For Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, the gospel of Jesus Christ is like a maypole — a long pole with colorful ribbon used in folk festivals. Dancers braid the maypole by winding the ribbon around the pole. 

“Did you ever braid a maypole when you were a little kid?” questioned Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “We always braided the maypole every May 1. And if the maypole is the gospel, then everything else weaves around and becomes part of that configuration.

“But if the maypole is something else, then prophets, seers and revelators have trouble. If it’s material wealth, if it’s social standing, if that’s what you’re braiding to, then we have trouble because some of our colors aren’t going to work.”

In this Church News video, titled “Maypole” and recorded in April 2022 just before Easter, Elder Holland shares his powerful testimony.

“I can only braid the gospel maypole,” he said. “My first identity, my first identity is love of God, and love of the Savior of the world, and love of neighbor, in that order. And then the strands of that … beautiful little pole can work.”