The other day a group of missionaries came into the office for supplies, Don immediately glanced down at the shoes of these elders.  They looked tired, worn and neglected.  “Take a seat Elder, let’s shine those shoes” was his invitation.  One elder quickly looking at his own shoes, which were probably the worst we have seen, said, “I am going home soon and I want my shoes to reflect how hard I have worked, so thank you for offering, but I must decline”.

My mind instantly went to a memory, a memory of my own missionary son serving in Panama.  We had gone to pick him up from his mission. He looked good, he looked strong and happy. The light in his eyes told me he had truly become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

It was a moment I will never forget, a moment I realized this young man, this elder had not only changed the lives of countless others, but his life was changed too.  I looked him over after minutes of hugs and tears, my eyes fell upon those shoes.  

Those shoes we had bought with recommendations and guarantees that they would last the mission, the entire 2 years. The sole was like no other and the cost would be well worth the investment, so the sales clerk said.

I looked at him, he looked at me, then we both looked down to the shoes.  He said with delight and humor in his voice, “mom this is nothing, look at the bottoms”.  He lifted his foot with the biggest smile as I saw a hole the size of the ball of his foot.  His socks too, were suffering from the lack of a sole. Both shoes had not survived the two years. He was proud and satisfied, he had worn down those shoes.   

He had worked hard for the Lord, he had walked the long dusty, rocky roads of Panama to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with those good people he had grown to love deeply and his shoes were proof that he had given his all.  

Packing the night before to go home, he put those shoes in his luggage.  I watched as he held them, turning them over, satisfied with the results. He couldn’t leave them behind, they had supported him and had been part of his 2 year journey with Christ and for Christ.

In Proverbs 4:26 it reads, “Ponder the path of thy feet”.  A modern take might sound something like, “be where your feet are”.  The covenant path is our goal, our objective, our mile marker.  It includes all those ordinances that create a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. 

President Lund, speaking to missionaries at the Provo MTC said, “some don’t believe the Savior’s path will bring the most happiness. “We sometimes think that a little disobedience is going to make us happier. So we step off the path into the weeds, distancing ourselves from God, where we experience less joy and the eventual consequences of our misdeeds that bring us pain.”

He testified that contrary to this flawed belief, the “shortest and surest pathway to happiness” is found through the Savior’s doctrine, His Church and His covenant path.

“Jesus is happy Himself because He is one with the Father’s plan of happiness. That is where we’re going to find happiness too.”

If ever you are looking for me, you will find me and my feet on the covenant path❤️ and hopefully completely worn out.