Yesterday, my heart swelled as I watched our 8 1/2 month old daughter take her first steps. There was something particularly special about this milestone – she’s walking earlier than her sisters did, driven by her natural desire to join in their activities and follow their example. As I reflected on this tender moment, I couldn’t help but see the spiritual parallels in her journey.
Just as my little one watches her older sisters running and playing, desperately wanting to join them, we too are surrounded by examples of faithful disciples who inspire us to progress on our spiritual path. As Nephi teaches us, “Follow the Son, with full purpose of heart… and endure to the end” (2 Nephi 31:16). Just as my daughter follows her sisters’ examples, we are called to follow the perfect example of our Savior, taking steps along the path He has shown us. Like a toddler’s first steps, entering the path is just the beginning.
Those first wobbly steps are always accompanied by outstretched parental arms, ready to catch, support, and encourage. How similar this is to our relationship with our Heavenly Father! He stands ready, arms extended, encouraging us as we navigate our own spiritual journey. Sometimes we stumble, sometimes we fall, but like an earthly parent, He is always there to help us back to our feet.
What struck me most was my daughter’s determination. Despite the tumbles and uncertainty, she kept trying, motivated by the joy she saw in her sisters’ activities. Isn’t this how our spiritual journey should be? We see the joy in others who are walking the path of discipleship, and it inspires us to keep moving forward, even when our steps are unsure.
The beauty of first steps isn’t in their perfection – it’s in the courage to try, the trust in those supporting us, and the vision of where those steps can lead. Whether physical or spiritual, each step forward is a step toward growth, toward joy, and toward becoming who we’re meant to be.
As I watch my three daughters now – one confidently running, one skipping with growing assurance, and now our youngest taking those precious first steps – I’m reminded that we’re all on this journey together. Some may be further along the path, showing the way for others, while some are just beginning. Nephi explains the beginning of this path: “The gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:17). As we continue forward, we “feast upon the words of Christ,” which will “tell you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:3). The prophet Isaiah beautifully describes the Lord’s promise along this journey: “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16). Each step we take on this path, supported by our Heavenly Father’s love, brings us closer to Him.
Just as I wrote about previously, the Lord has a way of magnifying our smallest efforts into something remarkable. Whether it’s a toddler’s first steps or our own steps along the covenant path, He stands ready to touch our humble offerings with His divine light.
In our own spiritual walks, may we have the determination of a toddler, the trust of a child in their parent’s outstretched arms, and the vision to see where our faith-filled steps can lead us.
Elder Linder 