I'm not a big vitamin taker, nor have I ever been, so the whole experience of shopping for vitamins was new to me. On the way back to the office I asked my friend why he needed to take vitamins. He explained to me that vitamins are necessary for good physical growth and well being. They are necessary because we cannot produce them ourselves, so we need to take an internal supplement that augments what our bodies can't produce.

This idea of vitamin supplements is not without controversy. There are those that believe that eating right can give a person all the vitamins they need. Therefore vitamin supplements are not needed. It just so happened that the health food store we went to compliments both the vitamin taker by supplying a plethora of vitamins, minerals and other supplements, while at the same time providing a substantial amount of health related foods stuffs for the non-vitamin user.

And of course all this vitamin stuff got me thinking. Our spiritual growth and well being is sometimes in need of supplements. And just like our physical bodies need vitamins for good health, our spiritual bodies need a different type of supplement to grow spiritually. These supplements are not found in any spiritual health food store. They are not digested purely of our own intake, they are found within other sources.

The scriptures give us a simple supplemental recipe for gaining spiritual growth. We are told to "feast upon the words of Christ." With in the words found in the scriptures we can find all the nutrients we need to build and sustain healthy spiritual growth and well being.

In the book of Timothy we find an added ingredient for spiritual growth. The apostle Paul wrote, "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." (1Ti 4:6) Paul emphasized that those who have nourished themselves with the words of faith become good ministers of Christ. This is important to us that are followers because in order to fully serve others and be examples of Christ we need to be fully nourished by his word.

There are many examples throughout the scriptures of people who found spiritual supplement in the word. The son's of Mosiah are great examples of four young men who needed spiritual supplement and found it in study, fasting and prayer. (see Alma 17)

When we feel spiritually malnourished, this may be because we are not taking our spiritual vitamins. Our spirits are weak from not feasting upon the words that strengthen us.

There are many sources for increasing our spiritual growth. They are found in obedience, prayer, fasting, and humility for example. These are all supplements necessary for spiritual growth and needed when we feast upon the word.

Much like my friend who feels the need to take in vitamins for his physical heath, our spiritual lives need added strength also. We need to feast upon the words that nourish our souls and become true ministers of Christ.