The Covenant Path

In his talk The Covenant Path: The Way to Eternal Life, Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran quoted President Nelson’s invitation to us all when he gave his first message as our new prophet: “Keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.” The idea of staying on the covenant path has been a theme for President Nelson and other leaders of the church since he made those initial remarks. A quick search shows about 92 references to the phrase “covenant path” in general conference since President Nelson made those initial remarks. Before that time, I can only find 18 references in general conference to the “covenant path.” Of course since the beginning of the Restoration covenants been essential, and the opening section of the Doctrine and Covenants declares that the Prophet Joseph was called “that mine everlasting covenant might be established” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:22). The Lord declared of this covenant He established in these last days: “This is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning” (Doctrine and Covenants 22:1). The Savior further explained, “And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:9). Through the Restoration we have the opportunity to enter into a covenant with Him which will be a light to us and the world and prepare our way back to Him.

                The phrase “covenant path” was first mentioned in general conference, as far as I can tell, in 2007 by Sister Elaine S. Dalton in a talk entitled Stay on the Path. She was quoting Elder Holland who said this in a 2006 Ensign article: “We receive the gift of the Holy Ghost at the time of our confirmation, the first of many gifts reserved for members of the true Church. The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine. We have three members of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost—helping us because of the covenants we have made.” He continued, “If our covenant path has an earthly symbol of an eternal destination, it is the house of the Lord, the holy temple. There we make covenants that can bind us together with God and loved ones everlastingly.” Soon after that Elder Christofferson spoke of The Power of Covenants and highlighted that “adhering to the covenant path provides the reassurance we need in times of trial.” He continued, “In the covenant path we find a steady supply of gifts and help. “Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8; Moroni 7:46), love begets love, compassion begets compassion, virtue begets virtue, commitment begets loyalty, and service begets joy. We are part of a covenant people, a community of Saints who encourage, sustain, and minister to one another.”

Sister Wixom also emphasized this idea soon after this, and one article describes how she came to focus on the covenant path: “During a 2010 trip to New Delhi, India, Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary general president, walked a long path leading through Munirka, a three-block area that is a maze of dwellings inhabited by 400,000 to 500,000 people. As she walked deeper into the area, led by a guide, she passed homes and shops. And although it was crowded, she wasn’t frightened. She felt a ‘spirit of humanity, of love and respect.’” She remarked, “I sensed as I walked that path, we were all on the same path together,” she said. “We were all on the path to Heavenly Father, as diverse as we are.” The article continues, “In the years since that experience in New Delhi, Sister Wixom has often referred to that path as ‘a covenant path.’” She gave a talk at BYU called The Covenant Path in 2013, and in it she told one story of a group who were clearly motivated by the power of their covenants She said, “I saw another example of keeping the commandments in the Ilagan Stake in the Philippines. Just before a meeting I watched a large truck pull up to the chapel entrance. I could see the arms of the members reaching through the slats on the side of the truck to wave to others in the parking lot. The truck was covered with a canvas top. Out jumped numerous happy Filipinos—the men in their white shirts and ties and the women in their dresses. I learned they had ridden for hours to get there, bouncing on the wooden benches inside the truck. We all hurried into the building and sat down. I thought of their sacrifice to be there—and then the tears streamed down my face as they sang the opening song. With smiles they sang ‘Because I Have Been Given Much.’” There covenants were so important to them that they would ride on wooden benches crammed into a truck for hours just to be there at stake conference. They had, like the pioneers of old, “the fire of the covenant” to move them ever onward on the path.

                Elder Ojediran summarized what will happen to us as we strive to stay on this covenant path: “I testify that covenant keepers are promised ‘peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23). I bear witness that as you regularly partake of the Savior’s emblems through the sacrament, you will have His Spirit to guide you on the covenant path and stay faithful to your covenants.” Though the focus on this particular phrase is relatively new, the covenant path has been in place since the time of Adam and all of God’s children are invited to walk it to find peace now and eternal life with Him in the life to come.