Perfection and 100% Obedience

In the Missionary Training Center, our teachers would always encourage us to be 100 percent obedient on the mission. Anyone who has lived for a bit has probably noticed that it is pretty hard to be 100 percent obedient. Those who have had to live by even stricter mission rules* recognizes that it's an almost impossible task. Yet, as a new missionary I was excited for the challenge and determined to succeed.

Once I hit the mission field, I realized how impossible the task really was. Not only did I have bad days that made it hard to be perfect, I was attached at the hip to a companion who also had bad days. It was a losing battle and I felt overwhelmed with guilt for not meeting up to my own and my teachers' expectations for my mission.

It took me a few years to realize that when these teachers advised me to be 100 percent obedient, they understood that I would fail. In fact, God never intended us to be perfect on our own. In the Book of Matthew, Christ counsels his disciples, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5: 48) That's a pretty impossible task for us mortals. However, the Greek translation of the Bible doesn't use the word perfect, it uses a word that more closely signifies completeness or wholeness.

A scripture in the Book of Mormon further clarifies the meaning of "whole". Enos was a young adult who had been taught the gospel by his parents. While hunting in the forest alone one day, he took the opportunity to ponder his life path and feel shame and guilt for the things he had done imperfectly up to that point. He remember the teachings of his parents regarding repentance and the healing Christ offers, and he prayed for forgiveness of his sins. As he prayed, he felt his guilt swept away. He prayed, "Lord, how is it done?" The Lord responded through the spirit, "Thy faith hath made thee whole." (Enos 1:1-8)

Therefore Enos became perfect, or whole, only after repentance. Because of the human condition he existed in, he was bound to make mistakes despite his best efforts. He could only become complete after repentance through faith in Jesus Christ. This applies to us as well. It doesn't mean that we should stop trying to reach perfection. The Book of Mormon says that it is by "grace we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23) It also doesn't mean that we should be hard on ourselves when we make mistakes. A loving Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for the sins of the world. We couldn't return to God's presence unless we were perfect, and we couldn't learn and grow without making mistakes. Christ repaired this disconnect by paying for our sins and allowing us to be whole again.




*Not only are missionaries commanded to (among many things) say their prayers, be kind to others, and remain chaste like regular members of the church, they are also required to arise and retire at a certain time each day, remain with their companion at all times, and fill each waking moment with productive activities that pertain to missionary work.