I need a simple explanation of afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) pathways

I cannot seem to find a simple explanation online. Will award nest answer, thankyou.

I don't know if this will be the best answer you'll get, but I am a retired AP bio and human physiology teacher so explaining is what I do.
This is actually pretty simple, really. It has to do with direction.
Afferent neurons, as you've already said in your question, carry impulses from sensory receptors in skin, muscles, organs, etc and carry them inward to the spinal cord and brain (central nervous system). With the exception of the reflex arc, which I'll tell you about in a minute, incoming impulses from our skin, eyes, ears, mouth (taste), nose, internal organs..all of the sense receptors we have, which include pain, pressure, temperature, the five senses (hearing, seeing, tasting, touch, smelling) and any other sense receptors you can think of are afferent. This means that the neurons are set with the receiving end first (the dendrites), and the impulse is carried inward, passed along to other neurons in the chain until they reach the spinal cord. In most cases, they continue upward to the brain, are interpreted, and we may or may not choose to respond. If we do, efferent neurons carry impulses away from the brain and spinal cord to skeletal muscles so we can react physically if we choose to.
For example, you want to go swimming, and you stick your toe in the water, which is an efferent (motor) neuron response generated in the brain and sent out to the proper muscles of your leg and foot. Then, sensory receptors in your skin are triggered by the temperature of the water and the fact that it is a liquid (as opposed to solid or gas..we can tell texture, obviously, as well as temperature of what we touch). These impulses are sent inward through afferent neurons to your spinal cord to your brain, which registers the temperature (is it hot, cold, just right?) of the water, and if it's nice, you decide to dive or jump in, so motor neurons send the impulses back out to your skeletal muscles and you make a perfectly executed dive..or maybe a cannonball, your choice..into the water. Or, your brain may say..no way, this water is too cold, and you choose not to dive in.