Staying on the Covenant Trail by Daylen J. Bushman
Recently, I had the chance to spend time at the Stagecoach Ranch in Arizona for a family reunion, where we spent time together enjoying the company of grandparents, siblings, and nieces and nephews, and also riding horses. I was assigned a horse named Gus. Gus was enormous, strong, steady, and one of the biggest horses in the entire corral. As we set out on a long trail ride, I noticed something remarkable about him. No matter what happened around us, Gus stayed on the path.
At one point, a rein came loose. At another, rocks caused him to stumble. Other horses wandered off the trail. Distractions, obstacles, and unexpected challenges popped up again and again. But Gus kept moving forward—calmly, confidently, and with a kind of quiet determination. He knew where home was, and he intended to get there.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but think about discipleship.
Life rarely gives us a smooth, perfectly groomed path. We experience our own “loose reins,” relationships that strain, plans that fall apart, health challenges, financial stress, or spiritual questions. We stumble on “rocks” we didn’t see coming. Others around us may wander, drift, or choose different paths entirely.
And yet the Lord invites us to be like Gus, firm, “steadfast, and immovable” (Alma 1:25).
Not perfect. Not flawless. Just faithful.
Gus didn’t stay on the trail because it was easy. He stayed on it because it was the way home.
Likewise, the covenant path is not always smooth, but it is always sure. President Nelson has taught that “the Lord loves effort,” and that effort, however imperfect, keeps us aligned with Him.
Our job is not to walk the path without stumbling. Our job is to keep choosing the path, even when the ride gets bumpy.
Elder Vern P. Stanfill taught that the Savior “stands ready to accept our humble offerings and perfect them through His grace.” That means the stumbling is not failure. The struggle is not evidence of inadequacy. The dust on our boots is not a sign we don’t belong. It’s evidence that we’re still moving.
Gus didn’t panic when things went wrong. He didn’t compare himself to the other horses. He didn’t freeze when the trail got narrow. He simply kept going, one sure step at a time.
There’s a quiet gospel truth in that: confidence comes from consistency, not perfection.
As we pray daily, study the scriptures, attend the temple, serve others, and keep our covenants, we develop spiritual muscle memory. We learn to trust the Lord’s direction. We learn to recognize His voice. And we learn that He can guide us safely home, even when the trail is steep or the way is unclear.
We can take one step, just one, toward being a little more “Gus-like” in our discipleship.
Stay on the path. Keep moving forward. Trust the One who knows the way home.
The Lord doesn’t ask us to be perfect riders. He simply asks us to stay in the saddle and keep following Him.
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