In the 1991 movie What About Bob?, Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) is a bundle of fears, phobias, and neediness. He clings to his therapist, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss), hoping someone else can steady his life. It’s a comedy—but tucked inside the jokes is a pretty gospel-friendly truth: real change usually comes through small, baby steps, especially when you keep moving toward the right source of help.
Baby Steps On The Covenant Path
Latter-day Saints describe the plan of salvation as God’s path for His children: we lived with Him before this life, we came to earth to learn and choose, and through Jesus Christ we can be changed, healed, and eventually resurrected and return to God’s presence—according to the glory we’ve chosen and prepared for. In other words, we aren’t meant to stay stuck. We’re meant to grow up into Christ.
“I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little…” (2 Nephi 28:30)
Bob’s famous mantra—“baby steps”—is basically a comedic version of “line upon line.” He doesn’t become fearless overnight. He takes one tiny action at a time: baby steps out the door, baby steps onto the bus, baby steps into the unknown. That’s often how discipleship works too. The covenant path usually isn’t one dramatic leap into sainthood; it’s daily repentance, weekly sacrament, steady prayer, trying again, and letting the Lord reshape your heart over time.
One of the clearest parallels is Bob’s constant question: “Am I okay? Am I safe?” That’s a deeply human question in mortality. In the plan of salvation, life on earth is intentionally uncertain—faith grows in conditions where you can’t see the end from the beginning. Bob wants guarantees, but what actually helps him isn’t certainty; it’s trust and forward movement. In gospel terms, faith in Jesus Christ often looks like doing the next right thing even while you still feel anxious.
“…by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…” (Alma 37:6)
Dr. Marvin, on the other hand, is obsessed with image, control, and being “the answer.” He even literally writes a book about being the solution. That’s a cautionary note for anyone trying to live the covenant path: we can’t save ourselves with ego, status, or perfect appearances. The plan of salvation is built on a simpler, steadier reality—only Jesus Christ is the Savior.
Pride And Control Don’t Bring Peace
When we start acting like we can manage salvation through control—controlling people, outcomes, or our reputation—we usually end up more fragile, not more secure. In the movie, the more Marvin tries to control everything, the more he unravels. It’s an exaggeration, but the spiritual truth lands: pride and control don’t bring peace.
There’s also something here about where we turn when we’re hurting. Bob latches onto Marvin like a lifeline, but what changes Bob isn’t Marvin’s brilliance. It’s Bob’s willingness to keep trying—plus the unexpected healing that comes through connection, service, and being accepted. On the covenant path, leaders and loved ones can bless us, but they aren’t the source. Christ is. Callings, ministering brothers and sisters, prayer, scripture, and ordinances are meant to point us to Him—not replace Him.
And then there’s the theme of transformation. Bob doesn’t become a different person by being shamed. He changes because he keeps taking baby steps, keeps showing up, and gradually starts believing that a better life is possible. That fits the gospel really well: repentance isn’t just “feeling bad.” It’s turning to God and becoming new through Christ—often in small, persistent ways.
So if you’re walking the covenant path and feeling a little like Bob—anxious, behind, unsure—take heart. The plan of salvation was designed for learners.
“As you draw closer to Him, even taking the smallest baby steps forward, you will discover the lasting peace that settles into your soul…” (Bonnie H. Cordon, “Beloved Daughters,” Oct. 2019)
Keep taking the “baby steps”: keep praying, keep the sacrament meaningful, keep repenting quickly, keep serving, keep coming to church. The Lord is patient—and He’s remarkably good at helping people who are still a work in progress.
Be the first to comment