The Mbola’s, a family from Klerksdorp, North West Province in South Africa, were introduced to the church in 2008 by their mother’s friend through the missionaries, and they have never looked back since.
Their family story began as a beautiful love story between their parents, which led to the birth of their five children: Vuyiswa, Tokelo, Ntombi, Nthabeleng, and Mpho.
They became members in 2008, when their father and the first two children, Vuyiswa and Tokelo, were baptized. Tragically, in July of that same year, their father fell ill and passed away. Despite the pain and heartbreak, they found comfort in knowing he had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. Three months later, their mother also passed away from heart disease. They believe her health deteriorated due to the loss of her beloved husband and best friend.
As siblings ranging in age from 16 years to 1 year old, they were devastated, felt lost, and had many questions about why Heavenly Father would take their parents so soon while they were still so young.
Although their mother was not yet baptized at the time of her death, they learned about temple work and ordinances and discovered that there was a way for her to be baptized.
In the words of the second-born child, Tokelo:
'It was up to us to make it happen. We carried the desire in our hearts to have her baptized for years until we decided to act on it. We gradually began with the baptism for my mother and endowments for both our parents. Eventually, it was time for us to get our parents sealed to each other, and that was when we also decided to get sealed to one another. As siblings, we deeply love each other and were always concerned about one another because, for us, it has always been just us.
Not all of us had our temple recommends at the time, so we encouraged each other to get prepared. It was a test of love among us, as we had the necessary understanding of the gospel. One of us struggled with staying on the covenant path, but as siblings, we had to be patient, caring, and minister to one another until she was ready to make the covenants for herself. When the day of the sealings arrived, it was the best day of our lives.
Being in the sealing room together with our parents' proxies was incredibly spiritual and fulfilling. Our testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the knowledge we have it of it being the House of the Lord was permanently engraved in our hearts. The temple prepares us to live with our families and Heavenly Father for eternity. By keeping our covenants, we are not only securing our own salvation but also striving for exaltation with our families. Our posterity will be blessed because of our decisions. Through temple work, most, if not all, of our life's challenges are addressed. Our covenants ensure our happiness, safety, and contentment. Even when we face trials, we know where to turn. Temple work excites and inspires us to do good continually. Temple work is indeed the work of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
