Staying on Track

My husband and I spent much of the last summer traveling. Once, while on foot in a distant city, we searched for a particular landmark. My husband was somewhat familiar with the city and I was not. I dutifully plugged the landmark into Google Maps, and off we went. We zigged and zagged, and while my husband thought we were going the wrong direction, still he followed my lead. Soon we were away from any tourists, walking along construction zones. When I double-checked my Google maps, I realized the app had not-so-helpfully added the word “hotel” to the end of the name of the landmark. Later we found that the landmark was just five minutes from our original starting point, and easy to find…with the right directions.

What directions are you following? How do you know you are on the right “road” or “track”?

Well, in our case, one option would have been to look up. The signs were well-marked and were a better guide than delayed satellite signal.

One of the ways I stay on course in life is my scripture study. My favorite way to do this is in a quiet house, on my recliner, with my Bible and several different colored pencils on hand. I like to have a notebook for my thoughts and impressions. This is my ideal. It’s a valuable place of revelation for me.

However, sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good, as they say. What happens when time runs short, or my house is full of people? Waiting for that perfect scripture study scenario means that it can’t happen. Recently I found it had been a few weeks. So I decided I needed to implement plan B.

I have a Scripture App on my phone that I log into. It has a way to mark scriptures in different colors and make notes in the app. During my busy seasons, I read from the app first thing in the morning (sometimes in bed!) I start my day thinking about the things of God. I also read right before I go to bed. After a few days, I have found that I am back to seeing my world with more clearly, through the lens of God’s word. It makes a big difference.

Dale Renlund is a heart surgeon and an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He describes a reckoning he had during medical school. During residency, medical interns work excessive hours. In those scenarios day and night merge. Elder Renlund found himself losing touch with his desire to attend church and focus on his faith. That alarmed him, so he committed to reading scriptures every day. To do that, as midnight approached he would find a few minutes to duck into a room and read scriptures and pray. This small and consistent effort brought him back into the life of a disciple that he treasured. Whatever it looks like, finding a way to connect with God through personal scripture study really matters.

Additional options for scripture study are to listen and to watch. On ChurchofJesusChrist.org you can listen to the Bible. At churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/bible-videos are videos portraying events in the King James Bible. These are factual and stick to the biblical text. It’s a wonderful way to understand the Bible in a different context than reading.

Another way that keeps me “on track” with God is to listen to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ worldwide leaders. They are apostles, prophets, and global church leaders, both women and men, whose messages lift and inspire me. While listening to their words, my own window of inspiration and personal revelation widens. Two of my favorite quotes from their recent talks are these:

“Because of Christ, it all works out. Everything YOU and YOU and YOU are worried about—it’s all going to be OK! And those who look with an eye of faith can FEEL that It’s going to be OK NOW.” Tamara W. Runia, Global leader in the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (“Seeing God’s Family through the Overview Lens, November 2023).

“As the foundation of our lives is built upon the Savior, we are blessed to “be still”—to have a spiritual assurance that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior,” teaches Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. (“Be Still, and Know That I am God,” May 2024).

One of the things that would have helped my husband and me in our travel navigation would have been to “look up.” Looking up helps us get our bearings and follow signs that are immediate, accurate and helpful. Looking to God through regular scripture study and listening to the teachings of His leaders gives us access to the infinite help, love, and grace of our Heavenly Father and Jesus. They have known us for eons of time, and our success is their great joy. Why wouldn’t we let them help us navigate the daily crossroads of our lives?

Beth Wright loves Alaska’s brilliant fall foliage, loves her family, and loves God. She is thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Semi-Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is this weekend, October 4 and 5. Tune in to hear messages of peace and hope at www.youtube.com/@churchofjesuschristgeneralconf