Faith is evidence

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Evidence is strong stuff.  With it, we can change the course of history, expand our minds, and change lives.  Without it, little can be done.  Acquiring evidence is a long process which is sometimes very difficult and always very deliberate.  No true scientist just happens to have evidence of his theories fall into his lap while he sits on his laurels.

Instead. scientists set up experiments to test their theories.  They control for external variables, set up their experiments with care, then analyze and publish the results of their experiment, even if those results are inconclusive or puzzling.  Without such a robust scientific method, the technological leaps our society has made in the past centuries wouldn't have been possible.

In other words, scientists examine something important, ask questions about it, then strive to receive their evidence.  Shouldn't we approach our faith the same way?

Shouldn't we, when we learn more of God, ask important questions then set about to receive answers?  How do we receive that evidence of things not seen?  Both the apostle James and the prophet Moroni give us the answer:  ask God.  God, the source and fount of all knowledge, can give us that evidence, but we have to seek it deliberately, as deliberately as if we were conducting an experiment in a laboratory.

So experiment on the Word: apply it in your life, as much as you can, study it out, and ask God what the truth is.  As long as you're willing to hear the answer, He will give you what He wants you to hear.