Sighting In Your Soul: Making Big Decisions with Divine Guidance

Brother, sister, have you ever stood at a crossroads in life—a decision so big, it feels like standing at the edge of a canyon? You’ve gathered all the information you can find, you’ve talked to the wise folks, you’ve prayed until your knees ache, but the path ahead is still shrouded in mist. It feels like you're trying to solve for 'x' when all you have are empty squares on a Sudoku puzzle.

It’s in those moments that the natural inclination is to panic, or worse, to freeze up. We want the perfect answer, the guaranteed outcome. But the Spirit, bless it, rarely hands us a laminated flowchart. Instead, He gives us a process. And the process, I’ve found, is less about knowing the answer and more about learning how to ask the right questions.

I was recently reviewing some material on discernment, and a concept really clicked for me. It reminded me so much of the time I was preparing for my mission call. You think you’ve studied the scriptures, you’ve attended every missionary discussion, you’ve memorized your talks, but when you get to the field, you hit a question you never anticipated. You can’t just *know* the answer; you have to *discern* it with the Spirit’s help.

The wisdom shared in this video really resonated with that feeling of needing to "sight in" your life before you can actually pull the trigger on the next step. It’s not enough to just aim; you have to follow through.

If you take one thing away from this talk, let it be this: Decision-making, especially the big ones—like whether to take a new job, or how to best serve in the Church, or even how to approach a difficult conversation with an investigator—requires a methodical approach that honors both our intelligence and our reliance on the Spirit.

The Three Pillars of Discernment

The speaker outlined a beautiful framework that mirrors principles we use in our own missionary preparation. I like to boil it down into three actionable steps:

1. Gather the Data: This is the obvious part. Research, facts, logistics. If you’re trying to understand a doctrine, you gather data through scripture study, maybe even diving into a Book Club on a topic in LivingBook. But remember, the data is *not* the answer.
2. Seek Counsel: This is where the "living, breathing human being" comes in. Talk to your district leader, your bishop, or even a seasoned returned missionary. When we ask for counsel, we aren't asking them to make the choice *for* us; we are asking them to share their wisdom so that *we* can take personal responsibility for the decision.
3. Act (The Sight-In): This is the hardest part. You have to move. The speaker used the analogy of sighting in a rifle. You line it up perfectly, you check your scope, but if you never pull the trigger, nothing changes. Action doesn't have to be a massive life overhaul; it can be a small, intentional test. "Would this work?" is a perfectly valid question to ask of reality.

Applying This to Our Calling

As disciples, we are constantly making decisions. How do we best teach the Plan of Salvation? What is the most Christlike way to handle a difficult cultural question? When we are in the field, we are constantly "sighting in." We gather data (the investigator's questions), we seek counsel (from our companions or leaders), and then we must act—by sharing the gospel with courage, even if we don't feel 100% certain of the outcome.

Remember that the Spirit doesn't whisper the answer; He guides your *process* until you are ready to speak it with conviction. Don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from taking that small, faith-filled step today.

If you’re feeling stuck on a decision right now—whether it’s personal, or related to your service—I encourage you to try this framework. And if you want to talk through a specific dilemma, don't hesitate to bring it to Davee. He’s trained in the AI Investigator role and can walk you through the tough questions an investigator might ask, helping you practice your answers!

For those of us who love digging deep into doctrine, I highly recommend checking out the Bible Study Groups in HolyPlaces. It’s a wonderful place to gather data and seek counsel with fellow disciples. Keep pressing forward, brothers and sisters. The work awaits!