Easy to be entreated

I went to Utah a few weeks ago and we stayed in a campground cabin. That night Alex and I went for a walk. We walked side-by-side, but I was following. He had a route he wanted to take around the campground so I followed him as we walked and talked. It was so enjoyable. At times I would push in a direction, and he would just point the way he had in mind. I didn't really care where we walked, I just wanted to be with him and hear about his life. I mostly asked questions and listened to him. He's very intelligent.

In order to follow while walking side-by-side one must be more vigilant of the position of the other person. If he wants to turn towards you, and you don't move in that direction you will bump into each other, whereas if he wants to turn the other way and you don't follow you will get farther apart and disrupt the conversation. Simple.

I think when we "follow Christ" it is more like He is leading in a way that we walk beside Him. We have to be ever vigilant of where He is and stay close to Him. We may try to veer off the path, but either we bump into Him or move away from Him. His way is straight, for God "cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round." (Alma 7:20)

Off the path

If we go off of the path and move away from Him it is because we have taken our focus off of Christ. Peter had the faith to jump out of the boat into the deep and boisterous water, but saw the waves and took his sight off of Jesus and started to sink. Taking our focus off of Christ will make us go astray.

Eddy Hughes once told me, "If you feel far from God, who moved?" The Lord does not veer off of the path -- ever. When we stray, He sends others out to get us -- angels who go out into the darkness "to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ." (D&C 20:59) They bring us back onto the path where we may do as Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:24-25)

Humility

Following Jesus as we walk beside Him on our life's journey is an act of humility. It is letting go of what we want, and doing has He does. This is what is meant by, "easy to be entreated." We aren't forced on the path. We aren't dragged or even held in any way. If we hold hands, it is because we take His hand. It must be pure love that keeps us beside Him. We use our agency to decide to stay with Him, looking straight down the path with our minds eye on Him, knowing where He is at all times, keeping close so there can be constant communication, both physical and verbal. The following scripture exemplifies this concept perfectly:

And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. (Alma 7:23)

Conversation

The conversation from our end is given: "give thanks." Also, we "are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally." (D&C 46:7)

If, as we're walking beside the Lord, we also listen to Him, He will not only guide us on the straight and narrow path to happiness, but also teach us things about His life. The conversation is mostly one-sided because He has all knowledge and wisdom. We mostly ask questions and listen for the answer. We learn from Him; we don't teach Him. We don't need to tell him about our life, instead we seek His wisdom.

Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works. (Jacob 4:10)

We ask, listen, and give thanks -- what a great conversation!

Endure to the end

And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31:19-20)