''My face is set, my gait is fast..."

''My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mssion is clear! I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ.'' Author unknown (As quoted by Henry B. Eyring)

Why would I put a quote such as this here?

As I sat in the Institute class tonight I realized that everything that I have been learning, hearing, and experimenting recently ties together. It sums up to Obedience. In Institute we discussed the various reasons we have rules, laws, and guidelines. Although rules and laws appear to prohibit growth and freedom, they are really in place to protect us. The instructor gave the example of barriers alongside the road. As she traveled to pick up her son in Sundance, the rain that night acted as only an annoyance. However, too soon the rain turned into snow and blocked the view throughout the canyon. The barriers and reflectors along the road provided a means of protection from the dangerous falls and kept her from driving into oncoming traffic. Standards really let us have control over our life.

Later I read in the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 2:36-37, 41, which says,

''And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved-

I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness...

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.''

We are taught what we should do or not do, but then it is our duty to choose to follow those counsels. If we fail to follow the guidelines given to us, if we reject the counsels of leaders and parents, if we place our own wills above their wisdom, we will fall. We have been promised that if we keep the commandments of God and obey, we will be as those that are ''blessed in all things.''

Now why did I place that quote at the beginning? If we press forward without fear, and we remain on the narrow and straight path, meaning that we will have to keep the correct standards to do so, we will have a clear mission. We will know what we do and why we are here.

Rules are there not to keep us in but to keep all that is bad out. I truly know that the rules are in place to protect us because I have had mine own personal experiences. One experience I will most likely always remember is from my mission. In the mission field we were told to be in our house at 9 PM, unless we were in a very important appointment. One night in particular, we decided to be in our house earlier than 9 PM, although we would be with someone that we were teaching. To us all seemed normal and we reached our house in time and without problem, but to our surprise we discovered the next day that in that very area where we had been the night before, a gang fight broke out at 9:00 PM. If we are obedient to the rules given to us, God will protect us.