Alma 32:27 reads: "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if you can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."
So first we need to come up with a QUESTION. Some examples are: Is God real? Is Jesus Christ the Savior of the world? Is The Book of Mormon true? Is Thomas S. Monson a prophet of God?
Next we need to come up with a HYPOTHESIS. In order for this experiment to work, we need to exercise faith which means that we believe we'll receive an answer and we desire to believe. So your hypothesis might be along the lines of: God is real. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. The Book of Mormon is true. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.
Next we need to CONDUCT THE EXPERIMENT.
Whenever we do an experiment, we need to make sure we are following the steps correctly. We are told from the scriptures what we need to do in order to know if these things are true:
In Moroni 10:3-5 it tells us: "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost.
"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
Alma 5:45-46 says: "Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
"Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me."
D&C 9:7-8: "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
"But, behold, I say unto you that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right."
According to these scriptures, we need to first "receive these things" which means we read The Book of Mormon, read the Bible, have missionaries teach you, read or watch a talk by the prophet, or whatever pertains to your question. We need to do our part and study it out. We can't sit around and expect God to answer our prayer if we're not willing to put in the work and show that we sincerely want an answer. We cannot say we sincerely experimented on the Lord's words until we have asked God the way the scriptures tell us to.
We then ANALYZE the results. What results did we receive? We are told that "by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." So how do we know if we felt the Holy Ghost or not? Once again, the scriptures are here to help us out. Galatians 5:22 in the Bible reads: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:" Did you feel any of those things as you studied, pondered, and prayed? Did you feel peace as you read the scriptures? Did you feel joy as you listened to the prophet speak? Did you feel love as you prayed to God? If you felt any of those things listed in Galatians, then that was God answering your prayer.
Finally, we have our CONCLUSION. I know that anyone who follows these steps and asks God in faith will receive an answer. I have received an answer so many times. God doesn't always answer immediately or in the same way. But He will always answer anyone who sincerely seeks to know if these things are true and if they are willing to act on their answer.
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him"(James 1:5).
"Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened"(3 Nephi 27:29).
"And all things, whatoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"(Matthew 21:22).
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full"(John 16:24).
Amen.
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