Many of us have made a road trip not knowing exactly where we're going or how to get there. When I would go on trips with my father and grandfather in the past we got out the old Rand McNally road maps and plotted out our course. Then the Internet came out with such pages like Google Maps or Mapquest. Most people now have a little Garmin, TomTom, iPhone, or other type of GPS where we just plug in the coordinates and go. The beauty with these new devices is that you don't have a to have a co-pilot in the next seat reading the map for you and giving you directions like "now in a little bit you're going to turn right off the red line onto the blue line, go a little ways longer and stop at the star." Instead, we hear the familiar and friendly monotone voice saying "In 0.5 miles turn right." 0.5 miles later, "Turn right."Now I heard a story today about a stake president who, while out on vacation with his family, was using a GPS unit to get around and they decided to have a little fun with the GPS. They decided to see if they could trick the GPS into giving them false directions or to try and confuse it. So instead of turning right they turned left, instead of going 0.5 miles to turn they went 0.7 miles, and so on. Every time they made a wrong turn or got of course the unit would pause for a second and then say "recalculating." A few seconds later a new course, always ending up at the same address, was laid out for them. No matter how many times they tried to trick it it would always recalculate a new course for them. Defeated, they finally gave up and went to their destination.
We all have a type of spiritual GPS that helps us along our ways as well. It's a little more advanced then the dashboard size units you can buy and has been around a little while longer. In fact, you don't even need to have preloaded software or make upgrades to the unit. Every direction we will ever need can be found in this spiritual GPS. It's a blessing we all have from the Lord. Many times we don't even realize we're on a path. But the Lord knows and he gives us turn by turn directions. And just like our modern GPS, when we screw up and make a wrong turn or go too far the Lord will always recalculate a new path for us. This new path might take us through different parts of the city, but it will always lead us back to the original destination.
Today in Sunday school, while talking about these little personal revelations, or inspirations from the Spirit that have helped us along our way, we were asked to try and remember some point in time where we felt that we have been guided by the Spirit into making a course changing decision. I thought about a time over 10 years ago in my own life that happened to me. At the time I didn't realize what was going on, but looking back on that experience I can see His influence in my life. In fact, I'm grateful that I did listen to that little voice that said "In 0.5 miles turn right."
It was 10th grade and I was just barely starting high school and I had just turned 16, which meant that I also just received my drivers license. A proud day for all boys. My car was a red 1986 Ford Tempo (not so proud) and I had just barely started a new job working at a local grocery store. Freedom from needing money from my parents or for them to give me a ride was at an end. (Little side note: That kind of freedom never truly comes to an end...I still bum money off my folks and try and borrow the car every chance I get.) School has always gone well for me and things seemed to be falling into place. However, at the time I probably wasn't the most active person in the church. Sure I went to seminary and attend church every other weekend when I was up at my dad's house. But those weekends I spent with my mom I never attended church growing up. I never doubted in any means the gospel, but I didn't pay it that much importance in my early teenage years.
By the time I started high school things were going well. I was making new friends and starting to enjoy life a little more. Some of these friends were good friends with the same morals and beliefs as I, and some had different morals and beliefs. Nevertheless we had a good little group. Oddly enough I also decided to start attending church on a more regular basis. I don't know why I didn't make this choice in the past. Maybe because my mother didn't attend and I didn't want to put her out by having her take me every Sunday and then come pick me up. Whatever the reason was I now decided that since I had my own car I would make the drive up to Ogden to attend at my dads ward, the ward I went to every other weekend as a child. I had good friends in there as well, ones that I really only saw on Sundays, basketball days, and during the summer. So, I starting attending church on a more regular basis. About that same time is when I also starting reading my scriptures and saying my prayers on a more regular basis.
Now I didn't feel any different at the time. Even though I was attending every Sunday, reading, and praying more frequently I really can't say that I felt different. I still hung out with the same group of friends, still drove the same car, and still worked at the same store. Nothing appeared to have changed, at the time.
Now that I look back on that time in my life I see a different perspective. I see the road that I have traveled and compare that to the roads my friends have traveled. With my experiences and theirs combined I have a bigger picture, a better map if you will. Today I asked myself what would have happened if I hadn't started going to church, reading, and praying more regularly? What path might I have traveled if I didn't "turn right in 0.5 miles" as I had been instructed to at that time? I look some of the places many of my old friends have been and I am grateful that I didn't travel down that path. Some, sad to say, haven't even corrected yet and are still heading in the wrong direction. Could that have been me? If it had would I have had the insight to heed the saying "recalculating...in 0.3 miles turn left, then proceed as before"?
I must say that I try not to dwell on those questions too much. It will never matter what might have been, because that was then, and we have taken different roads (I know...its a shameless plug for Diamond Rio's song). The only thing that matters know is where we are now and where we are going. The destination is still the same, it will never change. Our paths though might, and it's up to us to listen to our not so monotone, yet still and soft voice that tells us when and where to turn and also, if he needs to, will recalculate a path for us. I am grateful that 10 years ago I made that right turn, not recognizing it at the time.
