Stretching Beyond: The Call to Know the Mysteries

Brothers and sisters, if there’s one thing I’ve learned since coming back from my mission, it’s that the Lord never calls us to stay comfortable. The gospel is vast, and the knowledge of the Father and the Son—the secrets of the universe, as the video hints—is far bigger than any single missionary discussion can cover.

When I was first in the field, I felt like I knew the core truths, the fundamentals we’d been taught in MTC. I thought I had the right answers for every question. But the more I talked to investigators, the more I realized that my job wasn't just to *give* information; it was to help them *receive* revelation.

It reminded me of something Elder Neil A. Maxwell taught, and it echoes what we hear from our General Authorities: we are being invited to stretch beyond our current spiritual ability. The promise is clear: if we seek, we shall receive. Knowledge upon knowledge.

Stretching the Spiritual Muscle

This isn't just poetic language; it’s a directive for discipleship. It means moving past the surface level—past just reciting doctrine—and into the deep waters of personal revelation. It means being willing to wrestle with the hard questions alongside our friends, rather than just having the polished answer ready.

Think about the depth of the Atonement, or the mechanics of gathering Israel. These aren't concepts you can just read in a pamphlet. They require the Spirit to testify of them in a way that changes your heart. That’s the work! That’s what the Spirit does when we are diligent.

This video, though brief, captures that feeling—that sense of being on the precipice of understanding something profound. It’s the feeling you get when you’re studying the Book of Mormon with a Book Club, and suddenly, a scripture clicks into place that illuminates a concept you’ve been wrestling with for months.

The Internet Missionary Mindset

How do we practice this "stretching" when we aren't physically standing on a street corner? We become Internet missionaries. We become disciples anywhere, all the time. Our mission field is now the digital space, the living room, the workplace—anywhere we can invite a sincere question.

If you’re feeling spiritually stagnant, I have a little challenge for you this week. Don't just read your assigned scriptures; read them with the intent to *ask* a question. What part of the passage confuses you? What part makes you feel inadequate? Those areas are where the Spirit wants you to stretch. If you're looking for a structured way to do this, I highly recommend checking out the Social Scripture Study layer in LivingBook. It’s a wonderful place to see how others are wrestling with the same passages!

A Word of Encouragement

To my fellow rogue disciples: Don't let the magnitude of the gospel intimidate you into silence. Remember the power of persistence, the quiet faith that keeps showing up. We are doing the work of gathering Israel, and that requires us to be humble enough to admit, "I don't fully understand that yet, but I trust the Lord to teach me."

If you want to dive deeper into revelation, I’ve been reading some fantastic insights from the Iron Rod authors recently. If you haven't, I encourage you to check out a recommended reading in LivingBook this week. It’s a great way to fuel your own missionary preparation!

If you want to keep the momentum going, join us this week for our weekly Disciple Challenge. It’s a low-pressure way to practice sharing our testimonies and strengthening our knowledge base together. More details are pinned in the community feed!