2 Nephi 31:20

I gave a talk recently with the subject being 2 Nephi 31:20. Here is the ten minute version. I followed it up by bearing my testimony. I had prepared twenty minutes, but had only ten minutes to give it. The version here stands on it's own, I believe.

Joseph B. Wirthlin relates, “While traveling along a mountainous road one evening through a driving rainstorm punctuated with frequent claps of thunder and flashes of lightning, Sister Wirthlin and I could barely see the road, either in front of us or to the right and the left. I watched the white lines on that road more intently than ever before. Staying within the lines kept us from going onto the shoulder and into the deep canyon on one side and helped us avoid a head-on collision on the other. To wander over either line could have been very dangerous. Then I thought, ‘Would a right-thinking person deviate to the left or the right of a traffic lane if he knew the result would be fatal? If he valued his mortal life, certainly he would stay between these lines.’ That experience traveling on this mountain road is so like life. If we stay within the lines that God has marked, he will protect us, and we can arrive safely at our destination.” [Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Straight and Narrow Way,” Ensign, Nov 1990]

We’ve all heard of baptism referred to as the “gate.” Using that symbolism, upon entering the gate we find ourselves on the “straight and narrow path” - the same path that Jesus said of, “and few there be that find it” [ Matthew 7:14]. Well it’s good news that those who have been baptized HAVE found the path.

Quoting from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in last month’s General Conference [“Safety for the Soul,” Ensign, Nov 2009], “In Lehi’s dream an already difficult journey gets more difficult when a mist of darkness arises, obscuring any view of the safe but narrow path his family and others are to follow. It is imperative to note that this mist of darkness descends on all the travelers—the faithful and the determined ones (the elect, we might even say) as well as the weaker and ungrounded ones.”

And you’ll recall that the path, according to Lehi’s vision, leads to the Tree of Life, or the “love of God” - as we learned in Primary - and that the “love of God” is the most desirable above all things [ 1 Ne 11:22] and the most joyous to the soul [v. 23]. And the fruit of the tree is Eternal Life - the greatest gift anyone could ever receive - and the greatest that God can give.

You remember from the vision, Lehi (and soon after, Nephi) saw “numberless concourses of people” (1 Nephi 8:21). These people can be divided into four categories based on their actions in seeking the tree and the fruit. Keep in mind that the “great and spacious building” represented the world, the wisdom of the world, and the pride of the world [ 1 Nephi 11:35-36].

Listen and see where you may fit in.

The first category of people includes those who never start on the path but instead go directly toward the great and spacious building.

The second are those who start on the path but then become lost in the mist of darkness - which represents temptations - because they do not hold on to the Iron Rod - or do not continually feast upon the Word of God.

The third group are those who hold to the rod until they reach the tree and partake of the fruit, but then become ashamed and fall away because of the scoffing and mocking of the world that they pay heed to - and as a consequence, they stop feasting upon the word - or let go of the iron rod - and leave the fold of God, joining those who left their spiritual life behind for a worldly life in that Great and Spacious Building.

Elder Dale G. Renlund relates this personal story: “Because of my schedule, I had become casual with my prayers and scripture study. I would get up one morning, say my prayers, and go to work. Often day blended into night and into day again before I would return home late the following evening. I would then be so tired that I would fall asleep before saying a prayer or reading the scriptures. The next morning the process began again. The problem was that I was not doing the basic things I needed to do to keep my mightily changed heart from turning to stone. I got off the couch, got on my knees, and pleaded with God for forgiveness. I promised my Heavenly Father that I would change. The next day I brought a Book of Mormon to the hospital. On my to-do list that day, and every day since, were two items: praying at least morning and evening and reading in the scriptures. Sometimes midnight would come, and I would have to quickly find a private place to pray. Some days my scripture study was brief. I also promised Heavenly Father that I would always try to get to church, even if I missed part of the meeting. Over the course of a few weeks, the zeal returned and the fire of testimony burned fiercely again. I promised to never again fall into the spiritual death trap of being casual about these seemingly small actions and thereby jeopardizing things of an eternal nature, regardless of circumstances. To endure to the end, we need to be eager to please God and worship Him with fervor and passion.” [“Preserving the Heart’s Mighty Change,” Ensign, Nov 2009]

The last group in the “numberless concourses of people” are those who hold to the rod until they reach the tree and partake of the fruit, and who then remain faithful - enduring to the end.

Elder Holland again, “the successful travelers resist all distractions, including the lure of forbidden paths and jeering taunts from the vain and proud who have taken those paths. The record says that the protected ‘did press their way forward, continually [and, I might add, tenaciously] holding fast’ to a rod of iron that runs unfailingly along the course of the true path. However dark the night or the day, the rod marks the way of that solitary, redeeming trail.”
[Jeffrey R. Holland, “Safety for the Soul,” Ensign, Nov 2009]

So, brothers and sisters, when we are baptized, and allow the love of God to infuse our very soul, feasting upon His word, and endure to the end we receive Eternal Life. Eternal Life can be defined as ‘God’s Life,’ which he hopes to share with all his children - Eternal Life is the same quality of life that God currently enjoys, with all the rights, powers, and authority that He has.

Or in other words, we will have “all that [our] Father hath [see D&C 84:38].” You see, the more we press forward on the path, the closer we get to the tree of life, the more we become like God - which is the whole purpose of the commandments He has given us. As we become like God, He will grant unto us Eternal Life.

When we have true faith (which could be simply defined as confidence or trust in God), when we exercise sincere repentance, and make a baptismal covenant, we actually receive the Holy Ghost as our companion. This reception of the Holy Ghost changes our heart and completes our spiritual rebirth - we become born again and receive a remission of our sins. We were warned, however, in our last General Conference that “Enduring to the end can be challenging because the tendency of the natural man is to reject the spiritually changed heart and allow it to harden. No wonder the Lord cautioned to “even let those who are sanctified take heed.”5
We all know of individuals who had this mighty change of heart but subsequently yielded to the natural man. They became casual in their worship and devotion to God, their hearts became hardened, and they thereby jeopardized their eternal salvation.”

“We cannot stand idly by, being merely an interested spectator...” - Delbert L. Stapley, “The Path to Eternal Life,” Ensign, Jan 1974

We must press forward steadfastly.

The dictionary defines Steadfast as “Firmly fixed in place.” “Determination.”
The thesaurus offers some synonyms that are helpful: “ardent, constant, dependable, enduring, faithful, intent, relentless, reliable, resolute, unbending, wholehearted.”

In the book of Second Nephi [2 Nephi 31:19], the great prophet Nephi poses a question:

“And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path [through the gate of baptism], I would ask if all is done?”

He then answers his own question [in verses 19 and 20]: “Nay.” [Paraphrasing, ] You’ve made it to baptism by the word of God - and unshaken faith in Jesus - relying completely upon Him.

“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 31:20

Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ

“The words press forward seem to indicate moving with . . . dedication along the path of perfection despite adversity or distraction.” See 2 Nephi 31:20

- Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981, p. 121