What Good Have I Done?

Trusting Jesus Christ to Lead Us Safely Through Life’s Hidden Dangers 

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Introduction

Life rarely comes with a map showing every danger ahead. Some challenges are easy to recognize, while others remain hidden until we encounter them. In his April 2026 general conference address, Elder Edward B. Rowe uses his experience traveling through a former war zone filled with land mines to teach a simple but powerful principle: we need a guide.

For Elder Rowe, that experience became a metaphor for discipleship. Just as he depended on an experienced guide to lead him safely through dangerous terrain, we can choose Jesus Christ as our guide through the uncertainties, temptations, mistakes, and difficulties of life. (Church of Jesus Christ)

Summary

As a young lawyer, Elder Rowe worked on resolving a border dispute between countries that had recently been at war. Thousands of land mines had been planted throughout the region, and not all of them had been located. Traveling through the area therefore required extraordinary care.

Elder Rowe was assigned a local guide named Winta who knew the terrain and understood what had happened during the war. His instructions were straightforward: stay behind Winta, go where he went, and step where he stepped. By carefully following his guide, Elder Rowe was able to complete his work and return home safely. Over time, his initial apprehension developed into confidence and trust. (Church of Jesus Christ)

Elder Rowe connects this experience to our relationship with Jesus Christ. Life contains what he calls “spiritual land mines”—temptations, weaknesses, opposition, uncertainty, and choices whose consequences may not be immediately visible. Christ repeatedly invites us to follow Him, walk with Him, and return to Him. His invitation is available to everyone. (Church of Jesus Christ)

Jesus Christ is more than a general guide for humanity. Elder Rowe emphasizes that He is a personal guide. Through His Atonement, Christ understands our individual pains, weaknesses, circumstances, and needs. Following Him involves faith, repentance, covenants, worship, prayer, scripture study, the sacrament, temple worship, and ministering to others. As those practices become part of daily life, our relationship with Christ grows and our character gradually becomes more like His. (Church of Jesus Christ)

The analogy also contains an important warning. Elder Rowe recalls that, after spending several days safely following Winta, he sometimes became less careful. Hearing that others had been injured or killed by mines reminded him why constant vigilance mattered. Likewise, discipleship cannot become merely casual or occasional. Spiritual safety requires continued attention to Christ and His teachings. (Church of Jesus Christ)

Yet the message is not simply about avoiding danger. Elder Rowe teaches that Christ has the power not only to guide us but also to heal us when we misstep. Because everyone falls short, the Savior’s Atonement makes repentance, healing, and return possible. We do not have to abandon the journey because we have made mistakes. We can turn back to Christ and continue walking with Him. (Church of Jesus Christ)

Memorable Quotes

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

“Jesus Christ denieth none! No one need walk alone!”

“While the Savior’s Atonement is infinite, His invitation is individual.”

“Jesus Christ is thus not only a perfect and personal guide—He is also the resurrected Redeemer and Master Healer!”

“His merciful hand is extended to you even now. Please take it!” (Church of Jesus Christ)

Application

Elder Rowe’s message invites more than simply believing that Jesus Christ is a good guide. It asks us to actually follow His footsteps.

One application is to examine how carefully we are following Christ. It is possible to know the right path but gradually become casual about prayer, scripture study, worship, repentance, or keeping covenants. Elder Rowe’s experience suggests that familiarity should not lead to complacency. Small, consistent acts of discipleship help keep our attention focused on the Savior.

A second application is to trust Christ when we cannot see what lies ahead. Elder Rowe could not identify every land mine himself. He had to trust someone who understood the terrain better than he did. We similarly face decisions and circumstances whose consequences we cannot fully anticipate. Following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ sometimes requires trusting His perspective when our own view is limited.

A third application is to remember that following Christ does not mean we will walk perfectly. Elder Rowe’s message makes an important distinction between a perfect guide and imperfect followers. When we make mistakes, the answer is not to hide from Christ but to return to Him. Repentance is not evidence that the journey has failed; it is one of the ways Christ helps us continue it.

Finally, the message invites us to make discipleship personal. Jesus Christ does not merely guide crowds. Elder Rowe teaches that Christ knows each person individually. The question therefore becomes deeply personal: Am I allowing Jesus Christ to guide my decisions, relationships, priorities, and daily life?

Following Christ does not guarantee that the terrain will always be easy. It does mean that we do not have to navigate it alone.

Keywords: Jesus Christ, discipleship, guidance, repentance, covenant path

Reference

Rowe, E. B. (2026, April). Choose Jesus Christ as your guide. General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/44rowe?lang=eng

Labels: covenant path, discipleship, guidance, Jesus Christ, repentance

// posted by John Fisher @ September 27, 2026