Chosen By Grace: Remembering Where Our Faith Began

Sometimes, when we talk about the journey to the gospel, it’s easy to build up a narrative of personal effort. We think, 'I studied hard,' or 'I finally understood the Book of Mormon concept.' We can get so focused on the *how* that we forget the *who*—and the *why*.

It’s a powerful thing to remember, especially as we get more comfortable in the work. We can start to feel like our commitment is due to our own intellectual breakthrough, or perhaps the sheer volume of scripture study we’ve managed. But the truth, as the Spirit whispers to the hearts of returned missionaries, is that our ability to seek Him often begins with a grace that was entirely unearned.

I was reflecting this week on a talk by John Piper, and it really struck me how often we treat the Atonement and our salvation like a transaction. We feel like we had to *earn* the right to ask questions, or *earn* the right to feel the Spirit's promptings.

The Unearned Gift: Abraham and Grace

The speaker pointed out that God chose Abraham not because he was perfectly prepared—in fact, the transcript mentioned he was a moon worshiper! The point was staggering: God's story of redemption continues with someone who wasn't even looking for Him. Our salvation, our capacity to become disciples, doesn't rest on our checklist of merits. It rests on His gracious choosing.

This is the bedrock truth we need to carry into our missionary discussions, into our homes, and into our quiet moments of scripture study. We are not saved by the strength of our own conviction, no matter how deeply we study the Plan of Salvation.

The Mystery of Conversion

The talk shared a beautiful anecdote about a young woman who traced her own faith back until she realized that God was at the bottom of the entire chain. She didn't just *decide* to pray; she was induced to pray by reading scripture, which was prompted by something else. It was a beautiful illustration of divine orchestration.

This reminds me so much of what we talk about when we are doing *missionary preparation*. We can’t just hand someone a packet of pamphlets and expect them to follow a perfect linear path. We have to trust the Spirit to guide the initial spark, the moment of prompting that leads them to read scripture, or to ask that first, tentative question.

It’s a humbling thing to realize that even when we feel like we've been doing the work for years, the source of our belief is a gift—a gift that continues to amaze us.

A Challenge for the Field

If you are currently in the field, or even if you are just home studying, I encourage you to pause today. Don't focus on the next lesson plan or the next scripture passage you need to master. Instead, take a moment to simply marvel at the fact that you *are* here. You are here because of grace.

For those of us who are returned missionaries, let's keep that perspective fresh. Let's remember that every conversation, every time we feel the Spirit nudge us to share a testimony, is an echo of that initial, undeserved gift.

If you want to dive deeper into the mechanics of how the Spirit works in our lives, I highly recommend checking out the **Social Scripture Study** layer inside LivingBook. Sometimes seeing how others are applying scripture in real-time—seeing those highlights and insights—can help us keep our focus on the source of our strength. It’s a wonderful way to keep the momentum going, even when we aren't physically in the field.

For those who enjoy structured learning, I've been loving the recent **Book Club** discussions on the Book of Mormon; it really helps ground the principles we discuss in the field. Check out the schedule in HolyPlaces!

Keep bearing one another's burdens, my brothers and sisters. We are all walking by grace.