How to Plant the Seed

Alma 32 contains a beautiful invitation from Alma to the Zoramites to develop their faith.  He spoke of planting a seed and having that seed become delicious and swelling, sprouting, and growing within the heart.  The Zoramites were encouraged to plant and nourish and “try the experiment to know if the seed was good.  Alma referred to how the seed can become a tree “springing up unto everlasting life” and bring forth fruit that is precious and sweet and white.”  After these poetic yet somewhat abstract invitations, the people still weren’t sure what they were to do and wondered “how they should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith” (Alma 33:1).  It is in the next two chapters that the people were taught more concretetly how to plant the seed and exercise their faith.

             There are at least three specific actions that Alma and Amulek taught the Zoramites to take in order to plant the seed: to pray, to believe in Christ, and to repent.  Much of their teachings in Alma 33-34 is focused on prayer.  Alma quoted a pleading prayer from Zenos in Alma 33:4-11 which is actually a prayer about prayer.  Not only does his example show the heartfelt sincerity that should accompany prayer but also is a testimony from Zenos that God does answer prayers.  He exclaimed, “O God, for thou hast heard my prayer….  When I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me…. When I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer….  When I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me….  Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries….  Thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out….  Thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity.”  This prayer from Zenos was really a testimony from the prophet that God does hear our prayers no matter where they originate from, a witness that these poor Zoramites who couldn’t pray in the synagogue needed to hear.  When Amulek addressed them, he gave more direct counsel about their need to pray to God under every circumstance.  He told them six times to “cry unto him” and taught that we can pray to God anywhere—at home, at work, in our secret places, and in the wilderness.  To really plant the seed, we must “pour out [our] souls” to God and “let [our] hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually” (Alma 34:17-27). 

             In addition to prayer, Alma and Amulek taught the Zoramites that they needed to believe in the Savior.  Alma encouraged them, “cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins” (Alma 33:22).  Christ is the word that we plant, the seed that can grow in us.  To try the experiment we must seek first to believe in the Savior and His ability to change us, to trust that “he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name.”  This belief in Him will lead us to repentance, for we exercise our faith “unto repentance” (Alma 34:15-17).  If we repent and open our hearts to God, “immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about” (Alma 34:31).  Heartfelt prayer, true faith in Christ, and sincere repentance are the concrete steps that we must take to truly experiement on the word and plant the seed for ourselves.