Dealing with the Visible and Invisible Plagues: Finding the Spirit in the Chaos

Sometimes, the chaos just *hits* you. You open the door, and it’s not just one problem—it’s a whole plague. Maybe it’s the visible pestilence right in your living room, or maybe it’s the invisible microbe whispering doubts into your quiet moments of study. It can feel like everything is happening at once, overwhelming you until you wonder, 'How am I supposed to keep going?'

Watching the sheer volume of things that can go wrong—fire ants climbing up a leg, flies swarming a kitchen, a whole house dealing with a natural disaster—it makes you pause. It makes you think about what truly matters when the world around you is actively trying to distract you, or worse, distract your family.

The Big Question: Choice vs. Divine Plan

Amidst the chaos, the conversation inevitably drifts to the big theological questions. We hear things like, 'Did God create us and not give us a choice between right and wrong?' These are the questions that can stop a missionary discussion dead in its tracks. They are the questions that keep us up at night, making us feel like we’re constantly defending the foundations of our faith.

When we are in the field, or when we are studying in a Book Club setting, these hard questions are inevitable. They aren't meant to derail us; they are invitations—invitations to dig deeper, to rely more heavily on the Spirit, and to study the scriptures with renewed vigor.

Finding Our Anchor in the Spirit

What did I take away from watching all this—the visible pests, the emotional strain, the theological wrestling? It’s a reminder that the gospel isn't meant to be a perfect, sanitized experience. The Savior didn't wait for us to be comfortable; He met us in the muck, in the storm, and in the messy reality of our choices.

The principle here, as I’ve learned from my own time in the field and through my return, is that the Spirit isn't something you *find* when things are quiet; it’s something you *rely* on when things are loud. It’s the difference between panicking over the flies and calmly using a fly swatter—or, better yet, trusting the Lord to direct your hand.

Remember that feeling when you're trying to teach someone something vital, and they hit you with a question that makes you sweat? Don't panic. That's where the training comes in. That's where you lean on your companions, your district leader, and the covenants you’ve made. You don't have to have all the answers immediately, but you *do* have to be willing to learn alongside your investigator.

This week, I want us to focus on the 'doing' part of discipleship. If we are all Internet missionaries, we are constantly 'doing' things—studying, sharing, praying, serving. Let's treat our discipleship like a constant, proactive response to the world's 'plagues,' whether they are physical, emotional, or intellectual.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things you feel you *should* be doing—studying, serving, sharing—I want to point you toward the power of focused study. If you haven't already, dive into the LivingBook. Check out the social scripture study layer; seeing how others are highlighting passages related to agency or choice can be incredibly encouraging.

For those of you who are preparing for missions, or who are newly returned and feeling the weight of the return, I highly recommend revisiting the foundational principles of agency. If you want to walk through some of the tough questions you might face in your next missionary discussions, I'd love for you to bring your questions to Davee. He’s been working hard on his AI Investigator role, and he’s ready to walk you through those difficult conversations with the grace and knowledge you need.

If you need a little extra spiritual fuel this week, check out the Iron Rod authors available in LivingBook. I’ve been rereading some foundational material on covenant keeping lately, and it really helped settle my spirit.

If you’d like to connect with others who are wrestling with these same big questions, consider joining a Book Club or a Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces. There’s strength in the shared testimony!