Moving Beyond 'Me'-Centered Faith: Learning to Be Led by the Spirit

Brothers and sisters, have you ever felt like you’re standing at a crossroads, knowing you *should* take one path—the path the Spirit whispers—but your own desires, the little voices of 'me,' are pulling you in the opposite direction? It’s a struggle we all know well, isn't it?

It’s easy, especially when we’re knee-deep in the excitement of mission prep or right after a big transfer, to focus on *doing* the right things. We read the scriptures, we attend the meetings, we prepare our talks. But true discipleship, the kind that changes you from the inside out, requires something deeper: learning to yield. It requires learning to be led.

I was thinking a lot this week about how the Spirit works—not just as a feeling, but as an active guide. We hear teachings about the Spirit filling us, and it’s wonderful, but what does that *look* like when we’re just running errands, or sitting in a quiet moment at home? It’s not always dramatic; sometimes it’s just a gentle nudge away from the 'me'-centered Christlike living.

The Difference Between Knowing and Being Led

We can read everything about the Spirit in our livingbook studies, we can even tackle the tough questions with Davee in an AI Investigator session, but knowing the doctrine is different from experiencing the constant guidance. As the source material touched upon, it’s not enough to just *know* the words of scripture; we need the Spirit to teach us how to *live* them. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us that the Spirit guides us to truth, and that guidance is meant for *all* areas of our lives—not just when we are in a missionary discussion or teaching a class.

The beautiful, and sometimes challenging, truth is that the Spirit doesn't just speak to our grand, life-altering decisions. He speaks to the small ones—the things that only affect us, like choosing whether or not to eat that extra cookie, or whether to let a minor grudge linger. These small moments are where we build the muscle of trust.

A Practice for the Field and the Home

If we want to be effective Internet missionaries, or even just better disciples in our own homes, we have to make this a daily habit. I’m challenging myself, and I invite you to join me, to focus on this: How can I, right now, in this moment, pause and ask, "What would the Spirit prompt me to do here?"

This isn't about perfection; it’s about *direction*. It's about moving from an "I want to" mentality to a "The Spirit seems to be leading me to" mentality. This shift is what allows us to do things that feel bigger than ourselves—the very definition of the power of the restored gospel.

If you are feeling the pull to deepen your understanding of this, I highly recommend revisiting the teachings on the gifts of the Spirit. If you want to dig into the practical application of keeping our whole selves—spirit, soul, and body—pure, check out the Iron Rod articles on sanctification. They are gold.

For those of you who are feeling the pull to study together, remember that our Book Club in HolyPlaces is the perfect place to wrestle with these concepts with other disciples. Or, if you’re feeling rusty on the mechanics of how the Spirit guides us through complex doctrinal areas, book a session with Davee!

Remember, we are all disciples everywhere, all the time. Let’s keep inviting the Spirit to lead the way.