Walk in His Paths

In the most recent general conference, Elder Edward B. Rowe told of an experience he had in a place where there had recently been a war. He recounted, “Several years ago, as a young lawyer, I was involved in resolving a border dispute between countries that had been at war. The work required me to travel on foot through remote areas that were part of the recent war zone. Thousands of land mines had been laid during the war. Expert deminers were there, working to deactivate the mines; however, to my surprise, not all locations of the mines were known. Consequently, on occasion people would accidentally step on them and be injured or killed.” As part of his work, he was given a guide named Winta who was an expert in the area and knew the terrain. Elder Rowe was told, “Carefully follow your guide. Winta knows this border area from personal experience. Walk in his footsteps a few paces behind him. Where he goes, you go. Where he steps, you step.” He related, “I was literally to follow in Winta’s footsteps. For several days I followed Winta through many areas in the border region. At first I felt uncertain and apprehensive, hiking at times in abandoned trenches, destroyed villages, and other areas where the armies had been. The more we walked together and I remained safe, the more my confidence grew. Thanks to Winta, I completed my work without harm and safely returned home. As I followed in his footsteps, walking with my guide, I developed great trust and gratitude for him.” He of course related this to our need to follow Jesus Christ in order to safely navigate the challenges of mortality. These words of the Savior to Enoch were surely meant for all of us who seek to follow Him: “Thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me” (Moses 6:34). In John’s vision, the Savior also spoke of some who were righteous in these words, “They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:4). John also wrote this, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6). We are to figuratively walk as he walked, seeking to do the kinds of things that He did.

Many passages in the New Testament speak about how we should spiritually walk with Christ. Paul said this: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6). He gave details of how we should walk with Christ in several other passages. To the Galatians he said, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). To the Romans Paul wrote, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day” (Romans 13:13). He also spoke of those “who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (Romans 4:12). We are to “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). To the Ephesians Paul also exhorted, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2). He also added, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15). So we are to walk in the Spirit, walk honestly, walk in faith, walk circumspectly, and walk in love. In short, we are to “walk in him.” The apostle John also spoke about how the Saints should spiritually walk. He wrote, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He also explained, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (2 John 1:6). He also spoke of his hope for his children to “walk in truth” (3 John 1:4). To walk with the Savior, we must choose the light and the truth, seeking to walk after His commandments.

Elder Rowe summarized his message this way: “May we all accept Christ’s invitation to be our guide and walk with Him. And when we struggle or stray, let us return unto Him that He may heal us—that He may heal you. As President Dallin H. Oaks declared, ‘Jesus Christ is the way!’ He lives! He is our Savior and Redeemer, the resurrected Christ, whom I love.” We show our love to Him by seeking to walk after His ways, keeping His commandments and trying to do what He would do. This is the best way to avoid the spiritual mines hidden in our complex and fallen world. Just as Elder Rowe walked literally in the footsteps of his mortal guide, these words of Isaiah should always be our mantra as we look to our immortal Guide: “We will walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3).