Library
Choose Jesus Christ as Your Guide
April 2026 general conference
9:21

Choose Jesus Christ as Your Guide

By Elder Edward B. Rowe

Of the Seventy

I need Jesus Christ to be my guide through life’s journey amid its spiritual land mines. All of us do.

When I listened to President Freeman talk about good days and bad days, I had the thought come to me, “Ed, you’re about to find out which of the two this is.”

This sacred Easter morning, I’d like to share an experience that helped me understand how much we need Jesus Christ to guide us in our lives. I pray that the Holy Ghost will bear witness to you of the resurrected Christ and that our desire to follow Him will grow.

Several years ago, as a young lawyer, I was involved in resolving a border dispute between countries that had been at war. The work required me to travel on foot through remote areas that were part of the recent war zone. Thousands of land mines had been laid during the war. Expert deminers were there, working to deactivate the mines; however, to my surprise, not all locations of the mines were known. Consequently, on occasion people would accidentally step on them and be injured or killed.

To help me complete my work, I’d been provided a special guide named Winta. Winta was well known in the area. He was from a border town that had been attacked. He escaped and then volunteered to stay in the region throughout the war to observe the activities of the opposing army. He knew the terrain and what occurred during the war.

Because it was possible that some places I would travel had undetected mines, I was given the following instructions: Carefully follow your guide. Winta knows this border area from personal experience. Walk in his footsteps a few paces behind him. Where he goes, you go. Where he steps, you step. I was literally to follow in Winta’s footsteps.

For several days I followed Winta through many areas in the border region. At first I felt uncertain and apprehensive, hiking at times in abandoned trenches, destroyed villages, and other areas where the armies had been. The more we walked together and I remained safe, the more my confidence grew. Thanks to Winta, I completed my work without harm and safely returned home. As I followed in his footsteps, walking with my guide, I developed great trust and gratitude for him.

Jesus Christ Is Our Perfect and Personal Guide

Brothers and sisters, as much as I needed Winta to be my guide then, I’ve learned, more importantly, that I need Jesus Christ to be my guide through life’s journey amid its spiritual land mines. All of us do.

Christ’s invitation is constant and consistent: “Come, follow me.” “Walk with me.” “Return unto me.” His invitation is to all—whoever we are, wherever we are. For “he inviteth … all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him.” Jesus Christ denieth none! No one need walk alone!

“The Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning” invites us—we who “labour and are heavy laden” with our weaknesses and imperfections—to walk with Him as our guide.

Jesus Christ was completely obedient to the Father and declared: “I have set an example for you.” “That which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do.” As we strive to follow His perfect example, He will strengthen us and protect us from Satan’s spiritual land mines.

While the Savior’s Atonement is infinite, His invitation is individual. He invites you and me to accept Him as our personal guide. He suffered not just for humanity—He suffered for each of us individually. As President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities.” In short, He knows you personally and thus how to guide you based on your distinct strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

Though our paths in life are unique, each is to be within the covenant path. For that is Christ’s path. We enter that path and connect ourselves to Jesus Christ as our guide through exercising faith in Him, repenting, and making sacred promises, or covenants, with Him.

We follow in His footsteps within the covenant path by being in holy places, like the temple, and by having sacred experiences through partaking of the sacrament, praying, studying the scriptures, and ministering to others. The more time we spend with our guide in this way—and strive to follow His example—the more we will develop a deep bond and special relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father.

We will feel the Savior’s love, be blessed with His strength, and have greater trust in Him. Even our very natures will change to become more like Him. We will feel more joy. And our love and gratitude for Him will grow.

Christ Has the Power Not Only to Guide but to Heal

While the Savior is our perfect guide, we are imperfect followers. Indeed, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Our loving Heavenly Father knew this would be so. He therefore provided a Savior for us; and because Christ answered the ends of the law through His Atonement, the Father gave Him all power to heal us completely when we walk imperfectly.

I know this to be true. When injured by spiritual land mines, I have experienced Christ’s redeeming and healing power by exercising faith in Him and repenting with real intent. I have been spiritually healed by Jesus Christ. I promise you can be too!

Please accept His invitation: “Will [you] not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? … [My] arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.”

Jesus Christ is thus not only a perfect and personal guide—He is also the resurrected Redeemer and Master Healer! No matter how injured you are or how imperfect and inadequate you feel at following Him, He loves you. His merciful hand is extended to you even now. Please take it!

Conclusion

This Easter morning, may we all accept Christ’s invitation to be our guide and walk with Him. And when we struggle or stray, let us return unto Him that He may heal us—that He may heal you. As President Dallin H. Oaks declared, “Jesus Christ is the way!” He lives! He is our Savior and Redeemer, the resurrected Christ, whom I love. Of Him I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

  1. Land mines are dangerous because they are typically placed below the surface of the ground and thus are not visible. They explode when the ordnance is stepped on or driven over, often causing death or serious injury.

  2. Luke 18:22; see also Matthew 4:19.

  3. Moses 6:34.

  4. 3 Nephi 9:13.

  5. 2 Nephi 26:33; emphasis added.

  6. Mosiah 3:8.

  7. Matthew 11:28.

  8. 3 Nephi 18:16.

  9. 3 Nephi 27:21.

  10. Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, Nov. 2024, 122; see also Alma 7:11–13.

  11. President Nelson taught:

    “All those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed (חֶסֶד). …

    “Because God has hesed for those who have covenanted with Him, He will love them. He will continue to work with them and offer them opportunities to change. He will forgive them when they repent. And should they stray, He will help them find their way back to Him.

    “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us” (“The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 5–6).

  12. See Mosiah 3:19; 27:25–26.

  13. When I was in the border area, as the days wore on, I noticed myself at times becoming casual in my efforts to follow my guide. My attention would drift, and I would become less careful. Then, back at camp, I would hear of someone injured or killed in the border region who had stepped on a mine. This would resharpen my focus. I’ve often thought back to my time in the border region and have asked myself, “Why did I ever allow myself to become casual even for a moment when I knew that casualness could lead to casualties?”

    Similarly, there are times in our lives when we may become casual in following Jesus Christ and risk stepping on spiritual land mines laid by Satan. It is important that we heed the counsel of President Dallin H. Oaks, who warns: “Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice. It is a continuous commitment and way of life that should guide us at all times and in all places. His teachings and His example define the path for every disciple of Jesus Christ” (“Following Christ,” Liahona, Nov. 2024, 23).

  14. Romans 3:23; emphasis added.

  15. See Moroni 7:27–28: “Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy, which he hath upon the children of men. … For he hath answered the ends of the law.”

  16. 3 Nephi 9:13–14; emphasis added.

  17. Satan’s spiritual land mines—and other opposition, tribulation, and uncertainty that are a part of mortality—can at times paralyze us with fear. However, knowing that Jesus Christ is a personal and perfect guide, who has power to heal us when we misstep, should increase our faith and cast out such fear. When fear arises, may we remember, trust, and act upon these reassuring words of Christ: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). And “fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. … For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” (Isaiah 43:1, 3).

  18. In Ryan Jensen, “‘Jesus Christ Is the Way,’ President Oaks Says in First Interview as Church President,” Church News, Oct. 16, 2025, thechurchnews.com.