“It Beginneth to Enlarge My Soul”

Jana Reiss

Alma calls upon the principle, which has been elucidated elsewhere in the Book of Mormon, that a good seed will necessarily bear good fruit. In his listeners’ case, a person can know the truth of a spiritual matter (such as the reality of Christ, which the proud Zoramites had denied) by what happens when it’s planted. If the seed bears fruit after nourishment—in this case, by filling the individual with the swelling love of the Holy Spirit after he or she prays to know if it is worthwhile to believe in Christ—then the person can know the seed was good (i.e., that the doctrine is true). The experimenter can ask three foundational questions on any spiritual issue or question: Does this belief, once put into practice, enlarge my soul? Does it enlighten my understanding? Is it beginning to taste “delicious” enough that I desire more?

The Book of Mormon: Selections Annotated & Explained

References