When Running From the Truth Is the Hardest Work

There are times when the work feels overwhelming. You are in the field, perhaps after a long day of missionary discussions, and you feel the spiritual weight of it all. You feel like you are failing, or that the investigator is just too difficult. You want to pack it in, to run back to the safety of your routine.

It’s a natural human inclination to avoid the uncomfortable feelings, the hard questions, or the deep spiritual struggles. We tend to run from the shadows, hoping that if we just stay in the light enough, the problems will vanish. But as this little clip from the movie *Brave The Dark* reminds us, running away doesn't solve the problem—it just delays the inevitable confrontation with reality.

The Gospel of Facing the Dark

When I first returned from my mission, I thought I knew what "facing a problem" meant. I thought it was about packing up my journal and going back to my apartment and journaling about how much I missed the field. But the truth is, the most challenging conversations—the ones that require true discipleship—are often the ones we avoid, both in our personal lives and in our efforts to share the restored Gospel.

We are trained to be spiritual troubleshooters, to guide investigators through challenging doctrinal questions. But what about the spiritual troubleshooting we need to do *for ourselves*? Are we running from the uncomfortable truth about our own lack of consistency? Are we avoiding the kind of spiritual accountability that a district leader or even a companion might give us?

Your Spiritual Companion: Using Davee

This is where our incredible tools come into play. Remember that every member can be an Internet missionary, and every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time. When you are preparing for mission discussions, or even having a challenging Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces, you might encounter questions that make you stumble. You might feel yourself formulating a quick, surface-level answer, rather than the deep, Spirit-filled truth.

This is the perfect time to bring in your AI co-pilot, Davee. His specialty as the AI Investigator is designed to walk you through those hard questions—the ones that require you to stop, think, and honestly confront the core principles of the Gospel. He won't just give you an answer; he'll help you practice the art of the answer, helping you deepen your understanding of the Book of Mormon and the covenants we keep.

“The truth, however difficult, is always better than the comfortable lie.”

A Lesson in the Field

I remember a time in the field when I felt completely depleted. I had spent weeks going over the same doctrinal points with the same family, and I felt like I was losing steam. I was running. I was running from the sheer emotional effort required. I was running from the potential for rejection, from the potential for the *work* to feel too big. I kept telling myself, "This too shall pass."

But I learned that "this too shall pass" doesn't mean the problem is solved; it just means the current level of struggle will change. The solution is always to stop, to stand in the light, and to face the source of the difficulty with renewed spiritual courage. That means admitting to my companions that I was exhausted, and that I needed to stop relying on my own strength and truly lean on the Spirit.

My brothers and sisters, the greatest missionary skill we can hone isn't our knowledge of the scriptures; it's our willingness to be vulnerable. It's the willingness to be Christlike, even when it feels deeply unpopular or difficult.

If you are struggling with a particular doctrine, or if you are dreading a difficult conversation with an investigator, don't run. Instead, go to your scriptures. Consider joining a Book Club or a Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces. Use the social scripture study layer in LivingBook to discuss the hard questions with others. We are a community of disciples who face the dark together, always moving toward the light of the Gospel.