"We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked. All of us can walk the path He walked when, with His words ringing in our ears, His Spirit filling our hearts, and His teachings guiding our lives, we choose to follow Him as we journey through mortality. His example lights the way. Said He, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.' (John 14:6)
"As we examine the path Jesus walked, we will see that it took Him through many of the same challenges we ourselves will face in life.
"For example, Jesus walked the path of disappointment....
"Jesus walked the path of temptation....
"Jesus walked the path of pain....
"While we will find on our path bitter sorrow, we can also find great happiness.
"We, with Jesus, can walk the path of obedience....
"We, like Jesus, can walk the path of service....
"Jesus walked the path of prayer....
"As we strive to place Christ at the center of our lives by learning His words, by following His teachings, and by walking in His path, He has promised to share with us the eternal life that He died to gain. There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples and do His work throughout our lives. Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can."
- Thomas S. Monson, "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet," Ensign, November 2014, pp. 86-88
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A number of speakers have noted over the years that it's not nearly as important to walk where Jesus walked as to walk how He walked. His gift to mankind was that "He marked the path and led the way" (Hymns No. 195) so that any who desire may follow. He invited his followers anciently, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (John 13:15) as He served unselfishly. After teaching the Nephites to pray, he admonished, "Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you" (3 Nephi 18:16).
In this insightful talk, President Monson points out many of the ways the Savior set examples for us, experiencing the kinds of things that we do in mortality. Truly, the path He walked "took Him through many of the same challenges we ourselves will face in life." We can find great reassurance and inspiration in pondering how he acted and responded in the midst of those situations.
This final challenge and invitation from President Monson is particularly beautiful; "we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples and do His work."
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