His Day

I received an e-mail this morning from The Church asking me to share my feelings about the Sabbath day with the world.

Since I don't do Facebook or other social media, I'm going to blog it.

Sabbath Day observance or in other words what you choose to do on the Sabbath day is probably the best indicator of your level of conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is indicative of the strength of your testimony of Jesus Christ, and of your level of commitment to following His Commandments.

Is the Sabbath just another day to you, like any other day of the week?  Is it just a day to self- indulge and have fun?  Is General conference weekend a day off from your Church responsibilities where you can go play?  Or do you get excited about sitting at the feet of apostles and prophets and learning what the Lord wants you to know?  Do you rearrange your schedule to be able to watch all sessions of conference live? Or is the reason you get excited for conference perhaps because it's a break from Church?  If you are ready for church, dressed in your Sunday best, with clean well coiffed hair and intending to go to church and you find out you can't go -- do you shed tears of sadness or jump for joy at the opportunity to skip church?  Do you look for every excuse to not attend?

Even if you do attend, regardless of the reason you went, how do you treat the rest of the Sabbath? once you get home from church is it just another day with television, yard work, or indulging in whatever your favorite activities are?  Or do you try to honor the Lord's Day by choosing more Sabbath appropriate activities such as preparing church lessons, doing family history work, perhaps catching up on your scripture study, etc.

If you are a single parent or perhaps married but your spouse can't help with the kids at church because of callings -- do you rationalize not going to church because you don't get anything out of it anyway because you have to sit in the foyer with crying babies or unruly children?  Or because it's just too hard to get all of the children ready and to church on time?

It is every parent's responsibility to teach their children correct principles and gospel doctrine.  The scriptures make it very clear that parents will be held accountable for teaching their children.

Doctrine and Covenants 68:25 "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents."

Even if you feel like it's useless, it's imperative that you take your children to church and teach them by example that church is where they should be.  That is what the Lord has commanded.  Actions speak louder than words.

I personally feel that attending church is a privilege that many of us take for granted.  It's easy to take it for granted when you can just hop in your car and go.  But when you have to rely on other people to get you there, you appreciate what a privilege it is to be able to go every time you get the chance.

Is one day out of seven too much to ask to dedicate to the Lord when He has given His all for you and me.  Our Savior not only died for us but suffered more than is humanly fathomable to save us from death and sin.  Without His sacrifice, none of us could ever overcome death through resurrection or sin through repentance.  What He did for me, what He did for you is incomprehensible and unimaginable.  It is the ultimate gift. Is He asking too much of us to dedicate one day out of seven to Him?  Is three hours a week at church too much to ask?

Having served a full-time mission I can tell you that when you are in the service of your God, there is nothing more satisfying.  Serving Him and Our Father in Heaven full-time was a sacred privilege that I am so happy I was blessed to receive.  Serving Him once a week is a privilege we all have -- if we choose to take it.  Serving Him and dedicating one day a week to Him will provide similar satisfaction and happiness.

A very important part of our Sabbath day worship is the opportunity to partake of the Sacrament.  This is something we also tend to take for granted.  Every week we have the opportunity to renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the Sacrament.  In doing so we rededicate ourselves to serving the Lord.  To me it's like recharging our spiritual batteries.  It is something we need every week.

Several years ago I decided to try to honor the Sabbath day more fully by not watching any television on Sunday.  Except for General conference reruns and devotionals.  I testify that by so doing my spirituality has increased dramatically. 

A good way to honor the Sabbath is to live the way full-time missionaries live.  I look at my mission rules that I lived for 18 months such as no television, no music except uplifting music, no movies, focus on the Lord's work, study the gospel -- on our missions we studied the gospel two hours a day.  Every day.  One hour of personal study and one hour of companionship study.  Perhaps that would be a good Sabbath day activity.  One hour of personal study and one hour of family study.

Full-time missionaries dedicate their entire lives to serving the Lord and doing His work for a short period of time.  18 months-2 years.  If we live like missionaries even one day a week how much closer will be to our Savior?  Even just implementing one or two of the mission rules in our lives could make a huge difference.

Doing our best to follow our Savior in observing His Day the way he has asked us to will not only bring us happiness and satisfaction but will also bring us closer to Him.  We will be more in tune with the Holy Ghost and better able to make righteous decisions.

That's my two cents.