A circus performer once demonstrated to a group of youngsters some simple stunts on a trapeze, and gave them a chance to try out the swing, which had been lowered near the ground. A young boy, hanging by his legs, signaled for the swing to be put into motion. On the first downward swoop, he straightened his legs and went sailing off the trapeze.

"What happened?" asked a friend who ran over to see if he was all right. The boy, getting up, replied, "I forgot to hang on."Swinging from a circus trapeze isn't as easy as performers make it look. It takes concentration and effort, to say nothing of training, practice, skill and courage. A simple error, like forgetting to hang on, could bring disastrous or at least embarrassing results.

There are times when we, too, must remember to hang on, not only for our physical well being but also for our spiritual safety. Some of the things we might do to safeguard ourselves spiritually are making sure we hang on to our faith, our testimonies and our commitment to gospel principles.

If we, even for a moment, let go of any of these elements in our spiritual lives, we leave ourselves open to danger.

Sometimes others try to tempt us to let go of our values. The pressure can be great, as was discovered by a young Latter-day Saint who refused to go along with a friend in an activity contrary to Church standards. When the young lady refused to yield to the temptation, the friend said, "You're too righteous for your own good. Nobody likes a goody-two-shoes."

A friendship was placed in momentary jeopardy when the youth refused to go along with the activity, but the loss could have been far greater had she thought that it's possible to lay aside the Lord's teachings. Speaking to a BYU graduating class in 1979, President Ezra Taft Benson related the story of a young lady who, with her date, was going to a place of questionable reputation, against the wise counsel of her parents. She asked, "What harm is there in just going in to see what goes on there?" Her parents apparently gave in, and suggested that she wear her lovely white dress for the occasion. Before her date arrived, her father asked, "Would you do me a favor before you leave, and go out to the smokehouse and bring in a side of bacon?"

The girl was aghast at this request and said, "In my best dress? I'd never get rid of that awful smell." Her mother replied, "That's right. You can't go into the smokehouse without absorbing some of the influence there. We think you're smart enough not to go into a place where you'd come out any less beautiful and clean than when you went in."

With that wise counsel, the girl made the right decision to keep herself unspotted from evil influences in the world. President Benson told the graduation assembly: "You cannot let down your standards. Anytime you break a law of God you pay the penalty in heartache, in sadness, in remorse, in lack of self-respect, and you remove yourselves from contact with the Spirit of God.

"Seek not for momentary pleasure and happiness, but seek diligently for the joy and peace and happiness of the good life, the clean life, the spiritual life - the constant, uplifting companionship of the Holy Ghost and ultimate eternal life with our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ." (From a BYU graduation address, Aug. 17, 1979.)

In the Book of Mormon, the account of the vision of the tree of life is a classic illustration of the reward that comes from holding firm to that which will bring us to eternal life. In the vision, Lehi saw numerous people making their way to a spacious field where there was a tree with the most desirable of all fruit. Some lost their way in a great mist of darkness, fell into murky water and drowned. Others, however, caught hold of an iron rod, identified as the word of God, and made their way safely to the tree, which bore the fruit of eternal life.

However, it was not not enough to just reach the tree and partake of its fruit. Some who had eaten of it became ashamed when they were mocked by people in a great and spacious building, which we understand represents the pride, wisdom and vain imagination of the world. Although they succeeded in reaching the tree, they let go and "fell away into forbidden paths and were lost."

The more faithful grabbed hold of the rod of iron and continued to press forward, giving no heed to the mockings of the world. (See 1 Ne 8:3-33.)

Let us, likewise remember to hold on, to follow the course the Lord has given us. Regardless of what the so-called sophisticated and popular voices of the world may say, let's remember who we are, and hold fast to the word of God, to our faith, to our testimonies, to every principle and teaching of the gospel so that we may find our way to safety.

Let us never let go of that which we hold dear.