I sat listening to a practice lesson by a friend. He was teaching us how to teach missionaries. He brought up the Tree of Life analogy and asked how the people got to the tree.Well, naturally there is the rod of iron and the encouragement from Lehi and the glory of the tree and fruit to motivate everyone right? Right, but they got there by placing one foot in front of the other.
When it comes right down to it it doesn’t matter how many rods of metal surround you or how many friends or family stand at the finish line waving you home. You have to take the steps. You have to choose to walk.
It hit me hard. I recognized the importance of agency as a missionary. I knew that I couldn’t force or trick anyone into accepting the gospel, they had to choose it. But I always thought that maybe there was something I could do to make the choice easier. If I taught with enough spirit and enough force I could get them caught up in the flood and pull them to safety by shear intensity. I’ve always been good at ignoring everyone’s faults but my own.
Why did this principle sneak up on me again? Well, I sat on a mountain the other day and stared at the city below as I usually do. I want so badly to protect my home. I love the people of Utah and Salt Lake so much that I want to drag them all along down the path that I believe will save them. I want to give up my life in that pursuit. But I can’t save them. I can waste and wear out my life until my knuckles bleed and my heart bursts and it won’t save them unless they choose to. I can’t make people happy, I can’t make them geniuses or spiritual giants. I can’t make them be or do anything without their will. They gain salvation the same way that I do.
By placing their own feet one in front of the other.
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