True to the Faith
- April Tribe Giauque
- Jul 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 7
Elder Hans Boom
Written By April T Giauque
Pioneer stories really fascinate me. They had so few physical possessions, but they had one large possession: faith that they would reach Zion to be with their fellow saints. Elder Hans Boom shared a story about Mary Wanlass. She made a promise to her dying stepmother that she would bring her disabled father and four younger siblings to the Salt Lake Valley.
“Mary drove the oxen and milk cows that pulled the wagon, in which her father [was bedridden, and[ she cared for her … siblings. After each day’s journey, she fed the family by foraging edible plants, flowers, and berries. Her only compass was the instruction she had received to keep traveling west ‘until the clouds become mountains.’ They reached [the] Utah Valley in September. Her father died after the family settled in Utah County. Mary later married and raised her [own] family.”
Do you see what I mean? We know that there were hard times, tears, and at times, they wanted to give up, but a more profound conviction kept them moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other. It was the Savior. The Savior carries us, and we should then put our complete trust in Him to “carry on.” For my elder Boom, “Just carry on”—or, more accurately, “Gewoon doorgaan,” freely translated in my native Dutch language—is also my mom and dad’s lifelong slogan.
Elder Boom then shares a quick summary of his parents’ story. They both came from very different but trauma-filled pasts (listen to the story here at the conference for the full story). They made a choice to follow Christ and to start their family. How did two people who experienced so many trials in their younger years become the very best parents I could ever wish for? The answer is simple: they fully embraced the gospel and live by their covenants to this very day!
They were poor and had to do the wash by hand. They saved up money to buy a washing machine, but when their local church needed funds to help build a new chapel, they donated the “washing machine” money and continued to do the laundry by hand.
Elder Boom recalls, “As a family, we went through some hardships, just like any other family. These have only made us stronger and have deepened our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, just like when Alma was sharing his story with his son Helaman, where he told him that he had been “supported under trials and troubles of every kind” because he had put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Elder Booms' father cared for his wife even as she suffered thoru alzheimers. “Dad still carried on even with all the burdens of life, because Christ carried him.”
My wife’s family of origin became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were shunned by the villagers and by their family. It took many years, loving notes to family members, and service to the community before they were finally accepted.
On one occasion, my wife’s father was serving as a bishop; he was falsely accused of something and was immediately released. My mother-in-law was so hurt that she asked her husband if they should continue to go to church. He answered that they, of course, would continue to go to church since this is not the church of men, but this is the Church of Jesus Christ.
Why is it that some of us take for granted the faith and testimonies of our parents, who, through all their hardships, have remained faithful? Can we remain faithful?
In the Primary Song: “The Army of Helaman,” we sing these words:
We have been born, as Nephi of old,
To goodly parents who love the Lord.
We have been taught, and we understand,
That we must do as the Lord commands.
This is the crucial lesson: we all have a choice to be a goodly parent, no matter what the circumstances are in our lives. We rely on God to help this come to pass. Here is the question: Do you feel that you are “as the army of Helaman” and that you “will be the Lord’s missionaries to bring the world his truth”?
Elder Boom then asks us to think about the Hymn, “True to the Faith,”
Shall the youth of Zion falter
In defending truth and right?
While the enemy assaileth,
Shall we shrink or shun the fight? No!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished.
Think about all the sacrifices and love that those who came before you accomplished. Elder Boom pleads with us, “To those of the rising generation, wherever you are and in whatever situation you may find yourself, please learn and receive strength from the faith and testimonies of those who came before you. It will help you understand that in order to gain or grow a testimony, sacrifices will have to be made and that “sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”
All of us, whether we are the first generation in the gospel or the fifth, should ask ourselves, What stories of faith, strength, and celestial commitment will I pass on to the next generation?
Let us all continue in our efforts to get to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, better and to make Him the center of our lives. He is the rock upon which we must build so that when times become difficult, we will be able to stand firm.
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