Follow the Strait and Narrow

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go up to Salt Lake City and spend time with some wonderful people. All of these young men and women were RAs last year or our bosses. What we got to do was amazing. First off we drove straight to the Marriott Hotel in down town Salt Lake. Wow! What a gorgeous hotel. I don't think I have ever stayed in a nicer hotel... maybe when I stayed in a Marriott in South Dakota with my brother, Paul, on our way to SLC, but I think this one was even nicer!
They sat us in a room, and our bosses told us what they expected of us while we were staying there, and dismissed us to go into our rooms. I went to my room straight way, and I laid in my bed, wanting to sleep, but we had to go back for some training. We talked about being RAs again, and how we could help other RAs. Anyways, pretty much everyone that will read this was there, so we'll skip to some other parts.
After a game of two truths and a lie, we headed to Hires H... or something like that. It was this burger joint that had an amazing Western Burger, as well as a decent shake. While driving here our car had an interesting topic of discussion, namely J. Golden Kimball. This man was hilarious! He was known for his colorful speech and pretty much saying exactly what was on his mind. We talked about some of his stories, but one of my favorite things that was quoted was, "I may not have walked the strait and narrow, but I crossed it as often as I could."

As I was sitting debating what I should write about tonight, I only could think about what recently happened, today. I only could think about my obsession (I don't know if I would call it that though I just did) with competing with my cousins that are my age. I have always thought about this. I grew up with Dallin, and he has always out done me in pretty much everything. I don't mind coming in second when I am playing him or whatever, but I hate thinking back on it. He's always been better at basketball than I am, though I was on the team. He is amazing!! Then there's Andrew, Tyson, Alan, and probably more, but those are the ones I see. I just constantly compare myself to them... Anyways, back to the topic at hand:

Follow the Strait and Narrow


Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I always thought that it was the straight and narrow way. This helps think about J. Golden Kimball's quote a little better. Walking down a straight and narrow path, trying to pass it. Every time you're off of it, you realize that you're off, so you turn yourself. You then head off into another direction, pass over it again and falter. It definitely happens to all of us.
It is not so though. The scripture says:

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." -Matthew 7:14

Not a "straight" gate, but a strait gate. Strait gate means narrow or strict. So pretty much when you say, "follow the strait and narrow way," you're saying, "follow the narrow and narrow way." Thought you'd want to know :D. So pretty much we have got to find this small, narrow gate, by following a narrow way.
This kind of sounds like one of those quests in Zelda or something. There's only one way to get to the next place you need to go. You were told once where the path is and where the gate is, but in the middle of the game you have to save and turn it off, because life comes at you. Then when you come back a day or two, or maybe even a week, later, you have to either ask somebody where you're going, or try to remember.

Remembering is a lot easier when there are reminders everywhere. This life is full of them. One of the greatest tools we have are the scriptures. These along with the other words of the prophets, make up what the Lord has said to his children. All these words make up the iron rod. We are told to grasp it firmly, and I am guessing if we do and as we follow it, we will cross over the narrow way, and we'll find the strait gate.
People are also pretty great at helping us. They remind us what we're doing wrong, and they help us find ways to progress. Parents were a great resource when I was younger, and sometimes they are even good today. Friends are more of a resource to day in staying on the strait and narrow. I have the best friends in the world! They love me for who I am. I don't need to change for them, unless it is to get back onto that path.

When we head off in the wrong direction we have to repent. In German, repent is, umkehren. Which directly translated means turn around. I love this concept. When you sin, you're heading away from the Lord. What do you do to umkehren, maybe one of the most important questions, but you have to start turning to the Lord, and head toward him. Don't umkehren towards the devil, he's not worth it. None of his promises even matter, ever! Stay on the strait and narrow, and when you fall off, for it's small, hop back on, and find that blasted narrow gate!