In Him is No Darkness at All

Preach My Gospel, our guide as missionaries for the Lord, is full of absolutes. In the first chapter, which
discusses our purpose as missionaries, it lists a number of them:

• "The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith will bless their families, meet their spiritual needs, and help them fulfill their deepest desires."
• "Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction."
• "Those who exercise faith in Christ, repent of their sins, and are baptized in Christ’s name can be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. If they endure to the end, they will stand spotless before Christ at the last day and will enter into the rest of the Lord. Christ will hold them guiltless before the Father. He will be their Mediator and Advocate."

Therein lies the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It takes out the doubt. Are we still human, with human stress? Absolutely. But the difference is that we have answers.

Paul described this sense of serenity as being "illuminated... which hath great recompence of reward" (Hebrews 10:32, 35).

Illuminated. I love that word. When we are walking with the Savior, following in His footsteps, we can see more clearly. Moroni encouraged us to "Come
unto Christ, and be perfected in him." Preach My Gospel tells us missionaries that we are to "Invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." Therefore, as missionaries, we are inviting others to be perfected by the Savior's atoning sacrifice. When we see the power of His suffering working in our lives, Moroni promises that "we can in nowise deny the power of Christ" (Moroni 10:32).

We often talk about how baptism is like opening a gate to the straight and narrow path (2 Nephi 31:17-18). The path is not only straight and narrow, but, with the Lord, it is also illuminated. Can you imagine a better promise?

In my opinion, the apostle John explains this principle better than anyone else:

"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:4-5).

I love my Redeemer because, with Him in my life, I can see. Sometimes, I can't "see the distant scene," but "one step [is] enough for me" (Lead Kindly Light, LDS Hymn 97). I especially love the opportunity I have to share my experiences of seeing the Light of the World (John 8:12) brighten the way before me.

As a missionary, I testify daily that "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day" (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24). Also as I missionary, I'd invite all of you to consider the ways the Son of God has illuminated the doubt and fear from your life, and then allow your own light to shine (Matthew 5:16) so that all the world can see the power of this gospel.