When I served as the Young Women’s Stake Camp Director, I took a day a few months prior to camp to go explore the paths that the YW would be traveling on to meet a hiking requirement. On the first practice hike, my companion and I just took off walking and were not prepared to make decisions. This particular area had trails that divided all along the way. We found ourselves walking and walking and just trying to decide as we came to a split in the trail which might be better based on growth and shade. It was a good walk, but I had not prepared well enough to map it out for the future travelers.
Returning home, knowing that I had not accomplished what I had set out to do, I returned again with my husband. We first obtained a trail map that was supplied by the camp. As we set off on the hike, we still had to make some choices and then made notes to pass along for those that would be leading the hikers during girl’s camp. To our surprise, we found that if we took a trail we didn’t mean to take we didn’t have to turn around but merely keep walking for a moment and it would take us back to the main trail. There was always a way back to the trail that would lead us to where we wanted to end up. We also learned quickly that some routes were less desirable so we made sure to make notes of that on our map for the future girl’s camp travelers.
During the camp, though I had carefully mapped out the best way to achieve the needed requirement, those leading sometimes were confused and ended up just making the best choice they saw from their point of view. Fortunately, I informed the leaders that if they got off the intended trail, there would be a way back to the main path if they continued to move forward. It was not necessary to return to the fork in the road and take the other path.
For some, the hike went as planned, as for others, they ended up walking much further than they needed too, but ultimately they all arrived at the same appointed destination.
As we hike on our daily trails, it is important to know where we want to go. Imagine you are in a car that is moving but there is no steering wheel. It’s going places but you have no control over where it is going. This is what your life is like if you don’t know where you want to go. Your life is moving but you have no control. Once you know where you want to go it’s like putting a steering wheel into your life.
Next, get directions. Just because you know where you want to end up doesn’t mean that you know how to get there. The best way to get directions is to ask someone who has been to where you want to go. The best types of people to ask are the people that are successful in the areas of life that you want to be successful in. They will give you advice and wisdom to know how to get to where you want to be.
How wonderful it is that our Heavenly Father has set up his Church with maps and guides to help us along the way. We know that others have walked where we are walking and will help us if we know where we are striving to end up. Sometimes we may get off the path we want to be on. Our Father in Heaven knowing we would need help sent his Son that through His atonement we can repent and return to that straight and narrow pathway. We have a living Prophet and leaders that are here to help give assistance and direction. They have walked the path and continue on the trail. They know what warnings and instructions they need to give us to help make our journey easier.
Sometimes our choices may not be the best, but there is ALWAYS a way back to the trail that will lead us home.
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