Sister Anne C. Pingree
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True spiritual maturity — growing up unto the Lord — is a choice each individual must make.
"This idea of growing up unto the Lord is a compelling one. Unlike the process of growing up physically, we will not mature spiritually until we choose, as the Apostle Paul put it, to 'put away childish things.'
"Daily prayer and scripture study, adherence to commandments and to covenants made at baptism and in the temple are at the core of growing up unto the Lord. We learn to walk in his ways as we do what draws us closer to Heavenly Father and as we teach our children and others to do the same."
Determined service to others, even in difficult circumstances, is a component of the process. Examples are two elderly sister missionaries who braved big city traffic to visit the home of a newcomer whom they had promised to teach to read. A next step is to "press forward with faith" even when the path is not clear. Nephi in the Book of Mormon, commanded by God to build a ship, did not question the commandment, but asked only how to proceed.
"The challenges may be formidable and the route sometimes unknown. But inevitable wrong turns notwithstanding, those who strive to be truly Christ-like" can fulfill God's commands.
