The Sabbath Day ~ Why We Do Certain Things on the Sabbath

The discussion today was facilitated by Sister Louisa Joy.

Sister Joy asked "Why is rest important on the Sabbath?
Answers that were given ~ 

• We don't seem to get enough [rest] during the week with all that we have to do.  It's a chance to recharge.
• To pause and ponder.  To feel the promptings of the Spirit that we may not get on other days.
• The Lord rested on the seventh day and we need to follow His example. 

Elder James E. Faust said, "Why has God asked us to honor the Sabbath day?  The first has to do with the physical need for rest and renewing.  Obviously God, who created us, would know more than we do of the limits of our physical and nervous energy and strength.

     The second reason is, in my opinion, of far greater significance.  It has to do with the need to for regeneration and the strengthening of our spiritual being.  God knows that, left completely to our own devices without regular reminders of our spiritual needs, many would degenerate into the preoccupation of satisfying earthly desires and appetites.  This need for physical, mental and spiritual regeneration is met in large measure by faithful observance of the Sabbath day."

Rest on the Sabbath day rejuvenates our bodys and our souls.

The next question, question #2:  Why do we dedicate All day on the Sabbath to the Lord?

Answers ~

• It is a commandment.
• If we only go to church for the 3-hours and then go about regular activities, it doesn't have as great a meaning in our lives.
• During the week we are living in chaos and when we dedicate one day to the Lord, He will bless us.
• There are a lot of good things we can do to make it the Lord's day.  We can journal, visit the sick, rest, read scriptures, do family history work, etc.
• Even when we are on vacation we can dedicate that day to the Lord.

Sister Warren talked about how when her father would take them camping or on vacation, he always had them make sure that the Sabbath was still honored.  He would make it different than other vacation days.  

Dedicating the Sabbath day, all day to the Lord helps keep us unspotted from the world. 

Question 3:  Why is it important to take the sacrament every week?

Answers ~

• We need to renew our baptismal covenants.
• Each time we partake it is a sign to Heavenly Father that we want Him to be a part of our lives.

Sister Tammy Jensen told of a time when she attended a Jewish passover with some friends.  She was so touched by the symbolism and the words read from the Torah.  She said it was interesting to her how beautiful the words were, however she noticed that people weren't really paying attention and they were almost taking it for granted.  When she told a friend of the experience, Sister Jensen's friend said to her, "I wonder what they would think of how we treat taking the Sacrament?"  Isn't it sad that we as Latter-day Saints tend to take for granted the beautiful opportunity that we are given weekly, and the lack of reverence we show.

Elder Melvin J. Ballard said, "We want every Latter-day Saint to come to the sacrament table because it is the place for self-investigation, for self-inspection, where we may learn to rectify our course and make right our own lives, bringing ourselves into harmony with the teachings of the Church and with our brethren and sisters."

Sister Neill F. Marriott of the Young Women general presidency said, "With our symbolic action we are saying to God and man that we reach out to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, take into our souls, and desire His atoning blood to be applied in our lives.  In this holy moment we acknowledge our constant need of the Redeemer, our desire for His forgiveness and blessing, and our commitment to live our covenants." 

We partake of the sacrament each week to become sanctified.

Question #4:  Why is the EXAMPLE we set on the Sabbath important?

Answers ~

• Others watch, and we need to be aware so that they know it is a special day to us.
• Some people aren't raised in the church and by our example they can be shown that it is a special day to us.
• Doing family things on the Sabbath day is important.  It teaches our children that it is a special (different) day.

Elder L. Tom Perry said, "Brothers and sisters, in the latter days the adversary succeeds when we relax our commitment to the Savior, ignore His teachings in the New Testament and other scripture, and cease to follow Him.  Parents, now is the time to teach our children to be examples of the believers by attending sacrament meeting.  When Sunday morning arrives, help them to be well rested, properly dressed and spiritually prepared to partake of the emblems of the sacrament and receive the enlightening, edifying, ennobling power of the Holy Ghost.  Let your family be filled with love as you honor the Sabbath all day long and experience its spiritual blessings throughout the week.  Invite your sons and daughters to "arise and shine forth" by keeping the Sabbath day holy, that "{their} light may be a standard for the nations."

The example we set on Sunday shows that we are believers.

Question #5:  Why does the way that we dress on the Sabbath matter?

Answers ~

• Sunday Best was instilled in Sister Joy in her youth.
• Does dressing modest help us feel the Spirit better?  It shows a reverence of ourselves and of God.
• One of the sisters told of how she had studied women in the south and how they prepare for Sunday.  She said that the women there prepare on Saturday what they will wear down to their shoes and hats.  She said that she was told that they feel that when they get dressed for Sunday, they are preparing to go and be with Jesus.
• Another sister talked of how when she visited the BYU campus some of the young women there were wearing very tight clothing.  She asked one of the advisors there why they didn't say anything to these young women about it.  The advisor told her that they "teach correct principles and then the clothing corrects itself."
• Sister Simmons talked about working at the temple and how once there was a semi-truck driver that came to the temple.  He entered wearing a t-shirt and jeans.  The workers there didn't know if they should turn him away or not.  When he got to the recommend desk, he was told he could go no further dressed like he was.  The man then told the temple worker, "This is the only place that I can park my semi and come and attend an endowment session.  He didn't have the appropriate clothing, but desired to do a session.  The worker then admitted the man and he was able to enter the Temple and do an endowment session.  Sister Simmons made the point that from then on if someone had a current recommend they were allowed to enter, even in street clothes.  We cannot judge others, we need to let the Lord do that.
• When we dress differently, we behave differently.  Our attitudes change and we are more willing to be taught when we dress appropriately.

Elder D. Todd Christoffersen said, "Our temples and meetinghouses are dedicated to the Lord as sacred space.  On each temple is found the words "Holiness to the Lord - the House of the Lord".  A sense of the sacred should lead us to act and speak with reverence in and around these buildings.  It would lead us to dress a certain way when we are there.  

     It offends God when we come into His house, especially on His holy day, not groomed and dressed in the most careful and modest manner that our circumstances permit.

     Some say dress and hair don't matter - they say it's what's inside that counts.  I believe that it is what's inside a person that truly counts, but that's what worries me.  Casual dress at holy places and events is a message about what is inside a person.  It may be pride or rebellion or something else, but at a minimum it says, "I don't get it.  I don't understand the difference between the sacred and the profane."

     In what condition people are easily drawn away from the Lord.  They do not appreciate the value of what they have.  I worry about them.  Unless they can gain some understanding and capture some feelings for sacred things, they are at risk of eventually losing all that matters most.  You are a Saint of the great latter-day dispensation - look the part."

By dressing appropriately on the Sabbath we show our reverence and respect.

Question #6:  Why are we commanded to meet together on the Sabbath?

Answers ~

• It builds our testimony and helps them to grow.
• You might not feel you need to be there, but there is someone that needs you to be there.
• I told of how I had been ill and unable to attend and how Satan began to work on me telling me that I didn't have any friends here at church and how no-one would miss me anyway.  Then I was blessed with the feeling that even if I didn't have any friends at church (of which I know I do), I need to go because I love my Savior and I need to show Him that I do.

Elder Orson F. Whitney said, "His commandments have in view the salvation of the body as well as the spirit, for it is the soul that will be redeemed from the grave and glorified.  God has commanded us to care for the spirit, as well as for the body, and give it food in due season, and He set aside the Sabbath day that man might rest from his temporal labors and go to the house of the Lord and be fed with that holy influence which nourishes the spirit of man.  That is why we meet together on the Sabbath day.  Our spirits need their food, the same as do our bodies and if we neglect them, they will starve and dwindle and die upon the same principle that the body will die when deprived of its proper nourishment." 

When we meet together on the Sabbath day, we build unity and strengthen one another.

Question #7: Why is what we do on the Sabbath so important?

Answers ~

• It gives us time to do things that we aren't able to sometimes do during the week.  One family makes sure that this is the day that they visit family.

Because this was covered in so many of the previous questions, Sister Joy finished by giving this quote by President Spencer W. Kimball.  "The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things.  Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient.  The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it.  To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected.  To fail to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side." 

Maybe we need to be asking ourselves, "Is what I am doing today a sign of my devotion to Him?"

What we do on the Sabbath day is a sign of our devotion.  

James E Faust (continued from his comment above),  The third reason may be the most important of the three.  It has to do with obedience to commandments as an expression of our love for God.  Blessed are those who need no reasons other than their love for the Savior to keep his commandments.  The response of Adam to the angel who asked Adam why he made a sacrifice unto the Lord is a model for all.  Responded Adam, "I know not, save the Lord commanded me." (Moses 5:6)

The greatest answer to all of these questions is that we LOVE the Lord and are willing to do what He asks.  

Thanks to Sister Joy for this beautiful topic of discussion. 

I Have A Work For Thee - Elder Pingree

Lesson taught by Sister Tammy Ward.
I Have a Work For Thee by Elder Pingree, Pg 32, November 2017 Ensign.

Everyone of us has a meaningful role to play in furthering Gods work.  As the sisters read this statement, the question was asked, "What stood out to you as you read this?"

Some of the answers were: 

• That we have a work to do.
• It is our choice.  We helped plan with Heavenly Father what we would do here.

Do we always feel confident in what we are asked or called upon to do?

Sister Ward asked us to ponder on this and take time to write down what Heavenly Father has prepared you specifically to do.  She then asked some of the sisters in attendance what they felt were some of the gifts that they had that Heavenly Father had given them.

Sister Freeze told of how she felt that she is a helper.  In all of the jobs she has held she has been able to help other people.

Sister Kent said that as she read this statement, it made her think of her patriarchal blessing and the gifts that she is promised within it if she will live faithfully.

Sister Jensen talked about how she feels that she is here to help her husband in his calling giving support so that he can fulfill his service.  We can help others, not only our spouses.  We can help our children, neighbors, friends, and others in the ward in their callings to serve.

Some of us question whether Heavenly Father can use us to make important contributions.  But remember, He has always used ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

Sister Ward talked about a time when she was in a ward where she felt so lonely.  She remembered sitting in her driveway in her car.  She prayed to Heavenly Father to help her have a friend.  She had put her head on the steering wheel and just felt defeated.  As she was sitting there, someone knocked on her car window and there was a sweet neighbor holding a plate of cookies.  She told Tammy that she wanted to get to know her and be her friend.  Tammy pointed out that sometimes Heavenly Father is already preparing someone to help us even before we ask.  This sister couldn't have baked cookies after Tammy had prayed for a friend.  She was already listening to the Spirit before and was able to answer a prayer.  

President Russell M. Nelson explained:  "The Lord has more in mind for you than you have in mind for yourself!  You have been reserved and preserved for this time and place.  

"The Lord needs you to change the world.  As you accept and follow His will for you,  you will find yourself accomplishing the impossible!"

How can we Focus on Others:

• First and foremost, we need to have a desire.  Sometimes we will need to pray for the desire because it might be hard to do what we know He will want us to do. 
• We need to follow the Spirit.  
• We can pray to know who to help.  We can express our desire to Heavenly Father and then listen so He can show us the next step to take.  

We can approach decision points in our lives - like what to study, what to do for work, or where to live - in the context of helping others. 

How can we Develop Spiritual Gifts:

• Do we have any?
• We can read our patriarchal blessings often.
• Ask those that know you the best. (This includes Heavenly Father.  Who knows us better than He does?)
• Ponder the things that give you the greatest joy.

One of the sisters talked about how when developing and pondering on the gifts that we have we need to be like little children in that they enjoy who they are individually.  They don't compare themselves.  She works with special-needs children and she told of how happy they are just to be able to happy with other's and themselves.  

Sister Ward asked, "How do we develop gifts if we don't know what they are?"  She then talked about her grandmother.  After Tammy's grandfather died, her grandmother moved to live closer to them and by doing this her grandmother was an example to her family.  Tammy told of how her grandmother took up painting and what beautiful things she would paint.  Her grandmother also learned how to play the piano and use the computer competently.  Tammy said, "None of us are dead, so we can always learn and grow new talents."

Tammy asked Sister Charlene Earl how long it has taken her to learn to paint.  Sister Earl said she had been painting for years.  Through her constantly doing what she loved, she has developed a wonderful talent she can share with others.  

As we discover our gifts, we have responsibility to develop them.  Even Jesus Christ "received not of the fulness first, but [developed] from grace to grace.

How can we Make Use of Adversity?

• It was asked, "How have you used a challenge to help someone else?"
• On sister said, "We need to acknowledge the challenge, but then we need to move on and not dwell on the adversity.  
• We need to look at the strength that we were given while going through the trial.  We can then bless others and have empathy for what they are going through.
• We also should not be critical of other's and what we think they should be doing or that they should be handling their trials in a different way.  

Like the Savior, whose atoning sacrifice enables Him to succor us, we can use knowledge gained from difficult experiences to lift, strengthen, and bless others.

How can we Rely on God:

The question was asked, "When have you had to rely on God?"  Sometimes we feel that we cannot fulfill an assignment or calling that we have been given.  If we ask Heavenly Father he will help us.  In the words of President Thomas S Monson, " When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to the Lord's help.  Remember that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies." I think this also includes trials.  The Lord will be there to help us through our trials, and then we can use our experience to help others. 

How will the adversary try to stop us from fulfilling the Lords work?

At the same time God helps us fulfill divine assignments, the adversary works to distract and dissuade us from a life of meaning.

Sin is perhaps our greatest stumbling block, dulling our sensitivity to the Holy Ghost and restricting our access to spiritual power.

Satan will seek to distract us with less important matters.  We need to ask ourselves, "Are we so preoccupied with worldly things that we are diverted from our divine assignments?"

Satan will try to discourage us or coax us to look at our work as less valuable than the work of others.  But every assignment from God is important and we will find fulfillment as we "glory in that which the Lord hath commanded [us]."

Sister Wards challenge to us this week is to Pray and ponder on what our gifts are and how we can use them to help others.

By Divine Design - Elder Rasband

Lesson taught by Sister Jamie Johnson

By Divine Design - Elder Rasband

The Lord’s hand is guiding you. By “divine design,” He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones.

Review of last week's thoughts.  Did you do anything to improve prayers.  Sister Merlyn Kent said that she imagines that Heavenly Father is sitting in a chair as she kneels to pray.  This helps in focusing and bringing more meaning to the prayer. 

Question: Why is it important to follow a pattern in sewing, or a recipe in cooking? 

Answers given: So you don't have to unpick.  It's important to read through the entire thing.  Sometimes you can't see why a step is included.  

Heavenly Father has a pattern/recipe for each of our lives.  He views as if on a "chess board".  Jamie brought an example of a chess board and showed how the Lord knows each and every move.

Where has Heavenly Father placed you?  Is it coincidence? 

Elder Nelson became a "friend of China" early in his career and now there is great missionary work in China. 

Story Elder Rasband told:

Some months ago our granddaughter joined a youth group to tour several Church history sites. The final itinerary noted that she would be passing through the very area where her missionary brother, our grandson, was serving. Our granddaughter had no intention of seeing her brother on his mission. However, as the bus entered the town where her brother was serving, two missionaries could be seen walking down the street. One of the missionaries was her brother.

Anticipation filled the bus as the youth asked the bus driver to pull over so she could greet her brother. In less than one minute, after tears and sweet words, her brother was back on his way to fulfill his missionary duties. We later learned that her brother had been on that street for less than five minutes, walking from an appointment to his car.

The Lord really does work in the small details of our lives.  No trial or calamity can derail God's plan of happiness.  

Romans 8:28 . 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

President Monson said: 

There is a guiding hand above all things. Often when things happen, it’s not by accident. One day, when we look back at the seeming coincidences of our lives, we will realize that perhaps they weren’t so coincidental after all.

Question: Why is it important to recognize God's hand in our lives? 

Answers: We feel gratitude.  We remain positive amidst discouragement. 

Question: How do we show our thanks to the Lord? 

Write down tender mercies.  Acknowledge his hand in all things. Share our gratitude by bearing witness.  

Idea:  Instead of just talking about the day during dinner, ask each member to express:
How have I seen the Lord's hand today?" 

Thank you for all the great comments and Jamie for preparing such a wonderful lesson.  :) 

RS Council Mtg March 2018

How Can I Personally Become Unified with Christ by Making My Prayers more Meaningful?

The facilitator today was Jessica White.  First she opened the meeting by sharing that the RS Presidency in their meeting decided that todays discussion should be about making our prayers more meaningful.  She invited all sisters to come and share their thoughts and feelings, because as we do this it strengthens and uplifts us all.

Sister White also asked us to think about Sister Joy's lesson last week and how the word Remember was such a strong word.  We need to Remember our Savior.  She then asked what we did with Sister Joy's handout.  Sister White took a moment and shared how when she took her handout home her children wanted to know all about it.  So she told of how they sat down as a family and she told them about what she had learned in Relief Society.  They thought it was a special thing and they decided that her handout should take an important place on the mantle in their home so that they could all see it and Remember.  Sometimes it is the little things that help us.  

Sister Bywater shared that the word Remember is an important word.  There are many things in our lives that we need to remember.  As a mother and grandmother and now a great-grandmother she told of how we need to remember our children and families and we also need to reflect on what the Lord has done in our lives. 

Sister White then asked, "So how do we make our prayers more meaningful to help us be unified with the Lord?"  She talked about how when she first thought about this she thought she needed to use bigger words and be more impressive in what she was saying.  Then she told of how she changed her heart and thinking by relating a story.  

She asked us to think about if we were going to meet with someone important, wouldn't we take someone with us for support?  So think about that.  Think of driving to meet with someone important and you have a friend or family member with you in your car.  Think of what you would say to them.  Maybe how you would discuss with them what you should say to this important person.  And then you finally met with this important person and really the meeting was somewhat of a let down.  They really weren't impressed by what you had to say. 

Then as you got home and had a chance to reflect on the day, who was it that you really had the most meaningful conversations with that day?  Wasn't it the person you took with you for support?  Didn't you tell them the dearest thoughts of your heart and your deepest desires for that day?  

Now think about praying ~ Isn't this how we need to make our prayers more meaningful?  Shouldn't we be taking the time to talk to Heavenly Father like we would our dearest friend?  Isn't He our greatest Champion and Cheerleader?

Do you talk to the Savior throughout the day?  Sister White talked about how she carries on a conversation with Him all day long.  I know that when I have time and something is really worrying me, I talk to Him as if He were standing there listening.  Our prayers need to be like this.  They need to be regular, consistent, honest conversations!  

As we talk and then take the time to listen, it is the Holy Ghost that answers these prayers These thoughts are not just us thinking to ourselves.  The Holy Ghost will be there.  He will put thoughts into our minds. 

Recently Elder Bednar met with the local Relief Society Leaders.  At this meeting, he stated, "hearing the Lord's voice should not be a unique experience.  The voice will be a still small voice."  He said that often we talk too much and listen too little.  

Elder Bednar also said that if you have a big, grand Spiritual experience, you probably won't share it because it is sacred.  He said that if you feel you want to share it, you probably need to make sure it is okay with the Holy Ghost first. 

Sister Rawlins commented on how when she prays, often she cannot express in words exactly what is in her heart and what she desires to say.  She said that it is sometimes hard to ask for  those things that mean so much to her.  She then asked the question, Does the Lord get tired of us asking for the same things?  Sister Rawlins then related a story of how one day when she was driving, she had been praying to the Lord.  She felt like she had been asking for the same things and was being repetitive so she then apologized to the Lord for asking always for the same things.  She said she was blessed to feel the warmth of the Savior encompass her and she knew that He understood and still loved her.   

So even though sometimes we ask for the same things over and over like for our families, etc.  He understands and still loves us and wants us to continue to pray to Him.

Someone said that when we pray we should pray as if kneeling before our own fathers.  Sister Gregory (Whitney) said that when we pray we should pray as if we are talking to our best friend.  She said that on her mission it made it easier to pray this way if she had a picture nearby of the Savior that she could look at before she prayed.

Sister White read a portion out of the Bible Dictionary relating to prayer.  It said, As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part.  Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.  Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other.  The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. 

Sister Garn then commented on how we need to use the correct language when we pray.  She said that is a pet peeve of hers.  She said that if we use this it can help us feel closer.  Many agreed with this.

The comment was also made that sometimes we have children or others that resist this way of praying.  Sister Tammy Jensen commented that she had this experience, but was blessed by coming to understand that Heavenly Father will accept prayers no matter the language in which it is given.  

I also believe this.  What if a person's language doesn't translate to the thee, thou, thy and thine?  Also as I have listened to my grandchildren pray, they don't understand this language, however I have never heard such sweet, heartfelt, beautiful prayers.  They are pure prayers and so I think Heavenly Father accepts all prayers no matter the language.

Sister Calli Richards commented on how we need to pray with gratitude and fervency.  She told of a time when she and Brother Richards were saying their personal prayers at night she was feeling like she wasn't saying enough as Brother Richards was always done after her.  When she commented on this to him, he told her that he had finished his prayer quite awhile before her, he was just waiting now to hear the answers.  She talked of how it is our responsibility once we have asked questions of the Lord to take the time to stop and listen for the answers. 

I know that this is one thing that I really need to work on and plan on implementing in my time talking with my Heavenly Father. 

Sister Jensen then talked about how she read in a book that in the scriptures it says that the Lord commands all men to write down the words He speaks to them.  She wondered if it was true and she looked it up and sure enough there it was. ( I looked it up and it is written in 2 Nephi 29:7, 9, 11 for those wondering.)  We then continued to discuss how it is important to journal His answers to us.  If we begin writing down His answers to us, we will become better able to discern His voice.  Sister Jensen talked about when she first began doing this, how she didn't want to write down what she heard.  She said that we need to be honest and write down what is given to us or we won't be able to hear His voice. 

The Challenge that was given:  TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MAKE YOUR PRAYERS MORE MEANINGFUL!   

To those sisters who weren't able to be there and be a part of this discussion, know you were missed!  We love you and hope you will be with us for our next discussion.