When we recognize that the beginnings of our faith have begun to taste delicious, then we can make our evaluation of the “seed” or the thing to which we gave place. Just as with a seed, if it grows it was a good seed. If this seed of faith has grown, then the seed itself was good. We now have confirmation that the word we began to accept is good and true, and we may allow room for more of it. Remember that at the beginning they might give room to only a portion of Alma’s words. When the seed to which they gave place is proven good, they may be willing to give place to a larger portion of his words, or perhaps even to all of them.
The converse occurs if there is no growth. If the seed does not grow, then it was bad and should be cast out. Whatever we were attempting believe would not be true if it does not grow, and so we should cast out that original seed, and it goes without saying that we will have no reason to give a larger place to any more of those words.