Continually Holding Fast

It is easy to choose another path, to relax our hold on the iron rod, rather than enduring faithfully and we’ll to the end.

We should strive to attend all our Sunday meetings.

How do I build that determination to faithfully follow those outward observances in the rest of my family members?

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?”

I would expect that of you could recognize the moment when a family left the gospel path it would be something more sinister than this.

One might ask why we have three separate meetings on Sunday and why the need for each. Let’s briefly look at these three meetings:

• Sacrament meeting provides the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament. We renew our covenants, receive an increased measure of the Spirit, and have the additional blessing of being instructed and edified by the Holy Ghost.
• Sunday School allows us to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom,”9 that all might be “edified and rejoice together.” Great power and personal peace come as we understand the doctrines of the restored gospel.
• Priesthood meetings are a time for men and young men to “learn [their] duty” and to “be instructed more perfectly,” and Relief Society meetings provide the women of the Church an opportunity to “increase their faith … , strengthen [their] families and homes, and help those in need.”

The primary message here is how the consistency of doing small things like attending church each Sunday will keep us safer from temptation.

Continually holding fast to the rod means that whenever possible we attend our Sunday meetings: sacrament meeting, Sunday School, and priesthood or Relief Society meetings. Our children and youth attend their respective meetings in Primary, Young Men, and Young Women. We should never pick or choose which meetings we attend. We simply hold fast to the word of God by worshipping and attending our Sabbath meetings.

Just as the simple decision to attend or not attend one of their Sabbath day worship meetings made a significant difference in the lives of my grandparents’ family, our everyday decisions will impact our lives in significant ways. A seemingly small decision such as whether or not to attend a sacrament meeting can have far-reaching, even eternal, consequences.

May we choose to be diligent and gain the great blessings and protections that come from gathering together and keeping covenants. May we continually hold fast to the iron rod that leads to the presence of our Heavenly Father is my prayer in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.