What Does It Mean to “Honor” the Sabbath Day?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Doctrine and Covenants 58-59 in a lesson titled “Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

When the elders of the Church first saw the site of the city of Zion—Independence, Missouri—it was not what they expected. Some thought they would find a thriving, industrious community with a strong group of Saints. Instead, they found a sparsely populated outpost, lacking the civilization they were used to and inhabited by rough frontier settlers rather than Saints. It turned out that the Lord wasn’t asking them just to come to Zion—He wanted them to build Zion.

When our expectations do not match reality, we can remember what the Lord told the Saints in 1831: “Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God … and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:3). Yes, life is full of tribulation, even wickedness, but we can still “bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in [us]” (verses 27-28).

As with other lessons, this scripture block contains numerous principles, including (1) “After much tribulation come the blessings” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:1-5; 59:23), (2) I can “bring to pass much righteousness” of my “own free will” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-29), (3) The Lord forgives me as I repent (Doctrine and Covenants 58:42-43), (4) Who was Polly Knight? (Doctrine and Covenants 59), (5) Commandments are a blessing (Doctrine and Covenants 59:4-19), and (6) The Sabbath is the Lord’s day (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-19). This essay will discuss principle #6 and will start with the applicable scripture verses.

9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—

16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

17 Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

After promising to bless the Saints in Zion “with commandments not a few,” the Lord emphasized one particular commandment – the command to honor His “holy day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:4, 9). By studying the above verses, we can see some of the reasons that the Lord wanted His people to honor His day. Some of those reasons are: (1) staying unspotted from the sins of the world, (2) resting from the physical labor of the week, and (3) the “good things” of the earth.

In addition to great blessings, the Lord wanted His people to experience joy, cheerfulness, and gladness. In other words, honoring the Sabbath Day should bring immense joy to all the obedient.

President Russell M. Nelson taught the following about honoring the Sabbath Day (“The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 129-32). The Sabbath Is a Delight

I am intrigued by the words of Isaiah, who called the Sabbath “a delight.” Yet I wonder, is the Sabbath really a delight for you and for me? ….

The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day!

Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so.

How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.

Though the doctrine pertaining to the Sabbath day is of ancient origin, it has been renewed in these latter days as part of a new covenant with a promise. [Quoted the above verses.]

How can you ensure that your behavior on the Sabbath will lead to joy and rejoicing? In addition to your going to church, partaking of the sacrament, and being diligent in your specific call to serve, what other activities would help to make the Sabbath a delight for you? What sign will you give to the Lord to show your love for Him?

The Sabbath provides a wonderful opportunity to strengthen family ties….

We make the Sabbath a delight when we teach the gospel to our children….

“We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities….

Such study of the gospel makes the Sabbath a delight. This promise pertains regardless of family size, composition, or location.

In addition to time with family, you can experience true delight on the Sabbath from family history work. Searching for and finding family members who have preceded you on earth – those who did not have an opportunity to accept the gospel while here – can bring immense joy.

Make the Sabbath a delight by rendering service to others, especially those who are not feeling well or those who are lonely or in need. Lifting their spirits will lift yours as well….

Think of this: In paying tithing, we return one-tenth of our increase to the Lord. In keeping the Sabbath holy, we reserve one day in seven as His. So it is our privilege to consecrate both money and time to Him who lends us life each day.

Faith in God engenders a love for the Sabbath; faith in the Sabbath engenders a love for God. A sacred Sabbath truly is a delight.

… True believers keep the Sabbath day holy….

How Did You Celebrate Independence Day and Keep the Sabbath Day Holy?

            The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday is celebrating Independence Day, while obeying the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Independence Day 2021 comes on a Sunday – something that could cause a problem.

My Sabbath Day-Independence Day began in attending sacrament meeting. The opening

hymn was “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the closing hymn was “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” Since today was the first Sunday of the month, we heard testimonies about the blessings of living in America as well as the blessings of the gospel.

            I found it interesting – maybe even amazing – that we could sing the national anthem to celebrate the 245th birthday of our nation. Then, just a few minutes later, we commemorated the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our sacramental service and renewed our covenants with God.

            After our Sunday block of meetings were over, our congregation met in the parking lot for a special gathering. Boy Scouts provided a flag ceremony where the American flag and the Alaska flag were posted. A Boy Scout led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and then we sang “America the Beautiful.” I came home and enjoyed a quiet day with my husband.

            On a three-day holiday weekend when many people leave town to go camping, the parking lot and chapel were mostly full. I was astounded to see so many cars in the parking lot, and I was somewhat shocked to see a full room for the gospel doctrine class. I concluded that it is possible to celebrate the birthday of our nation on a Sunday and keep the Sabbath Day holy.

Sacred Time and Sacred Space

            Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave an extraordinary talk at the October 2017 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was one of many powerful talks given at the conference, and one of countless influential talks that he has given. This talk was extraordinary because I remember it well.

            In his talk entitled “Exceeding Great and Precious Promises,” Elder Bednar spoke about sacred times and sacred spaces. He spoke specifically about the Sabbath day and the holy temple. He connected this sacred time and this sacred place in a way that I had never considered previously. This connection helped me to remember his counsel in an extraordinary way.

The Sabbath day and the holy temple are two specific sources of divine help instituted by God to assist us in rising above the level and corruption of the world. We initially may think that the overarching purposes of keeping the Sabbath day holy and attending the temple are related but distinctive. I believe, however, that those two purposes are precisely the same and work together to strengthen us spiritually as individuals and in our homes.

After God created all things, He rested on the seventh day and commanded that one day each week be a time of rest to help people remember Him. The Sabbath is God’s time, a sacred time specifically set apart for worshipping Him and for receiving and remembering His great and precious promises….

Thus, on the Sabbath we worship the Father in the name of the Son by participating in ordinances and learning about, receiving, remembering, and renewing covenants. On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.

An additional purpose of the Sabbath is to elevate our vision from the things of the world to the blessings of eternity….

The Lord always has commanded His people to build temples, holy places in which worthy Saints perform sacred gospel ceremonies and ordinances for themselves and for the dead. Temples are the most holy of all places of worship. A temple literally is the house of the Lord, a sacred space specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His great and precious promises….

A principal purpose of the temple is to elevate our vision from the things of the world to the blessings of eternity….

Please note that the Sabbath day and the temple, respectively, are a sacred time and a sacred space specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His exceeding great and precious promises to His children. As instituted by God, the principal purposes of these two divine sources of help are exactly the same: to powerfully and repeatedly focus our attention upon our Heavenly Father, His Only Begotten Son, the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.

            Elder Bednar continued his talk by connecting the Sabbath day and the holy temple to the home. It is not enough just to go to the temple or to just go to Sunday meetings. We must bring the spirit of the temple and the Sabbath day into our homes.

Importantly, a home should be the ultimate combination of time and space wherein individuals and families remember most effectively God’s great and precious promises. Leaving our homes to spend time in Sunday meetings and to enter the sacred space of a temple is vital but insufficient. Only as we bring the spirit and strength derived from those holy activities back with us into our homes can we sustain our focus upon the great purposes of mortal life and overcome the corruption that is in the world. Our Sabbath and temple experiences should be spiritual catalysts that imbue individuals and families and our homes with continual reminders of key lessons learned, with the presence and power of the Holy Ghost, with ongoing and deepening conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ, and with “a perfect brightness of hope” in God’s eternal promises.

            We held our stake conference a week or two after the general conference of the Church. Our stake president reminded us of Elder Bednar’s talk and possibly quoted from it. He explained that he had been pondering Elder Bednar’s words and wondered what we should do when we cannot be in the sacred place and time. He then realized that we can make the spirit of the Sabbath and the temple portable.

            We can feel as if we are in a sacred time or space by being worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us. We should still attend our Sunday meetings and the temple, but we can enjoy the same feelings that we feel in those places wherever we go. This is because it is the presence of the Holy Ghost that makes those times and places sacred. Whenever or wherever we feel the Holy Ghost, we can know that we are in a sacred time and space.

Sabbath and Celestial Kingdom

                I am reading The Promised Messiah by Elder Bruce R. McConkie and am gaining depth in my understanding of many of the principles and doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was recently reading his section about how the Sabbath bears witness of Christ. He explains that Sabbath worship “identifies the Lord’s people” because “the saints of God rest form their labors and pay their devotions to the Most High on his holy Sabbath.” He then explains that “true religion” always calls for a Sabbath – “one day in seven be devoted exclusively to worshiping the Father in Spirit and in truth.” This is because “men’s hears will never be centered on the things of the Spirit sufficiently to assure them of salvation.”

                Elder McConkie states that the “law of the Sabbath is so basic, so fundamental” that it is the fourth of the Ten Commandments. The first three commandments are about worshiping God and showing reverence to His name.

                “The fourth gives us the Sabbath day as the weekly occasion on which we perfect our worship and put ourselves in tune to the full with Him by whom all things are.  It is in no sense an exaggeration nor does it overstate the fact one whit to say that any person who keeps the Sabbath, according to the revealed pattern, will be saved in the celestial kingdom. The Sabbath is a day of worship. … True worship includes keeping the commandments, and those who devote their Sabbaths to true and proper worship obtain the encouragement that leads to full obedience” (page 391; emphasis added).

                Even though I have attempted to keep the Sabbath holy for many years, I am trying harder now because of the emphasis made recently by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to “make the Sabbath a delight” means much more to me today – after reading this statement from Elder McConkie – than it did previously.

                This statement by Elder McConkie simplifies my life. Instead of worrying about whether or not I am worthy, I just need to keep the Sabbath holy. How about you? Does this knowledge simplify your life?

Sabbath Day

                The topic of keeping the Sabbath Day holy has been discussed frequently over the past year by speakers in general conference, stake conference, and sacrament meeting.  We even have a Relief Society conference scheduled for later this month on how to honor the Sabbath.  While our world is crumbling all around us, our leaders are encouraging us to keep the Sabbath Day holy; however, none of them are giving us lists of do and don’t.  In fact, Elder Johnson told us at our last stake conference that how we honor the Sabbath is between us and the Lord.

                I found an excellent article by Greg Trimble on this topic and suggest that you read it.  He titled his article “How To Know if You’re Breaking the Sabbath” and gave us much information to think about.  I am not sure what to think of his claim that Adam and Eve were created on the eighth day because I have never heard this previously and did not get it from my own scripture study; therefore, I will be doing more research on that concept.  The rest of the article was very helpful to me and hopefully to you.

                I liked this idea very much:  “My personal belief is this.  I believe the primary purpose of the Sabbath is to preserve the `religion of our families.’  The word `religion’ comes from the Latin `re-ligare’ which means `to bind.’  The Sabbath has always been thought of as the day in which we `get religion’ … but if we take the true meaning of religion as our guide … the Sabbath is actually a day set apart for us `to bind’ with our families.”

                I know that keeping the Sabbath Day holy is a very important commandment of God, and I know that He will bless us as we keep His day sacred.  I believe that we can know if we are honoring the Sabbath properly by asking God about what we should do.  This is a practice I initiated in my life about six months ago and have known what the Lord requires of me.  I suggest you adopt this practice also.  I know that we can have peace even in these troubled times as we keep the commandments and honor God, His name, and His day as He would have us do.

Sabbath Day

                The commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy was given to ancient Israel (Exodus 20:8-11), to ancient Americans (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Mosiah 13:16-19), and to us.   Doctrine and Covenants 68:29).  We can have little doubt that God expects us to honor the Sabbath Day.

                The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week and is a holy day; it is ordained of God for our benefit, a day to rest from our labors and worship Him.  The word Sabbath means a day of rest in Hebrew.  The Sabbath is God’s day of rest.  After God worked for six periods of time described as “days” in creating the earth, He rested.

                In Mark 2:27 Jesus Christ taught His followers that the Sabbath day was made to benefit man.  The purpose of the Sabbath is to give us a certain day each week on which we could rest from our labors and direct our thoughts and actions towards God.  It is a day of rest, but it is not only a day of rest.  It is a sacred day to be kept with reverence and worship of God.  The “rest” we take is a change from our usual daily labors; it is a time when our minds and spirits can be free to ponder spiritual matters more thoroughly.  It is also a day when we renew our covenants with God.

                Jesus Christ and His disciples honored the seventh day as the Sabbath until the Lord’s resurrection; at that time, they kept the Sabbath on Sunday in remembrance of His resurrection on that day (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).  From that point on, followers of Jesus Christ appointed the first day to be their Sabbath.  Whether one honors the seventh day or the first day, it is the same:  six days of labor followed by one of rest and devotion; however, in our day the Lord has given us direct commandment to honor Sunday as the Sabbath and the Lord’s day (see Doctrine and Covenants 59:12).

                The Lord asks us to do several things as we honor the Sabbath.  The first thing He asks us to do is to sanctify the Sabbath Day.  We can do this by going to the house of prayer to offer up our sacrament and pay our devotions to the Most High (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-12).  The second thing He asks of us is to rest from our daily labors and give our time and attention to spiritual matters.

                Simply lounging around the house is not keeping the Sabbath holy.  Some of the things we can do to keep the Sabbath holy are as follows:  (1) prepare only simple foods that do not take much time or effort; (2) attend Sunday meetings; (3) read the scriptures; (4) read the words of living prophets and apostles; (5) visit the sick, aged, and loved ones; (6) listen to uplifting music; (7) sing hymns;  (8) give prayers of praise and thanksgiving to Heavenly Father; (9) give service; (10) prepare lessons, (11) do family history work; (12) share testimonies, spiritual experiences, and faith-promoting stories; (13) write letters to loved ones; and (14) spend time with children and other family members.

                This is not an all-inclusive list, but it gives examples of the sorts of appropriate Sunday activities.  We can determine if something is appropriate for Sunday by asking ourselves if the suggested activity uplifting and inspiring.  We should avoid work on the Sabbath if at all possible; when we cannot avoid it, we can still maintain the spirit of the Sabbath in our hearts to some degree.

                I had an interesting experience concerning Sabbath activities in recent months.  About the middle of March I embarked on an enormous project regarding quilt blocks inherited from my mother.  I wanted to make quilts for my children from my mother’s blocks.  Even though I have avoided sewing on Sunday for all of my life, I justified sewing on a couple of Sunday by saying I was doing family history work or even giving service. I prayed about whether or not I should sew on Sunday and felt positive about doing it for a week or two in order to finish the task.  When I was finished with the project, I pondered whether or not sewing was an appropriate activity for future Sundays and made it a matter of personal prayer; I received a definite “no” for an answer. 

                The realization came to me that sewing was okay to do as a service to someone else – particularly in an emergency-type situation, but it was not appropriate for me to sew for my own enjoyment.  I know that we can go to the Lord for help in determining appropriate Sabbath activities as well as ones that are not acceptable.  I believe that many of the activities can be determined on an individual basis, according to the circumstances and always going to the Lord for the final decision.

                Great spiritual and temporal blessings accompany honoring the Sabbath in a righteous manner.  The Lord promises great blessings for keeping the Sabbath with thanksgiving and cheerful hearts.  Some of those blessings are hearts full of joy and the fulness of the earth.  He promises “the fulness of the earth is yours … whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; yea for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:13-19).

Sabbath Day

                Sunday is the Sabbath Day.  God commanded His children to keep the Sabbath Day holy, and this commandment is still in force.   Millions of people obey this commandment and keep the Sabbath Day holy.  After Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on stone with His finger.  The commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy was the fourth commandment given.

                “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

                “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

                “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God:  in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

                “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:  wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

                This commandment was renewed in our day through the Prophet Joseph Smith:  “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

                “For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10.”

                Millions of people keep the Sabbath Day holy every week.  For some it is an easy commandment to keep; for others it is more difficult.  Many people are able to schedule their work around the Sabbath Day, but some people – such as police, firemen, emergency room doctors, etc. – have to work on Sunday. 

                For those unfortunate people who work on Sunday in order to protect and serve their fellowmen, Kelsey Berteaux  suggested “10 Ways to Feel theSpirit on Sundays Even When You Have to Work.”  “Making room for Christ in your Sunday work day is no substitute for standard Sunday worship, but sometimes our circumstances make it so we simply can’t avoid working on the Sabbath.  No matter where we are and what we’re doing, here are a few different things to try (in addition to Sunday scripture study) that worked for me to put a little `sun’ [more appropriately `Son’] back into my `day.’”

                Ms. Berteaux’s suggestions are:  (1) Don’t miss morning prayer; (2) wear your Sunday best; (3) take the sacrament if you can, even if it isn’t with your ward; (4) use your breaks to your advantage and study the scriptures and lesson materials; (5) be a blessing to those around you by serving them; (6) focus on the good you’re doing; (7) ask someone at church to take notes for you; (8) seek other sources of inspiration by reading a General Conference talk or watching a Mormon message; (9) visit the temple during the week; (10) turn your thoughts to Christ and choose to keep the Sabbath as holy as possible.

                Keeping the Sabbath Day holy brings blessings into our lives.   Some of those blessings are very obvious while others are less easy to see.  Firoz “King” Husein has been in the news lately because he keeps the Sabbath Day holy.  He was born in Bombay, India, in 1946 as Firoz Mohamed Husein.  He was born into a Muslim family in the largest Hindu country in the world.  As an adult he was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  There he learned the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.

                Husein is the owner and founder of Span Construction and Engineering.  His company specializes in engineering and constructing large steel buildings.  His company has been building warehouses for Costco for the past two decades.  At the beginning of the partnership, he told the Costco executive board that he would not work his people on Sundays.  Costco did not like his firm Sabbath Day stand but gave his company a contract. 

                “Two decades and all those millions of square feet later, Tom Walker, Costco’s executive vice president of construction and logistics, says of Husein, `He’s a fantastic vendor for us, an incredible person, and he earns everything he gets.  He’s on schedule, on time, construction costs are under control and he does it in lightning speed.’

                “Add Walker:  `He’s always available; I can reach him anytime, day or night.  But not on Sundays.  He’s absolutely blank on Sundays.”  

                God gives us commandments to bless us.  Then when we obey those commandments He blesses us.  The more obedient we are, the more blessings we receive.  My family and I honor the Sabbath Day and have received many blessings for doing so.

Father's Day

                I have spent many hours over the past few weeks pondering what I should write for Father’s Day.  I do not yet have any concrete ideas about what I want to share, but I will start typing and see what happens.  The thought that keeps coming to me is the fact that God, with all His power and knowledge, could have chosen any name for us to call Him, but He chose to be called Father. 

I marvel often about this fact, and I truly appreciate the video entitled “Earthly Father, Heavenly Father.”  because it illustrates so well the connection between our Father in Heaven and our earthly fathers.  An annotation accompanying this video states:  “Men on Earth have the opportunity to become fathers and experience some of the same joys that our Heavenly Father feels for us.  Fatherhood is a divine responsibility to be cherished.”

                Being in the younger half of a family of twelve children, I did not know my father as a young man.  He was thirty-eight years old when I was born and in his mid-forties before I was old enough to know much about him.  Then I knew him as the disciplinarian of the family and thought he was gruff.  In fact, I thought he was downright mean when I was a child, but as I matured I realized the difficulties of life in general as well as parenthood.  My father worked long and hard hours as a farmer, and then he also worked the graveyard shift at a Sinclair service station in town.  I now understand that he was probably exhausted most of the time and simply worn out with all his many responsibilities; then I was so self-centered that I thought my mother should get a divorce so we could move away from him.  Then I grew up.

                About 1977-1978 I wrote the following poem as a gift to my father and a similar one for my mother.  They were probably gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but I do not remember.  Both of my parents were pleased with my efforts and shared their poems with people who came to visit them.  My poem illustrates my growing appreciation for my father and the man he became.

                I used to think he was old and mean,

                But as I grew up, I became more keen.

                Hard work and lectures and spankings too

                Were what I needed to be good and true.

                He set the example, working hard all day.

                He always told us, “Work before play.”

                This is a lesson I’m glad I learned.

                Now I can teach it in return.

                He tilled the soil and planted the seed,

                “If we don’t sow, we cannot reap.”

                Life on the farm was hard and long,

                But twelve little children grew up strong.

                Although he was busy, he worked for the Lord.

                He held many positions in our ward.

                Genealogy and weekly temple work

                Are some of the duties he does not shirk.

                He sets good examples for our family.

                And he always counsels, “Be better than me.”

                With a father like mine, it’s easy to see

                Just how much my Heavenly Father loves me.

                I had a spiritul experience that taught me so much about how my earthly father was a mortal example of my Heavenly Father.  My mother died suddenly of a heart attack at age 70, and my father thought he would soon follow her.  He decided to distribute Mom’s earthly belongings and as much of their joint property as he could, particularly the family heirlooms.  He kept only his personal belongings and the furniture he needed to be comfortable.  He told us – his twelve children – to each make a list of the things we wanted.  We spent the afternoon going through the house and making our lists.  That evening Dad gathered us all together and divided his goods.  We received whatever was on our lists unless someone else wanted a particular item.  In such a case – such as with the family heirlooms - Dad decided who received the item, and we each accepted his decision.

                I spent a couple of weeks with my family in Utah before returning to my home in Alaska.  My first Sunday back home, I went to sacrament meeting and sat down near the back of the room.  I was doing okay until we sang the closing hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer” (Words attributed to William W. Walford with music by William B. Bradbury).  I started to sing this hymn, but I lost my composure near the beginning of it.  The words of this hymn reminded me too much of my recent experience with my earthly father.

Sweet hour of prayer!  Sweet hour of prayer! 

That calls me from a world of care

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

                I became so emotional at this point that I could no longer sing!  In my mind I saw myself kneeling at Heavenly Father’s throne to make my requests – just as I had recently sat near my earthly father and waited for his decision.  I knew in that moment that Heavenly Father listens to me when I come to him with my wants and needs just as my dad had done.  The video “Earthly Father, Heavenly Father” shows how earthly fathers act in similar ways to our Heavenly Father, and my experience with divinity taught me how much my Heavenly Father loves me. 

                We honor our earthly fathers at least once each year on Father’s Day.  Heavenly Father commands us to remember Him always and has designated the Sabbath Day as the day we give honor to Him.  Every Sunday is Heavenly Father’s Day!

Sabbath Day

2012-7-28 Remember the Sabbath Day

                    It is sometimes difficult for people, particularly youth, to feel gratitude for the Sabbath day.  These people associate the day with rules and restrictions rather a blessing from our loving Heavenly Father.  When we understand that Heavenly Father commanded us to keep the Sabbath day holy for our own good, we will be more able to see that honoring the Lord on the Sabbath day brings blessings to us.  Then we will be more able to enjoy the Sabbath and be grateful for it

                    The Sabbath is a day of rest and worship and is a blessing in the lives of all who remember the sacredness of the day.  Eli Herring was a football player on the Springville (Utah) High School team.  The team had just won the state championship, and Eli appeared to be headed for a college and even professional football career.  As Eli talked with his parents about the possibilities, they cautioned him to remember the values he had been taught.

                    Several universities invited Eli to play for them after high school, but he chose to attend Brigham Young University, in part because the coaches there would allow him to leave on a mission after his freshman year. After Eli returned from his mission, he rejoined the team and became one of the best college football players in the United States.

                    As Eli realized that he had a good chance at a career playing professional football, he thought about how much he would enjoy it and how much money he could make.  But he also realized that as a professional football player, he would have to play football on the Sabbath.

                    Eli knew he could do good things with the money he could earn as a professional football player.  He could pay his children's college and mission expenses; he could go on missions with his wife; he could do whatever he wanted after his football career was over without worrying about money.

                    As Eli struggled to make his decision, he remembered reading about Erroll Bennett.  When Erroll joined the Church, he decided to stop playing soccer on Sunday, even though he was a top soccer star in Tahiti and not playing on Sunday would mean he would have to quit his team.  Eli Herring was very impressed by Erroll Bennett.  Eli said, "I knew I wanted to be a man like that, with that kind of commitment and dedication to what I knew was right."

                    Eli's parents and wife let him know they would support him in whatever he decided.  Eli talked to many people and then fasted and prayed about his decision.  He also read the scriptures intensively.  It took him six months to come to a final decision.

                    Ultimately Eli decided that for him, keeping the Sabbath day holy was more important than playing professional football and making lots of money.  "I read my scriptures, and time after time I would see more and more and more reasons that I felt in my heart that I needed to observe the Sabbath more than I needed to play football," Eli said.  He turned down the offers from the professional teams and now teaches and coaches at a high school.  He does not make a lot of money, but he is happy.  He said:  "The paychecks now, in spite of being low, are more than we were making when we were students.   We're happy to have more than we had before.  Occasionally I think we could have a brand-new car or a nice house, but I have never had any serious doubts about the decision."  (See Joseph Richardson, "To Keep It Holy," New Era, Oct. 1997, 34-37.)

                    When the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments, He included a commandment about the use of the Sabbath day.  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

                    "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

                    "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God:  in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, they manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

                    "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:  wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:9-11).

                    The Sabbath was made holy after the Lord finished the creation of the earth.  He rested on the seventh day and hallowed it or made it holy.  Until the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sabbath was observed on the seventh day or Saturday.  Today the Sabbath is observed on Sunday in remembrance of the Savior's Resurrection on that day.

                    "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

                    "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.

                    "And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:1-3).

                    When we say "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" we mean that we want to honor the day, to dedicate it to righteous purposes, and to keep it sacred and deserving of reverence.  We should keep the Sabbath day holy because it helps us to do so.

                    Elder James E. Faust, who was at the time a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:  "Why has God asked us to honor the Sabbath day?  The reasons I think are at least threefold. . 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 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. 

                    "The third reason [for honoring the Sabbath day] 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" (Ensign, Nov. 1991, 35). 

                    According to Elder Faust, there are at least three reasons why we are asked to keep the Sabbath day holy:  1) physical renewal; 2) spiritual strength; and 3) love for God.  Our bodies are wonderful creations, but they need occasional rest and renewal.  By giving us the Sabbath day, God gave us a day each week to rejuvenate our bodies.  As important as this reason is, it is even more important for us to gain the spiritual strength to take us through another week.  By reverently observing the Sabbath day, we show that we love God - the most important reason for keeping any of His commandments.

                    The Prophet Isaiah taught the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy:  "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

                    "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father:  for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (Isaiah 5:13-14).

                    When Isaiah wrote "Turn away… not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words," he was not saying that we should not enjoy the Sabbath; he was saying that the Sabbath is a day to forget our own desires and follow God's will)

                    We can make the Sabbath day a delight by observing it as the Lord commands.  President Thomas S. Monson of the First Presidency said, "The Lord has given the Sabbath day for your benefit and has commanded you to keep it holy.  Many activities are appropriate for the Sabbath.  Bear in mind, however, that Sunday is not a holiday.  Sunday is a holy day" (in Ensign, Nov. 1990, 47).

                    Some of our most "holy days" have been turned into "holidays" by much of the world (particularly Christmas and Easter), but those who understand the significance of those holy days observe them more appropriately.  The Lord obviously considers a holiday differently than he does His holy day.  Elder James E. Faust related the following story:

                    "A … miracle occurred at the Wells Stake Welfare Tannery some years ago where hides of animals were tanned into leather.  On regular work days, the hides were removed from the vats and fresh lime placed in the vats, after which the hides were returned to the lime solution.  If the hides were not turned on holidays, they would spoil.  But the change was never made on Sunday, and there were no spoiled hides on Monday.  Explained J. Lowell Fox, the supervisor of the tannery at the time:

                    "`This brought a strange fact to our minds:  holidays are determined by man, and on these days just as on every week day, the hides need to have special care every twelve hours.  Sunday is the day set aside by the Lord as a day of rest, and He makes it possible for us to rest from our labors as He has commanded.  The hides at the tannery never spoil on Sundays.  This is a modern-day miracle, a miracle that happens every weekend!'" (in Ensign, Nov. 1991, 35).

                    There are numerous ways that we can make the Sabbath a holy day and a delight for us.  One important way is to attend Church and partake of the Spirit there.  "An almost totally deaf sister was once asked how she managed to come to sacrament meeting each week [and remain] genuinely interested in what was being said….  [She said]:  `I look forward to being in the physical presence of those whom I love and who love the gospel.  I can share in their spirit without hearing a word, and if I am really in tune, the Lord whispers to me'" (Robert K. Thomas, "Listening with the Spirit," Ensign, Jan. 1978, 40).

                    Another important way is to use the day to "re-create" ourselves.  President Spencer W. Kimball explained how we can use the Sabbath day to make ourselves better:  "The Sabbath is a day on which to take inventory - to analyze our weaknesses, to confess our sins to our associates and our Lord.  It is a day on which to fast….  It is a day on which to read good books, a day to contemplate and ponder, a day to study lessons for priesthood and auxiliary organizations, a day to study the scriptures and to prepare sermons, a day to nap and rest and relax, a day to visit the sick, a day to preach the gospel, a day to proselyte, a day to visit quietly with the family…, a day for proper courting, a day to do good, a day to drink at the fountain of knowledge and of instruction, a day to seek forgiveness of our sins, a day for the enrichment of our spirit and our soul, a day to restore us to our spiritual stature, a day to partake of the emblems of [Jesus'] sacrifice and atonement, a day to contemplate the glories of the gospel and of the eternal realms, a day to climb high on the upward path toward our Heavenly Father" (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 216).

                    Another valuable thing we can do to better observe the Sabbath is to eliminate all those activities that are not conducive to bringing us closer to our Heavenly Father.  Elder Ezra Taft Benson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:

                    "It seems to me that the following should be avoided on the Sabbath:

                    "Overworking and staying up late Saturday so that you are exhausted the next day.

                    "Filling the Sabbath so full of extra meetings that there is no time for prayer, meditation, family fellowship, and counseling.

                    "Doing gardening and odd jobs around the house.

                    "Taking trips to canyons or resorts, visiting friends socially, joy riding, wasting time, and engaging in other amusements….

                    "Playing vigorously and going to movies.

                    "Engaging in sports and hunting `wild animals' which God made for the use of man only `in times of famine and excess of hunger.'  (See D&C 89:15.) …

                    "Reading material that does not contribute to your spiritual uplift.

                    "Shopping or supporting with your patronage businesses that operate on Sunday, such as grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and service stations" ("Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy," Ensign, May 1971, 6-7).

                    Even though our leaders encourage us to put aside as much work as possible, they understand that some businesses are "essential" and must be prepared to act at a moment's notice; however, even those who have to work on Sunday can keep the Sabbath day holy by reading their scriptures during breaks at work and by attending Church meetings either before or after working.  Elder Earl C. Tingey of the Seventy said:  "We know that there are essential businesses that must be open on Sunday.  These are emergency, medical, transportation, and some forms of protective services, such as police and fire" (Ensign, May 1996, 10-11).

                    We can determine our own attitudes toward the Sabbath by asking questions such as the following:  1) Which purposes and blessings of the Sabbath are important to me?  2) What activities seem to take away from the purpose of the Sabbath for me?  3) What activities help me feel the Spirit on the Sabbath?  4) What could I do before Sunday to make the Sabbath a more delightful day? 

5) What will I do to keep the Sabbath day holy and enjoy it more?

                    The value of the Sabbath cannot be overstated, particularly for helping us to prepare to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.  A modern-day scripture says:  "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

                    "For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10).

                    My parents taught me to keep the Sabbath day holy by their examples.  I grew up on a farm where work was done every day of the week.  On the Sabbath, our parents taught us to do the necessary work - milk the cows and feed the animals - but to generally rest from our labors.  There have been a few Sabbaths that I did not keep holy.  I quickly learned that I needed that "day of rest" every week.  If I did not "rest" on Sunday, I needed to use another day to rejuvenate and renew my body and spirit.  I know that blessings and joy come through proper observance of the Sabbath day.  I encourage all my readers to make each Sunday delightful by putting into practice those activities that will bring you closer to the Savior.