The Spiritual White Picket Fence

I want to talk a little bit about gates (really, just a little!).  What is a gate?  One dictionary definition of a gate is as follows:

"any means of access or entrance"

Whenever I think of a gate, I think of the classic American dream white picket fence leading to a beautiful house.  Let's take a look at what I'm talking about!

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi talks about a gate that leads towards eternal life.  He says (2 Nephi 31:17):

"17Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost."



In order to get to the house, the first step you must enter is the gate.  Being baptized by the priesthood authority of God is the first step towards following Christ.  At baptism, we covenant with our Father that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Christ (or to be Christians), to always remember Him (not only once a week, or twice a year), and to keep His commandments (see Moroni 4:3).  Last Sunday, Kate entered that gate and received the Holy Ghost.

Now, is Kate's journey finished?  Is that all that she needs to do, and she's set for life?  The prophet Nephi continues his sermon by saying (2 Nephi 31:19):

"Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save."

Just like the first step towards entering the house is by the gate, we still need to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to the our Father's mansion.  Once we do that and endure to the end, we will be able to enter our Father's mansion.