Alma 32

There is so much on my mind.  So, I am going to write in paragraph format tonight and hope I don't ramble and become boring.

I finished my study of The Book of Mormon yesterday morning.  Today, sacrament meeting focused on The Book of Mormon.  I had the opportunity to hear a member's conversion story and how The Book of Mormon played a large role in his conversion.  It is always refreshing to hear converts' testimonies of The Book of Mormon.  I listen to their testimonies with awe because I have never been without the book and don't understand how life would be without the fullness of the gospel.  I am glad that he was so willing to share his conversion story.

He mentioned reading about faith in Alma 32 during his talk.  This is the second time within the past few weeks that a friend had mentioned that particular chapter about faith and had been meaning to reread the chapter since my first friend mentioned the chapter.  I had wondered how faith played a role in my life outside of believing the basic principles of the church.  For example, "How does faith play a role in my daily decisions as an educator?" or "How does faith make a role in the small decisions I make on a daily basis such as what I eat?"  I also wondered how faith played a role in how I perceived my future.

So, I may or may not have chose to read Alma 32 while the last speaker spoke in sacrament.  I am still researching to find answers to my questions.  Still, the answer that came to me today was how inner connected faith and hope were.  Sometimes I feel like I have faith but I do not have hope.  Then, I wonder if one can have faith and not have hope. 

In conclusion, life is going to be hard no matter what.  The things that are bothering me now will probably seem so small in a few months.  I have a lot to learn about faith and hope.  Maybe my lack of faith and hope are connected to how self-centered I can be at times.  I don't know.  So, I am going to try to find ways to serve others and nourish the seed of faith I have and learn to hope.  While I am dong this, I will keep smiling.  After all, tomorrow is another day.