Saul had a sudden, unexpected, life-changing experience as he approached the city of Damascus with a group of friends. (See Acts 9:1-9.) As a result of that event, the phrase “road to Damascus” has come to mean an experience which meaningfully changes your life.
After seeing a light and hearing the voice of Jesus, Saul was baptized (Acts 9:18). Thereafter, he immediately began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, even though his life was threatened many times. (See Acts 9:20-23.)
In the Book of Mormon, Alma had a similar experience. After seeing an angel and being immobilized for several days, he testified that he had been born again (Mosiah 27:24-28). He immediately began to preach, in spite of persecution. (See Mosiah 27:32.)
Note that both Saul and Alma were active when they had their experience. They were actively doing wrong—trying to destroy the church—but they were active. The old adage, “You can’t steer a stationary ship,” seems to apply here. God was able to redirect these two individuals who were passionately engaged in one cause, and was able to channel their efforts in another direction.
Sometimes the problem isn’t that we’re moving the wrong direction, but that we’re not moving at all. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:
There are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s…, they cannot believe. They stand at the waters of baptism but do not enter. They wait at the threshold of testimony but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. Instead of taking small steps of faith on the path of discipleship, they want some dramatic event to compel them to believe.
They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus.
“Waiting on the Road to Damascus,” General Conference, April 2011
Elder Uchtdorf suggested three things we can do to move forward on that road:
- Turn down the noise in our lives, and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit
- Serve others
- Share our testimonies with others, using a variety of communication channels
Elder Uchtdorf offered the following words of counsel and assurance: “Brothers and sisters, dear friends, let us not wait too long on our road to Damascus. Instead, let us courageously move forward in faith, hope, and charity, and we will be blessed with the light we are all seeking upon the path of true discipleship.”
Today, I will move forward along my road to Damascus. I will strive to hearken to the Spirit, serve others, and share my testimony, believing that as I move forward, the Lord will lighten my path and show me where to go.
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