"Hold Fast That Which Is Good"

Yesterday I had the opportunity to deliver a "farewell" message

to my local ward (congregation). Using inspiration from

my woodworker son, I borrowed one of his hand wood working tools

and used it to introduce my theme.

I include just a "taste" of my presentation here, beginning with

the description of the Hold Fast iron tool:

The Hold Fast is a traditional hand woodworking tool. 

It consists of a round iron shaft curved into a hook at the top 

that ends in a pad or foot. 

It is used in conjunction with a traditional woodworker’s bench 

which has a series of holes bored through top. 

A pair of Hold Fasts are placed in selected holes 

which are already relatively closely fitting. 

The wood component to be shaped is placed between 

workbench surface and pads. The curved top is pounded 

by a wooden-head mallet, which action secures 

the Hold Fast in place, holding the wood so that it can be 

further shaped and refined with the actions of other hand tools, 

including bit & brace drill, chisel or hand plane.

The Hold Fast and Wooden Mallet tools have been used by 

craftsmen for centuries. For so long, in fact, that it is NOT 

a stretch to think that Jesus, the Carpenter of Galilee 

would have been familiar with them.

Two New Testament scriptures refer to the Hold Fast:

Hebrews 10:23 In letter to Hebrews, Paul is reminding them 

of Jesus Christ’s mission, sacrifice & atonement. 

His exhortation is “Let us HOLD FAST our faith.”

1 Thess 5:21 in letter to Thessalonians, Paul is encouraging 

them [and us] to live as saints would live, 

He wrote “Prove all things; HOLD FAST that which is good.”

There are many “good” things to HOLD FAST: 

being kind and showing acceptance, serving others, 

forgiving quickly, being humble and acknowledging 

our mistakes and weaknesses, expressing gratitude, 

responsibly using the Earth’s resources, 

taking care of one’s own space.

For my presentation, I considered all good things as attributes 

of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Father’s Plan for [our] Happiness.

After outlining that Plan in a brief way, I quoted from

Elder D. Todd Christopherson's Oct 2018 General Conference talk

titled "Firm and Steadfast in the Faith of Christ" to introduce

the "If so, Then what" concept about how we can demonstrate

our acceptance and belief in the Gospel.

I referred to two scripture instances plus another from

early Church history that show the "Hold Fast" commitment: 

1) Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and their reliance

on God's protecting power that could save them from

punishment in the fiery furnace for holding fast to their covenant 

to worship only the God of Israel, and not the King's golden idol;

2) the Army of Helaman young men warriors who hold fast 

to testimonies taught them by their “mothers” and other women 

of influence in their lives that if they did not doubt, 

God would deliver them;

3) Mary Elizabeth (15 years) and Caroline (13 years)

who rescue newly-printed Book of Covenant pages that mob

has thrown out of Church printing office as they attack it

in Independence, Missouri in summer of 1833.

I finished by recounting "Hold Fast" moments from my own life,

including the journey that led us to the Office Specialist mission

calling in the New Hampshire Manchester Mission of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

and my testimony of the love of God and my Savior that is

so often demonstrated in my own life, helping me to

"hold on" to Gospel principles and do my best to stay

on the covenant path.