Area Presidency Message
Learn of Me
“Why have you decided to stay and serve your mission?” He said that he felt it was the right thing to do. Then he added, “I decided to stay not for myself, but for my children and grandchildren.”
In December 2015 in Madziva, Zimbabwe, Naume and I saw a man plowing his field with a team of two oxen. I was amazed to see that one animal was a huge ox and the other was a small bullock. I was perplexed. I wondered aloud, “Why would a farmer plow with two unequal animals in the yoke?”
Naume’s mother, who was standing nearby, pointed to the yoke. I looked more closely and saw traces connecting the yoke to the bullock. The large ox was pulling all the weight, and the tiny bullock was being broken in, learning how to plow.
I immediately thought of the Lord’s invitation: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). In a normal yoking, the load is distributed equally. When we are yoked with Jesus Christ, He bears the load, and we share in the joy of the labor.
The Lord’s invitation to each of us to learn of Him is the only sure source which brings peace, joy and provides answers to the troubled mind. I have this picture in my mind of a loving, kind Savior with his arms stretched out toward me, urging me to feel his embrace: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
Embracing the Savior’s invitation is crucial in the time of great trouble, affliction and distress which we live in. We need protection, hope, peace and the rest to our souls which can only come through a firm testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Learning of Him will help, and especially reading the Book of Mormon each day will help us sail through these uncertainty times. At a time when the Nephites were in physical and spiritual danger, Alma went among them to preach the gospel. He was accompanied by Amulek, Zeezrom, three of Mosiah’s sons, and two of his own sons. Alma and his companions shared the gospel because “the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them” (Alma 31:5).
The most important part of learning of Him is through general conference, where prophets and apostles speak under the direction of the Spirit. “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38).
It is not only important to watch and listen to general conference, but also to review the messages during the ensuing months and acting on the inspiration received.
An experience which remains vivid in my mind when I felt the Savior yoked up with me, was during the October 2010 general conference. A missionary who had struggled for over six months with homesickness and wanting to go home was really weighing me down. As we approached general conference, I asked for inspiration on how to deal with this challenge. I also asked the missionaries to identify personal issues they were struggling with, then to listen carefully for what would be said in the general conference. Missionaries were asked to listen to both spoken and unspoken words.
We had just watched the Saturday afternoon session, and we were waiting for the priesthood session. Since we were watching the sessions live, it was past midnight in Harare. Some of us were outside, and this missionary who had been struggling with homesickness came and stood next to me. He simply said, “President, I have decided to stay.”
I could hardly believe what he had said. I asked him, “Why have you decided to stay and serve your mission?”
He said that he felt it was the right thing to do. Then he added, “I decided to stay not for myself, but for my children and grandchildren.”
We embraced and rejoiced together.
This missionary became one of our strongest elders. He inspired other missionaries to look to the Lord and to serve with humility, faith, and power.
Now he and his sweetheart have been sealed in the temple, and they are noble, righteous parents. His decision to stay on his mission surely has brought blessings to his family and it will continue to do so forever.
I felt the Lord’s love in taking upon me his yoke as we listened to general conference and sensed this missionary felt the same way. As I now reflect on what transpired, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s words come to mind: “If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.”1
The blessings which come from preparing for general conference and listening to the messages shared are immeasurable. Embracing the Savior’s invitation to learn of Him can be a key to unlocking revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Taking time to listen to and review general conference can calm a distressed soul, provide peace, hope, and restore confidence in one’s ability to overcome life challenges.
I hope we will all remember and embrace the Savior’s invitation. Because when we strive to come unto Him, learn of Him, and take His yoke upon ourselves, we begin to see Him as He really is. He begins to teach us who we really are and who we can become.
Elder Dube was named a General Authority Seventy in April 2013. He is married to Naume Keresia Salizani. They are the parents of four children.