The Meta-Story of Discipleship: Finding Meaning in the Absurd

Sometimes, the things we experience feel utterly impossible. We read stories—be they ancient scripture, modern science, or even the wildest tales from our own lives—and we hit moments that defy simple logic. Like being swallowed by a whale, or navigating the strange, beautiful, and sometimes baffling reality of modern life.

If you’ve been in the field, you know this feeling. You’re working through a challenging missionary discussion, or perhaps you’re deep in a Book Club study, and the questions that arise feel so big, so complex, that they seem almost mythological in their scope. How do we make sense of it all?

It reminds me of listening to Jordan B. Peterson talk about myths. He points out that the most profound stories—the ones that endure for millennia—aren't just collections of events; they are "meta-stories." They are the central architecture upon which all the smaller adventures are built. They distill the essential human struggle.

The Meta-Story of Discipleship

As returned missionaries, we are constantly wrestling with our own meta-story. We are taking the raw, messy, exhilarating, and sometimes deeply confusing experiences of the field—the highs of a successful teaching session, the lows of a discouraging visit, the quiet moments of personal revelation—and we are trying to distill them into something meaningful for our investigators and for ourselves.

It’s easy, when we're knee-deep in the work, to get caught up in the details. We focus on the specific scriptures, the perfect answer, or the next appointment. But the *meta-story* is what gives those details their power. It’s the overarching narrative that points back to the Savior and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Think about it: The core message of the restored gospel—that we are all divine, that agency is real, and that Christ is the way back to the Father—that is our meta-story. It’s the thread that connects the Book of Mormon to our temple covenants, and it connects the wisdom gleaned from our Bible Study Groups in HolyPlaces to the quiet conviction we feel when we pray.

Sometimes, we get so focused on the *how*—the perfect lesson plan, the flawless testimony—that we forget the *why*. We forget that the very act of discipleship, the commitment to being Christlike, is itself the grand adventure that gives meaning to every single interaction.

A Bite-Sized Mission-Prep Skill: Embracing the "Impossible"

If I could leave you with one practical thought today, it’s this: When you feel stuck, when the investigator asks a question that feels like it has no answer, or when the circumstances feel utterly absurd—like being asked to explain the Atonement to someone who has never heard of it—don't panic. Embrace the "impossible" nature of the question. That's where the deep, profound, and eternally meaningful answers reside. Don't try to make it neat; let the Spirit guide you through the mystery.

We are all, in a sense, like Pinocchio watching a movie—we are so engrossed in the beautiful, necessary narrative that we don't care if the physics are impossible. Our desire to know the truth of the restored gospel should be that compelling, that absorbing, that it makes us willing to engage with the mystery.

I encourage you all to dive into the rich discussions happening in the HolyPlaces Book Clubs or to utilize LivingBook for some social scripture study. Let's continue to build our meta-narrative together, making sure every member knows that every member can be an Internet missionary, every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time.

If you want to explore the deeper structure of belief and myth that underlies our understanding of ourselves, I highly recommend picking up Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief by Jordan B. Peterson. It’s a powerful read that helps frame these big questions!

Want to keep the momentum going? Join our next Disciple Challenge this week—it’s a great way to practice distilling the core message!