Sabbath Devotional :: Traveling Along the Path

Photo by author, Touring the Grand Canyon, September 2019

My husband and I love road trips. I think back to just a year ago when I traveled with my husband and some of our family members freely about the country. This, after three years of serving a mission. We had been set apart working with the missionaries in the Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, and lower South Carolina area. We traveled at least two weeks out of the month, working with our missionaries. We spoke in wards and branches and at conferences across the mission. Every six weeks we drove 1.5 hours transporting departing missionaries and picking up incoming ones. You would think we would have felt traveled out!

But there is a difference, being released and traveling outside of those confines. We were traveling for our own personal pleasure, reconnecting with friends and family members we hadn’t seen. We were also enjoying the beauty of the country. We even had the privilege of reconnecting with those missionaries at reunions and marriages. Like many of you, we had “bucket list” trips planned for this year.

Over the last five months all of our lives have been upended. At this time, COVID-19 has put a stop to travel plans and our freedom to roam and journey down chosen paths. We are isolated for our safety, with the resultant decrease in our travel patterns.

More importantly, far too many have lost physical battles to this scourge. Those who recover deal with an extended rehabilitation that presently cannot be completely known. At this time of loss and frustration what can be done? How do we make it through? We may question being diligent in order to make it through physically, emotionally, financially, and faithfully. For me, my strength comes from knowing we have a Redeemer who provides solace through the Plan of Salvation. I Iook forward to the end of this scourge like the rest of you. But I also know my trust in the Lord directs my path (see Prov 3:5-7). These three verses have been my source of calm since I was 10 years old.

I know I have been blessed to live in this isolation with family, in a multi-generational home. The men have provided the weekly sacrament ordinance in our home. I find that I am preparing myself to be in tune even more so spiritually as it is held in our home. It has been sweet as I receive these blessings of renewal. Having all the members of our family present here in our town helps me remember I am not alone. It becomes a Balm of Gilead for my harried soul. We then discuss the current lesson of “Come Follow Me” (CFM). From the youngest to the oldest we try to involve ourselves to gain deeper understanding of the application of the lessons of the scriptures in our lives. We have also been blessed to have had a granddaughter baptized in June. A different model from the ones we have had in the past, it still was a wonderful experience. I have been ministered to by wonderful sisters and received opportunities to serve other sisters. We have had the opportunity to virtually work with missionaries and feed them as needed, of course following safe distancing guidelines.

I think to myself: Are my actions in symmetry with the Lord’s? Do I help others on the journey down life’s path? Am I standing for truth and righteousness? I am not perfect, but I find peace more often than not, as I see the blessings I have received during this crisis. Time for traveling freely will come again, but I can only get to the other side by journeying on a path laid forth by the Lord.

In this past week’s CFM lesson we learned of Alma’s recount of the journey of Lehi and his family. Alma 37:41-42 says: “Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey; Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course. . . .” In verse 44 Alma lays out instruction and counsel: “For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.” I pray I will remember He provides the means no matter how small, as I remain diligent. Let us all remember He will provide a way but we must stay the course as we travel the path.