By: Ndemowoma Y. Mustapha
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we count it a blessing each time we are in the midst of a General Authority and other Leaders of the Church. During these times, we are privileged to discuss gospel related topics, and in most cases, given an opportunity to ask soul searching questions for the General Authority to help us with answers that might have an indelible positive impact on our lives.
One such opportunity was a moment, a couple of years ago in Ladysmith, in KwaZulu Natal Province, in the Republic of South Africa with Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, then President of the Africa Southeast Area.
After a training session with Elder Hamilton, as a young returning Missionary, my entire family does not share the same faith with me, amidst my anxiety as to how to maintain the imbalance between our diversity, I posed this question to him, "President, calling to his attention, What should I do to retain my membership in the Church".
Elder Hamilton looked at me in the eyes, placed his arm around my shoulder and said, "what do you usually tell your new converts"?
I responded, President, I encourage them to continually come to Church to partake of the Sacrament, to pray often, to prepare to go to the Temple, to do home visiting (Ministering), and to magnify their callings when given one.
He replied, "Elder, referring to me, then go home and do those things, your faith will be strengthened as you continually do them".
In his October 2013 General Conference talk, President Hamilton says, citing Prophet Lehi's account in the Book of Mormon, "There was, however, a third group that was not only successful in reaching the tree of life, but they afterward did not fall away. Of these, the scriptures say that they pressed “forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” The rod of iron represented for this group of people the only safety and security that they could find, and they held fast continually; they refused to let go, even for something as simple as a Sunday afternoon ride in the country".
"About this group of people, Elder Hamilton said, "Elder David A. Bednar has taught: “The key phrase in this verse is ‘continually holding fast’ to the rod of iron. … Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the words of Christ. … This is the group you and I should strive to join.”
The Saviour promised the Nephites saying, "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life".
Also in a revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, at Fayette, New York, June 1829, reads, "And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
I am of the firm believe that if we heed to the councils of the Saviour to "look unto (him)", that of the Prophet Joseph Smith's revelation to David Whitmer that "if (we) keep (the) commandments and endure to the end, and give thought to my response to the General Authority "(we) shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
