There is a Simple List

There is a simple list
To keep us safe from harm
With perhaps this being first:
Lean not upon thine own or man's arm

For, with God we know who we are
And where He would we be moving
Thus we should not drift so far
That we forget the "why" for doing

Those who apostate oft
Were strong when they had commenced
But, to own paths they wandered off
When they left God's rod to take offense

Ever mists of darkness
Cause Saints to lose their way
When their owns sins aren't addressed
And they forget to hold on and pray

Yet, the tree of life still awaits
With fruit that's precious to eat
If to God's words they would awake
And lay their burdens upon Christ's feet

Each Sabbath that's started right
Includes the Lord's bread and water
For then we've Christ's spirit and light
To help us taste the love of our Father

He would we serve our fellow men
And help them to find their way
Let's recognize what's noble within
And heed what the spirit does say

Then, too, let us not forget
What lies beautifully between heaven and earth
The temple's our safety net
For the highest blessing of celestial worth

Elder Claudio D. Zivic
Avoiding Personal Apostasy
Ensign, June 2009, 26

When Lehi received the vision of the tree of life,
he saw that "there arose a mist of darkness;
yea even an exceedingly great mist of darkness,
insomuch that they who had commenced in the path
did lose their way,
that they wandered off and were lost" (1 Nephi 8:23).