Navigating Your Way to the Temple

Tanner has recently left for Brazil to begin his mission. In preparation for this mission he went to the Boston temple. it was a beautiful moment for me, as his mother, to be joined by one of my sons in the temple. What did Tanner do that might have helped him achieve this? 

Elder Packard said, "I speak as one who has seen the past and would prepare you for the future. You are growing up in enemy territory. When you become mature spiritually, you will understand how the adversary has infiltrated the world around you. He is in homes, entertainment, the media, language - everything around you. In most cases, his presence is undetected."

So how did Tanner successfully navigate himself from a cute, awkward, goofy kid to an Elder commissioned by the Savior to teach?

While there are many good things we can and should do to develop our character, and testimony, such as service, scripture reading, seminary and temple attendance - things that will help us have and feel the spirit - I believe one thing Tanner did made all the difference.

Whenever Tanner woke up, or went to bed, he would roll onto his knees, and say his prayers. Tanner prayed. All by himself, and for himself. Second Nephi 32:8-9 says that, "For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not fain; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father..."

In the history of Joseph Smith, 1:15, it states that while praying, Joseph Smith "was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak."  Elder Holland, while speaking to the San Antonio Mission in 2007 said that Satan does not have the power to kill, so he did the second most powerful thing he could - he bound the tongue of Joseph Smith.

Prayer provided Tanner with spiritual eyes that he could "discern" the adversary and his enticements and trappings Elder Packard said was undetectable. Prayer is why Tanner navigated his way through enemy territory and arrived safely at the temple.