Patience

I was reading in Alma chapter 34 this morning and a verse stuck out to me. 

3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should make known unto you what ye should do, because of your afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—

This is right after Alma teaches his great lesson on faith. I know that when we exercise faith that we are blessed immediately but sometimes not exactly the way we want to be. 
There is also the other side of the coin, when we start exercising our faith satan will try to make us doubt immediately. I think the reason that Alma compared it to a seed is that things take time. Think back on your life, when has something worthwhile happened that you had done prepared for or worked for. When did it happen exactly the way that you wanted it to.

There is a saying "good things come to those who wait." The saying does not say those who sit idly by and say yes this is going to happen or say if I want it hard enough but don't do anything about it it will happen. In Ether chapter 12 a scripture says you receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. If you are working, if you are trying to do what is right and waiting for that witness please practice patience. The Lord is aware of you and he will give you the witness that you need and desire. There will just be some trials along the way that will prove we really want to know.  These next verses are from one of my favorite hymns Be Still My soul:

1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below

1. 3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on
   When we shall be forever with the Lord,
   When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
   Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
   Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
   All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

I know that Heavenly Father is aware of us and that He wants to bless us. Unfortunately He also has to allow us to endure trials so that we can become the people he wants us to be. That is the way we learn, if we ask to be able to feel greater love he is going to give us very difficult people in our lives that we have to get along with. I also know though that if we are able to exercise patience and continue to do so we will discover what we were supposed to be learning with that trial or situation. He loves you and He is making you into the person He knows we can be!