Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

As a young teenager I use to hate driving any where with my mother. The reason? She followed the rules of the road to a “T” and this annoyed me. As I sat and watched everyone pass us by I’d tell her that we needed to go faster. She would point to her speedometer (usually about 5 miles under the speed limit) and begin quoting the Twelfth Article of Faith to me.

“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law”.

It was very frustrating to me for two reasons. First, she was quoting scripture to me. Second, because she was right. I wanted nothing more than to fit in and she wanted nothing more than to obey God and that included obeying the laws of the land as well.

It’s really very small and simple, but how many of us are actually thinking about being a disciple of Christ when we are late for an appointment? Often we think of the large and dramatic things we give up of ourselves as we work to become His disciples. There are also some very small things that many of us overlook either because they don’t stand out in the crowd or because they don’t fit with the daily care of the world we so often get caught up in. Still, learning to be obedient in little things makes it easier to be obedient in larger things.

I was thinking of this while I sat in Sacrament meeting yesterday. I was pondering how my life was conforming to Christ’s example and what I needed to improve when my eyes landed on the hymnal in front of me. It was resting in the wooden pocket designed for it on the back of the pew in front of me. The problem was it was sitting in the pocket the wrong way. It was a very little thing that I hadn’t even thought of when I’d deposited the book there. I wasn’t thinking, I was following a previously established habit. But when I had a moment to think of ways I could improve my obedience for the coming week, I suddenly remembered. I remembered the bishop had recently asked us to place our hymnals on their spine to preserve them for a little longer. Doing this would reduce the pulling and stress on the cover and spine and keep it from tearing when we needed many more years of use from them. I had completely forgotten to obey a very small and simple request from one of the Lord’s servants.

My resolve for that Sacrament meeting was to notice more of the little things I can be more obedient in. It’s the way of the disciple.

We talk so often about the sweet blessings of discipleship it sometimes seems easy to ignore the cost. In fact depending on how you look at it, the cost of not following the Savior is much higher than that of becoming a disciple. While this is true, it doesn’t mean discipleship is an easy path. It only means that the end result is definitely worth the cost. Often, this cost is more immediate and greater than many feel willing to pay. Even among His disciples, there will be many who try to “short-change” the Savior, never realizing that they’re only cheating themselves not Him.

What does the disciple pay for the Savior’s promised blessings? I think it’s different for each of us and some may actually think the price is negotiable. Different it may be, but the information on the price tag asks the same thing of everyone. He asks for our all. He asks us to turn over all that we are so that He can mold those things into something much more beautiful than any value we might have placed on the original price.

In the words of James E. Faust:

“Our true claim as disciples comes when we can say with certainty that His ways have become our ways.” James E. Faust, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 20–23

Part of our purpose in life is to be tried and tested. Not just in a few things, but in all things that are necessary for our eternal salvation. He, and we, need to know the measure of our faith and patience for the things of the Lord. He tests not only our faith in the moment, but also over time. Can we still say, “Thy will be done” when that answer is not forthcoming on our own timetable?

The goal of the disciple is to become as close to Christ’s perfect example as our imperfect lives will allow. Following the Savior’s example requires us to embrace the mission of our own lives, overcome the world and finish the work we have been given to do. Even as Christ did, we need to learn to let our will be “swallowed up in the will of the Father”. We need to learn to embrace the process of change and refinement. While we have been granted the wonderful gift of agency, the best gift we can give back to the Lord in gratitude is the will of our hearts. We can offer that agency back to the Lord with humble sincerity in order to find out what choices He would have us make. That is the time we will truly find out about His love and our own divine potential. The more we are willing to “give up” of ourselves, the more room there is for the Savior in our lives.

“The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be (see 3 Ne. 27:27), while living now “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

Walking as a disciple of Christ is a lifelong journey and because the journey can be rough there will be those who will chose to leave His path. Fortunately, whether we turn away completely, or simply stumble on the path, the Savior’s atonement is always there as a way back. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can live for and with Him. Discipleship requires a full commitment to the Lord’s way, where ever it may take us, for the duration of our lives. This is the price we pay for His welcoming arms and words of comfort, love and pride at that end of life. That is the price we pay for His guiding and steadying hand every day until then. It’s definitely worth the price.

Do you remember the story of Jacob’s ladder?

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:11-12

Aside from the sleeping on a rock, there is a small message for me hidden in Jacob’s dream. Overall, the Lord’s message is of covenants and promises, but for me there is also an understanding of who I am as a person. Like Jacob, I’ve made covenants with the Lord that will lead me on a path toward heaven. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, the world can be a very hard place and I can be very weak willed at some moments. My human nature makes me imperfect, but the Lord promises me that as long as I stay on the ladder, I’m still headed toward Him. It’s something within my reach, within my capabilities, and it’s personal. It’s a progression and a promise.

The great promise to me is that what Jacob saw was a ladder, not a giant leap, not a rocket, a one-way sign. It was a ladder with angels ascending and descending, each on their own path. No matter where they were, headed up or down, they were all angels. They were all disciples of Jesus Christ doing His will and serving God. I am one of those angels, one of those disciples. Where I belong on that ladder is up to me and my Heavenly Father http://www.mormonwiki.com/Heavenly_Father , where my neighbor belongs is their personal journey. We all have a place, sometimes we’re up, sometimes we’re down. The important part is that we’re still holding on.

“An old proverb states that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.
The same principle applies to how you and I can climb to higher spirituality.
Our Heavenly Father knows that we must begin our climb from where we are. ‘When you climb up a ladder,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ‘you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.’
Our Heavenly Father loves each one of us and understands that this process of climbing higher takes preparation, time, and commitment. He understands that we will make mistakes at times, that we will stumble, that we will become discouraged and perhaps even wish to give up and say to ourselves it is not worth the struggle.
We know it is worth the effort, for the prize, which is eternal life, is “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” D&C 14:7
And to qualify, we must take one step after another and keep going to gain the spiritual heights we aspire to reach.
An eternal principle is revealed in holy writ: “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize.” Mosiah 4:27
We don’t have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. We have to do the best we can, one step after another.”
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “One Step after Another,” Liahona, Jan 2002, 27–30

When God made covenants with Jacob in that dream, He gave Jacob everything he needed to succeed in His promises. God showed him the ladder, the path and the purpose, then gave him the promises of eternity. He does the same for each of us as we dedicate our lives to Him and make our own covenants. I love the promise this covenant contains.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Genesis 28:15

Jacob’s ladder gives me hope because it shows me everyone’s path is not the same. It shows me that we each have a purpose to serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. It shows me that as long as I hang on to the ladder and keep asking the Lord to guide my path, up or down, He’ll be with me.

I ran across a beautiful set of scriptures the other day as I was celebrating the return of spring. They’re found in John 15.

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:1-11

It goes on with more great counsel and blessings, but I’d like to focus on just these verses for a moment.

I like the imagery of the vine and the fruit. I wonder how much nourishment I’m taking from my Master to bear sweet fruit. He gives us a wealth of council and knowledge which, if heeded will make us something more wonderful than we could ever imagine for ourselves. The less we heed that same counsel and knowledge, the more we shrivel and die on the vine. We can also become weakened and experience insults from outside of the vine. Again, the choice is ours as to whethe r or not we will treat these problems, or let them destroy us and cut us off from the vine. There will be times in our lives when we will find ourselves without so much fruit; times when the Master prunes and picks to allow us to become stronger and experience further growth. We decide how we will respond to these trials, as well.

Note that in all these cases the vine is still there at this point. It is the fruit and the branch that has changed. Eventually, that connection will change. Eventually, the Master will remove the dead fruit and the bare branches, so that those which are still growing can do so unimpeded. That is yet to come. Right now each of us is still on the vine with a choice to make. That choice concerns exactly how much of our Savior’s love we are willing to let into our lives and how much of the world we will keep out.

Let’s talk about the figurative worms and pestilence that can attack us in the world. These can and should be treated. Even when under attack the fruit can still be saved. Especially with the Master as the vine, each of us can be restored no matter how hopeless the situation seems. The choice is still ours; we decide if we can and want to be healed. He reaches out to honor our wishes and love us as much as we will let Him.

Consider the advice of James E. Faust.

“I believe that all of [you] want to be happy and find the peace that the Savior promised. I think many of you try very hard to keep up with all of your responsibilities. I do not wish to offend anyone. I am reluctant to mention a matter but feel it should be said. Sometimes we carry unhappy feelings about past hurts too long. We spend too much energy dwelling on things that have passed and cannot be changed. We struggle to close the door and let go of the hurt. If, after time, we can forgive whatever may have caused the hurt, we will tap “into a life-giving source of comfort” through the Atonement, and the “sweet peace” of forgiveness will be ours. Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that healing comes only with help from a higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. [You] can tap into that higher power and receive precious comfort and sweet peace.”
James E. Faust, “Instruments in the Hands of God,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 114

The Savior’s plea to each of us in these verses is to “Abide in me, and I in you.” He asks us for permission to enter our hearts and lives. He asks that we let Him love us. If we do that, we are called His disciples and our lives are filled with sweetness and peace. How do we invite Him in? How do we receive His greatest blessings? How do we feel His love? The answer is also given, “keep my commandments” and you will have joy. By simply using Christ as our example and living God’s laws, we can be filled with His love. He nourishes us and blesses us. He abides in us when we are trying to abide in Him.

“For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this His Church, which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. In Him we not only will endure but also will prevail and triumph in this holy cause that will never fail us. May we never fail it nor fail Him . . . ” Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Abide in Me’,” Liahona, May 2004, 30–32

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring to my part of the country. It’s always slow breaking through, but each year it feels just a little longer. We’ve had a series of warmer days so things are once again showing sings of life. That brought me a little bit of joy this morning because I walked by my trees and found that they were all still alive.

That may not seem like such a great accomplishment to some of you, but hang in there and I’ll tell you my very own parable of the trees.

My family moved into our current home about six years ago. It is situated so that it is the first house you see and drive by when you turn on our road. I’m a big fan of beauty and growing things, so I wanted some of that beauty up near the road. I envisioned turning the corner to my house and being greeted by gorgeous flowering trees. I started shopping around to figure out what I wanted, then in the early spring placed my order with a well-known gardening company.

I picked a flowering butterfly bush: it said it would grow rather tall, and it had a variety of colors that were supposed to bloom for an extended period of time. Perfect. Well, sort of.

The day my three bushes arrived, the postman rang the doorbell and handed me a package no bigger than a bread box. Inside I found three scrawny little twigs that were supposed to be planted and turned into something lovely. Now would be a good time to mention I’m not very good with growing things. I’m like the kid that strangles the kitten trying to give it a hug. I mean well, but…

Still, I dutifully planted my twigs and did my best to help them grow. Nothing. Not a one of them ever sprouted anything even resembling green and growing.

The next year I got smarter and poorer. I went to the nursery and picked out three bushes that were all I could afford. They were about eight inches high this time, but at least they were actually alive. They were planted and I did my best to help them grow, you know the drill. That lasted about a month. We had a particularly long rainy stretch that the grass grew in, but didn’t get cut. When everything dried out, my husband mowed the grass – and mowed right over my bushes because he’d forgotten they were there.

I tried again the next year. That year the plants were about twelve inches tall. That year a well-meaning neighbor got his hands on one of those huge industrial lawnmowers. He mowed everybody’s lawns, including my bushes.

You’d think I’d give up wouldn’t you? From the moment of the second mowing incident I began saving my money to get some real trees the next spring. I bought three trees that were about four feet tall and covered with sweet-smelling pink blossoms. They bloomed all spring and summer and it was a special treat to drive around the corner to my home. Winter came and the trees got confused. They never stopped blooming until it had been snowing for two months. It took everything out of them. When the next spring and summer came they refused to ever bloom, or actually grow, again.

I got really desperate and planted three fruit trees. They didn’t have flowers that year, but at least they lived. Then winter came and I held my breath. Now spring is creeping in and my trees are still alive! Can you see now, why I consider this a small miracle?

After the first couple of years, my husband asked me why I kept trying. I told him it was a matter of faith and endurance. I knew what result I wanted, I knew what I needed to do to make it happen, and I had to believe that someday I’d actually achieve my goal.

That brings me to the point of my little parable. I’ve been doing my best with what I have. I knew the pattern for achieving my goal, but I also knew I wasn’t very good at what I wanted to accomplish. I knew it might take me longer to accomplish than someone else, but it felt worth it. I think the life of a disciple is much the same.

We have a beautiful vision of what we’d like to become, we see the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and want to place that example as the first thing we see in our lives as well. He has promised that is possible. He has given us the guidelines and plans that will make it possible, but He never promised everything would be flowers and springtime all the time if we followed those plans. He asks us to do the things He did and endure to the end, only then will some blessing ever be realized. Often the greatest rewards are the ones that are the most difficult to reach. We have to decide that as disciples of Jesus Christ the process is worth it, no matter how long it takes.

Is there an area in your life where you’ve planted trees with very little reward for your efforts? Is the end result worth it, no matter how long it takes? The Lord’s promises and blessings always are.

Many of us have heard the analogy of the thread and the tapestry. In this example you learn about the relation of small things to their ability to form something large and beautiful. It can be the members of a family working together, or an even larger group. It can also be the pattern of our individual lives.

I think sometimes we focus on the big things. We try to see the whole picture and ponder and pray about the big decisions in our lives. We see these as the things that define who we are and what our tapestry will look like.

But in reality, the one who know the whole picture is the weaver and He works with individual threads not chunks of yarn or puzzle pieces. Yes, we all have big decisions to make that can change the course of our lives, but how often do we think about the little things? There are a million little things that get woven into our tapestry every day. Perhaps what our life is like or how it might change during those big decisions is actually a result of the pattern we’ve laid with all the little things along the way.

Every day we make a dozen small decisions that will affect our final tapestry. As we choose, the Master weaves. When we realize we’ve made a mistake, He takes it out and renews the area to the beauty of the entire peace. If we do not realize, or choose not to correct, our failings and mistakes remain. When you look at the final piece these glitches might be noticeable, or they might not, but they still define who we are and who we will become.

If we are discussing the pattern and whether a mistake is visible to the eye our first argument is then revisited. Wouldn’t tiny mistakes from every day living be overlooked more easily than a large wrong choice? I think the problem is that mistakes all start out small. Every mistake starts with one wrong stitch. It’s those tiny decisions that dictate what our actions will be when the large choices come along.

Consider these examples:

If we find ourselves faced with the temptation to be unfaithful to our spouse, how will that decision be affected by our previous smaller choices? If we have made tiny mistakes such as looking at inappropriate images in the media, then we add the tiny mistake of dwelling on the images, then we add the tiny mistake of dwelling on the difficulties in our marriage instead of the love, then we add the tiny mistake of thinking about what it might be like to have chosen a different path or different partner – how then will our decision for a larger temptation be weighed? If on the other hand we have tried a little bit each day to love and value our partner, to avoid images that plant inappropriate thoughts in our minds, or avoid being alone with those of the opposite sex where temptations might be fed- how is that decision weighed?

If our mother provided us with music lessons, how are our future choices founded by our immediate decisions about whether or not to practice or find enjoyment in the learning?

If we casually disregard the speed limit, do we then forget other rules of the road that keep us safe?

While it is true that every decision is still up to us, we choose the path our feet will follow with each step not each mile. As we stray it becomes harder to find our way back the further we go.

May we pay a little more attention to the little things in life.
May we notice God’s small blessings.
May we smile at a stranger, or drop our spare change in the donation buck instead of our wallet.
May we hold our tongue just a little longer when frustrations build.
May we choose with each step to follow Christ even if the step seems too small to matter.

If we can do these types of things the tapestry the Lord weaves from our lives will be beautiful – one thread at a time.

There is a story in the Old Testament about a man named Lot and his family. Lot was living in a place where it was very difficult to be a man of God. It was so full of sin, that God decided he couldn’t let their actions spread any further or even get any worse within their own community. As the story continues, Lot was commanded to take his family and flee from the city before it was destroyed. They were to leave and not look back, or they would face the same type of consequences as the city itself. They would be destroyed as well. Lot was faithful and obedient. He instructed his family concerning the Lord’s commands, then prepared to lead them out of the city. There was just one problem. As they were leaving the city behind, his wife looked back. The scriptures say that in the instant that she looked, she was turned to a pillar of salt. Seems like a harsh judgment just for looking. Or, does it?

I think there are a few lessons to be learned from Lot’s wife. First, why did she look back? The scriptures do not say, so let’s ponder some of the reasons you or I might look back in the same situation.

Inattentiveness. It is possible that Lot’s wife was simply not paying attention to her bearings. Perhaps the noise of the destruction behind her was disorienting, perhaps she just didn’t feel the same urgency for escape as her husband so she wasn’t as careful with her course.

Curiosity. It seems to be human nature to want to know what is going on. The scriptures seem to indicate that there was a lot happening with that destruction. We’re all guilty of looking when we really shouldn’t at one time or another. I know I’ve been guilty of slowing down further than I needed to when passing an accident on the freeway. Maybe that’s all that Lot’s wife was guilty of.

Grief. Perhaps there were those within the city that she deemed as friends. It is difficult to move from what you know. Imagine how difficult it would be if you knew everyone you left behind would soon die.

Loss. It may have been that she was caught up in something from that city herself, or that her desire for worldly possessions that had been left behind created a pull and connection that she did not, or could not fight.

Not understanding God’s promises. Lastly there are many, even among His disciples that do not understand how serious God is about His promises. Sometimes it’s because we do not know or understand who He is. Sometimes we know but we lack the faith to see how His promises could actually come to pass.

Now, I’m not speculating that any one of these was the definitive cause of Lot’s wife becoming a pillar of salt. However, in any one of these scenarios there is something to be learned. The thing we as disciples need to learn is that even though she may have thought she had a good reason for looking back, there was an even greater one why she shouldn’t have. When we accept a Christ-lead life it comes with certain commandments. One of these is to not look back. There are reasons we are told not to look back and most of these have to do with the fact that the Lord’s view is greater than ours and He knows that looking back opens a very clear route toward destruction.

He asks us to turn our back on those things that will not lead us away from sin and closer to Him. If we hesitate, if we try to justify, if we keep going back just to look, we are not looking or going where we have said we want to go. We are not heeding Christ’s call to “come unto me”.

We also need to learn how powerful His promises really are. If he has said, “Pay your tithing so I can give you greater blessings.” He means it. God has set forth His laws and path, if we stay on that path He is bound by our actions to openly provide the blessing associated with those laws. Some may feel the commandments restrictive. By choosing to retain their “freedoms” rather than submitting to God’s ways and direction they miss the pathways that are opened for them through obedience. In particular, I think of the Word of Wisdom. This is a commandment that outlines the way we should treat our bodies. When it was first revealed, it seemed counterintuitive to the theories of the time. But when our view was opened to the types of things He knew all along we suddenly understand that yes, smoking has significant consequences.

If he has said, “Do not indulge in any form of pornography or it will lead to your destruction” he means that as well. Evil practices that the world may see as permissive still need to be strictly shunned by the disciple of God. We can not turn and look at these things with even mild curiosity or they could suck away our righteous spirit. The best way to pay the world no heed is to turn them away at the door of our thoughts.

He understands. He knows how difficult it is to get through this life. He knows we can’t and won’t ever be perfect, so He makes provisions for that as well. He says, repent and forsake your sin, make amends then never return to it again. We aren’t doing that if we are still thinking about what we lost when we gave up something for the Lord’s path.

Lot’s wife was commanded to go forward but insisted on looking back. She missed the chance to find out what greater blessings the Lord had in mind for her because she was too focused on looking back. The best way to avoid looking back is to focus on the blessings of a more eternal view. What are we still looking at that is keeping us from going in the direction the Lord wants for our lives?

Did you know that the Latin root word for disciple means “learner or pupil”? Very literally, those who choose to follow Christ and want to be named His disciples are those who are willing to learn from Him. A disciple studies the words and life of Christ, trying to understand His divinity and grow in faith and love for Him. But it can’t stop there. An intellect may study the theories and practices, but they may never understand the tiny feelings and motivations that cause the believer to cling to that belief until it sees them through. Faith in Jesus Christ is a principle of action that requires us to move forward with what we have learned about Him. The core of learning for the disciple comes in the doing. Jesus Christ invites us to experiment upon His words, to prove His love for us. If we take that challenge we learn, then we do, then we are blessed.

When the things we know move from knowledge to experiences with God, it changes us through His Spirit. We develop a broken heart and contrite spirit that submits our will to God and declares our discipleship. We become His.

The following has been written about discipleship: “The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares … in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength” (Chauncey C. Riddle, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Sept. 1974, 81).

The commitment of discipleship requires knowledge and discipline. It requires an ability to practice self-control and maintain behaviors and characteristics consistent with Christ-like qualities. It is a choice. Just as Peter, James, and John “forsook all, and followed him” so must we.

Discipleship is moving from “learn” to “do”. It is showing obedience to the commandments and turning away from things that rob us of the Savior’s light. If we are willing to do this—to actively reach for Christ and carry His name every day of our lives, the blessings we will receive are more valuable than anything we may have given up along the way.

There is a story in the Book of Mormon concerning a vision seen by Lehi and then by his son Nephi. It is commonly referred to as “The Tree of Life”.

In this vision, Lehi finds himself in an unknown and dark world. He desperately begins to search for some source of light, or of guidance to remove him from the situation he is in. Eventually, Lehi finds a “rod of iron”. He grabs on to this symbol of security and begins to follow its path. The iron rod ends at a beautiful tree filled with fruit that is delicious, desirable, and puts joy in the heart.

After Lehi tells his family about the vision, explaining the presence of the rod and tree as well as many other aspects of the scene, his son Nephi wants to know more. He wants to understand what his father’s words can tell him about the gospel and how he should live his life. When he asks God for understanding Nephi is granted a view of the same events; however, he is also provided with a guide to help him understand what he is seeing.

Each piece of the vision tells Nephi something else about the world he lives in and God’s eternal plan for man’s happiness. Central to this happiness are two pieces of the vision: the rod and the tree.

When grasped firmly, the rod provides a sure and straight path to the tree. Nephi learns that this rod is available to all men; some will hold to it firmly, some will begin with it in their grasp then let go, some will refuse to use it at all. Whatever the choices of man, the rod is there as a guide. The rod that is offered to each of us is the word of God, His scriptures, the doctrine of Christ. It is His gospel that can make our steps sure and steady. It is His rod of truth that will take us to the presence of the Father to dwell in joy and peace. The tree represents this goal: the love of God toward each of us and His beckoning call to eternal life.

“And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.” 1 Nephi 15:23-24

It’s a simple message, really. But, it holds a significant promise. The doctrines of Christ will lead us home.

So, then the question becomes: How do we take hold of the rod? The Savior provides the answer.

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39

This is the prayer that Henry B. Eyring shares for the youth. But it’s message and promises are applicable to each of us as well.

“The pure gospel of Jesus Christ must go down into the hearts of young people by the power of the Holy Ghost. It will not be enough for them to have had a spiritual witness of the truth and to want good things later. It will not be enough for them to hope for some future cleansing and strengthening. Our aim must be for them to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they are young.
Then they will have gained a strength from what they are, not only from what they know. They will become disciples of Christ. They will be His spiritual children who always remember Him with gratitude and in faith. They will then have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. Their hearts will be turned outward, concerned for the temporal and spiritual welfare of others. They will walk humbly. They will feel cleansed, and they will look on evil with abhorrence.” We Must Raise Our Sights, Henry B. Eyring

In the scriptures we find the doctrine of Christ, we begin to understand His ways, and hear His voice calling us toward eternity. To be a disciple of Christ, each individual needs to learn how to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him. Each one of us needs to understand His words through diligent study, every day rather than casual reading. We are told to gain a firm grip on the rod, not a light touch, so that we may not become lost to a confusing world. That grip, the diligence we put into learning and exemplifying the doctrines of Christ, is what writes a testimony of the Savior onto our hearts and keeps our feet firmly planted on His paths.

I recently ran across a statement in a fictional book that struck a chord with me. It was discussing the conflict around making difficult decisions and facing problems in life.

“There’s a test for every man and woman. They’re all different, but they all require your heart.”

I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father knows us personally. We were with Him before we came to this world. If faithful, we will return to live with Him after this world. He gave us the chance to have mortal bodies and dwell away from Him to grow: to experience knowledge and faith, to try that faith and determine our devotion to the things that truly matter. He places us exactly where we need to be, whether the road may seem smooth or rough, it is designed by the Master with us in mind.

Recently, we’ve talked about what is found in the heart of a disciple. It’s the things of the spirit that hold us to something of a higher plane. Where do these convictions come from? What turns our hearts away from the world? Believe or not, it’s the things we most try to avoid. It’s our trials and how we handle them. These things leave the deepest impressions that carry us through and draw us closer to Jesus Christ.

So, what does the disciple do? If our biggest challenge in this life is how we face our, well, challenges. What makes the difference? The disciple’s heart.

In the scriptures, the heart is at the core of what our Father in Heaven asks of us. His holy words refer to it as a “broken heart and contrite spirit”. It is the act of turning our will over to Him. It is having our hearts softened to His gospel. It is humbly pursuing His course for our lives with faith in His promises. That is the essence of the disciple’s heart.

If our focus and intent is to bring ourselves closer to a Christ-like life, we face challenges with a willing heart—one that is softened and opened to God’s will and guidance.

When times of trial come, the most important step we can take is to go to the Lord and say, “I don’t know what is to come, I don’t know where I must place my feet to move through this successfully, but I give You my heart. I’m willing to try following you and trust in Your care through this trial.” It’s not always easy to do. If it were, it probably wouldn’t carry the deep blessings that it does. When we manage to offer a willing heart, even when we don’t know what the outcome will be, it opens up the possibility of peace, comfort and guidance through the Spirit. These same blessings cannot come from the heart that is closed and focused only on the trial; the pain and confusion it brings.

That’s the challenge and the blessing of this life. It’s our ability to say: “I understand I have a path to walk, a trial specific to my needs and strengths. I give You my willing heart. Take me on Your path, where ever it may lead.”

There is a scripture in John 17 that tells us what we need to do to gain eternal life. Because Christ overcame the grave we will all have the blessing of the resurrection. However, there is more required in order to receive all of the blessings that our Heavenly Father has for each of us if we return to Him true and faithful. In this scripture it tells us what we need to do to earn this greater amount of glory.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)

To dwell in His presence forever, we need to come to know God, and Jesus Christ, now. In this life.

This raises the very natural questions: who is God, and how do we know Him?

To me, this is one of the greatest blessings of my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have clear and distinct answers that feel true to the nature of my soul where others may falter with a less sure knowledge or no answers at all.

I have learned that God is my Heavenly Father. He is the father of my spirit.
He knows me personally and loves me in spite of me.
He is a resurrected and perfected being. He has a glorified version of our earthy bodies.
We were created in His image.
He understands us.
He will answer our sincere prayers.
He has power over evil.
He wants what is best for us.
He wants us to be like Him.

These things speak a great peace to my soul. I know that they are true. Still, knowing God is a process. Just as you gradually get to know a friend, your relationship with God grows and changes as you do. Hopefully, these changes bring you closer to Him and closer to His will for you.

One of the best ways we have to get to know God is by reading His words. When we immerse ourselves in His language and messages recorded by the prophets for our learning and benefit, we immerse ourselves in His desires for us.

When we turn to Him in fervent, personal prayer our hearts our opened to His love for us.

When we follow the example of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are guiding our footsteps on paths that will lead back to His presence. We express our trust in His power and faith in His way of life.

Simple steps, but more powerful than many we could take: study, pray, follow.

Know God.

Many people are aware that Latter-day Saints attend church for a three-hour block every Sunday. Opinions outside of the faith vary on the length of time we spend in worship. For that matter, opinions inside the church can vary from Sunday to Sunday as well.

If you come expecting to be bored or wishing you were somewhere else, that’s pretty much all that will happen while you’re there. On the other hand, if you come for the reasons that the Lord has asked His saints to gather, the experience you come away with is very different.

The Sabbath, and all its meetings, is designed for the saints. All disciples of Christ have been asked to come together often. They need the support that those gatherings can offer. When our daily lives are so full of the worries of the world, three hours on the Lord’s day doesn’t seem long enough to revitalize and prepare for the battle.

I was thinking about this as I sat in my meetings yesterday. I began to think how nice it was to know that here, in these meetings were men and women who believed as I did, who were honestly trying their best to serve the Savior, to become more like Him. Here was a support and uplifting system that I needed more than I needed that few extra hours of sleep or time on the lake or slopes. I felt supported and loved by those around me and by my Heavenly Father for my efforts in obedience. Everyone, no matter what religion you affiliate with, needs this time of comfort and renewal.

Even if it’s a message you feel you’ve heard a million times before, coming with an open heart and mind invites the Spirit to be with you, to testify of this truth to you, to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, and perhaps nudge you to be a better disciple than you were before. The scriptures are clear. The Lord has asked us to gather.

“And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.
And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.”
Moroni 6:3-6

“And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together.”
Mosiah 18:25

“…but they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.”
4 Nephi 1:12

In three hours the Latter-day saints accomplish all of these aspects of worship.

In our sacrament meetings we partake of the sacred symbols of the bread and water. We renew our commitment to carry Christ’s name in all that we do. We ask forgiveness for the times we have faltered in our convictions.

On Fast Sunday we are each given the opportunity to speak of our love for the Savior and the gospel. Hearing from each other strengthens our own convictions as well as confirms to the person speaking that their best efforts are accepted of the Lord.

In Sunday School we study the scriptures, seeking out the Lord’s messages and finding ways to incorporate them into our lives.

In our divided meetings specifically for the men and women we learn how to take the messages of the gospel back into our homes and communities and strengthen our relationships.

Our children begin planting the seeds of their own testimonies in Primary and youth meetings.

Depending on what we brought to the meetings- boredom or an open heart, we can leave inspired and uplifted. More importantly, we have learned from each other that even among the struggles of life, there are many others like us, all disciples of Jesus Christ doing our best every day to serve Him.

A gathering of Saints for three hours a week is a commandment and a great blessing.

There is a beautiful story in the Book of Mormon about rejoicing in righteousness that I love. It begins in the 2nd Chapter of Mosiah. In this chapter King Benjamin begins a powerful address to his people. He knows that he is about to die and wants to share his testimony, specifically, the messages of the gospel with his people one last time. He wants them to experience the joys that he knows come from living a life like Jesus Christ would want them to live. His message is lengthy and covers several chapters. The part I love comes after King Benjamin stops speaking to the people and starts asking how they feel about what he has said. We learn that they are rejoicing because of the wonderful things he has told them.

In Mosiah 5:2 the people respond in this manner: “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”

Their hearts had been changed; they had truly become disciples of Jesus Christ because of the words of their king. This mighty change of heart left them with “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”

Do you remember the feelings you carried when you first began to understand how important Jesus Christ was to you? The desire you had to shout for joy, to share what you felt with others, to do everything in your power to be the type of person Christ would have you be. What an amazing feeling to first hear the call to “come and follow me;” to first realize you have a testimony of Jesus Christ. It changes you, it changes your heart. Is it any wonder one of the first things you express is a loss of desire for things that would compromise that wonderful spirit. When your heart changes you want to do good continually. Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity.

This isn’t to say that once you are converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ you never do anything wrong again. It does mean that you truly want to be good. Fortunately there are steps that can be taken to help you along your path. Once again, the people of King Benjamin set a good example of what to do with that joy of conversion. They made a covenant with God.

Mosiah 5:5 “And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days. . .”

Covenants are amazing things; they are promises between you and God. The covenant that King Benjamin’s people were willing to make was the covenant of baptism: a promise to take on Christ’s name, to do His will, to always remember Him. In return, God promises to bless those who make this covenant, and keep it, with His Spirit. We are given a guide, a continuation of that peace and joy we previously felt, to help us do good continually. We take no joy or pride in the times we stumble into iniquity, but rather we do all in our power to return to righteousness. It also means we become uncomfortable in situations where the Spirit cannot be our companion. It may mean changing some of our associations or activities, turning away from those who do still rejoice in iniquity. Even here, the Savior is the Exemplar, providing a loving and compassionate example to those on different paths, and in doing the same we can still reject the inappropriate behavior.

We possess a disposition that truly wants to do and be good. Yes, we make mistakes, but we also recognize and feel sorrow for those mistakes. We truly want to correct them, to do better, to be better. We try to surround ourselves with those things that encourage that good in us. We find that the more we strive to be better, the happier we become. The more often those initial feelings of joy and conversion can return. It is the blessings of peace and happiness that make the path a disciple of Christ follows worth the walk.