Journey

I like to travel.  I think there is so much to learn by seeing and experiencing a new place and I love to think about how we are all connected as brothers and sisters across the world.  I am grateful for a recent opportunity to travel and explore and learn and grow and I have been impressed, while thinking back about these experiences, that there are many stories in the scriptures about traveling and journeys to new places.  I think this is significant.

• Life is a journey.  We had to leave our home with Heavenly Father to come here to earth to learn and to grow on our own by making choices and learning by faith.
• Moses and other prophets went up to the mountains to talk to the Lord.
• The children of Israel left Egypt and traveled 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land.
• The Jaredites built boats to travel to the Promised Land.
• Lehi and his family traveled in the wilderness for eight years and then they built a boat and traveled across the ocean to the Promised Land.
• The sons of Mosiah traveled to the land of the Lamanites to teach.
• Mary went to visit Elizabeth and then Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem and then not long after they went to Egypt with the baby Jesus.
• Joseph Smith went to a grove of trees to pray.
• The pioneers crossed the plains, but before they even got to Salt Lake there were other trips - one that was significant was Zion's Camp.  It might have seemed that the purpose of the journey was not met, that they were unsuccessful, but the Lord had a different purpose in mind and this trying trip helped to create great leaders.

Why did the Lord command these groups and individuals to travel?  There were unique circumstances and reasons each time, but I think that in general, they had to travel and we have to travel, in order to learn - most importantly to learn to be humble, to rely on Him, to gain a greater perspective.  If we are humble in our journeys He will lead us.  There is often much to learn just in the journey itself.

Here are a few scriptures that remind us of His guiding care:

• 1 Nephi 4:6
• 1 Nephi 17:42
• Alma 37:44
• D&C 88:77-80
• Matthew 28:19-20

...and here are a few songs of inspiration to help us keep going on our journeys:

• Life is a Road
• The Iron Rod
• I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go
• Come, Come, Ye Saints
• Does the Journey Seem Long?