What We Choose to Do Instead

Continually Holding Fast 

by Elder Kevin S. Hamilton of the Seventy

 

                                                     

WHAT?

My father could remember the very day, even the very hour, that his family—father, mother, and four children—left the Church, many never to return again in this life. He was 13 years old, a deacon, and in those days families attended Sunday School in the morning and then sacrament meeting in the afternoon. On a beautiful spring day, after returning home from Sunday morning worship services and having a midday family meal together, his mother turned to his father and asked simply, “Well, dear, do you think we should go to sacrament meeting this afternoon, or should we take the family for a ride in the country?”

 

The idea that there was an option to sacrament meeting had never occurred to my father, but he and his three teenage siblings all sat up and paid careful attention. That Sunday afternoon ride in the country was probably an enjoyable family activity, but that small decision became the start of a new direction which ultimately led his family away from the Church with its safety, security, and blessings and onto a different path.

 

SO WHAT?

There is nothing inherently wrong about a family drive in the country.  What was a problem was that they chose the ride instead.  I'm sure that the next week it was easier to say, "Let's do something else as a family instead of church services."  And thus it began.

 

In the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Nephi recorded a dream of his father, Lehi, in which Lehi saw the tree of life which as the love of God in the form of the Son whom the Father loved the world so much to send.  Those who made it to the salvation and joy of Jesus Christ did so my hanging on to a rod of iron.  Those who did not continually hang on the rod, fell away and left the path of salvation.  Nephi also tells us that the iron rod is the Word of God.

 

I spoke yesterday of feeding my spirit with the Word on a daily basis.  I also find the Word each Sunday as I attend Church meetings.  Someone asked me recently why I go every Sunday.  I told her that it is because my spiritual well runs dry if I don't.  The weeks that I have to miss due to illness or traveling don't seem to go as well.  Elder David A. Bednar has taught: “The key phrase in this verse is ‘continually holding fast’ to the rod of iron. (see 1 Nephi 8:30)

 

NOW WHAT?

I need to hold to the rod through feasting on the Word daily and through attending my Church services each Sunday.  I was traveling this week and was unable to attend and I can feel it.  It is as if this week is simply an extension of last week.  When I go to Church on Sunday, I wake up on Monday energized and ready for a new week.  I did not feel that energy yesterday.

 

Sometimes illness or the need to travel on a Sunday keeps me from my meetings, but I always make sure that those occurrences are few and far between.  Otherwise, it is too easy to rationalize that the ox is in the mire and choose to do something else instead.

 

Text copyright November 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures:

Ride in the country from www.saharacool.com

The rod of iron from www.sisterlowe.blogspot.com