develop faith.  Faith, Alma said, is to “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21, pg 289).  To begin to have faith, we must first be humble.  To be humble means to recognize that we are imperfect or that we have made some mistakes.  It means to recognize that we are unable to solve all our own problems and that we need another’s help.  We need, in fact, God’s help.

We must experiment with faith.  Alma says, “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” (Alma 32:27, pg 289).  To try this experiment, we must first find something we can believe in.  If we can hope to believe in something, like God, Jesus Christ as Savior, and so forth, then we can “experiment” as Alma put it.  How do you experiment with a belief?  First, you must study about it, read the scriptures.  Read the Book of Mormon, especially 3 Nephi 11 (p 427), where Jesus Christ visits the people.  Ponder the meaning of the words and what they would mean for you if true.  For example, ponder what it would mean if Jesus Christ really died for you and was resurrected.   What would that mean for you, how would it affect your life?  Ponder about the Book of Mormon.  How would your life change if the Book of Mormon were true?  Would you join the Mormon Church, would it change the way you live your life?  How do feel when you think that God knows you personally and cares about you?  Would that change your life?

As you ponder about all these things, you should pray and continue to study the scriptures.  How does a person a pray about a questions.  Paul said, “in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).  Our prayers should not be memorized phrases, but a true conversation with our Heavenly Father.  To pray:

• Address God (for example:  Dear Heavenly Father, Our Father in Heaven)
• Thank Him for your blessings (food, family, safety, etc)
• Ask Him for what you need, ask Him questions
• Close in the name of Jesus Christ and with Amen

Through prayer we can find the answer to questions, if we let the Holy Spirit influence us.  Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit leads to truth (see John 14:26).  As we ponder and study the teachings in the Book of Mormon, we will the feel the power of the Holy Spirit.  It will bring ideas to your mind, give you clarity of thought, and bring peace to your soul.  When you feel this, you will know that the message you are studying is true, but to continue feeling this peace and love, you must act.  Alma, continuing his speech about experimenting with faith said:

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.  Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.  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 (Alma 32:28-30, pg 290).

We must water this seed by keeping the commandments of God and by continuing to fast and pray to God.  Faith comes through the Spirit as a gift to those who hope and pray to God.  Paul describes what the Holy Spirit feels like when it testifies to us that something is true: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).  The Spirit fills us with love, peace, and faith, and helps to love others more fully.  As we feel this influence in our life, we will know that choices we are making are the correct ones.  There may be fear at starting something new, but there is also peace at knowing we are doing the right thing.  In his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul wrote the following the comfort new converts to the faith:

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;  Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.  For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (Hebrews 10:32-36).

Every new convert to the Mormon Church will face obstacles.  Sometimes these come to test our faith, or to give us opportunities to grow spiritually.  Trials come to everyone.  We must press on with faith in Jesus Christ, trusting that He will save us when we do what he commands us to do.  The promise is, that if we trust in Him and seek to keep his commandments, that he will help us with His grace and will ultimately give a place in heaven with Him and His Father.