Sacrament meeting and Sunday School Lesson Recap

Hello Sisters! Church was so wonderful today and here is a little review or update on what happened in our first two meetings.

In sacrament meeting, it was fast and testimony meeting and the room was full of the Spirit. One of the sisters got up and talked about hope. She said something like, "This church is not an exclusive club for knowers, but a support group for hopers." I loved it. 

Then in Sunday school we talked about the Sabbath Day. It was a great lesson. It was lesson 16 in the Doctrine and Covenants manual. The title was taken from a scripture: "Thou shalt offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day." 

We first talked about how the temple can be related to the Sabbath day in many ways:

1. Both are dedicated to the Lord for specific purposes

2. Both require some sort of sacrifice, but we are always rewarded with blessings (armed with power, filled with the HG to face the week etc.)

3. Both can be refuges from the world, work, stress and the daily grind. 

4. It is our effort and mindset that makes them special. We must work at it. 

"Every sacrament meeting should be a time of feasting and spiritual refreshment." -Pres. Hinckley

We discussed: Why do we need to come to church to worship? 

1. There is a special power in counseling in the church/combined and shared thought that leads to revelation and inspiration. 

2. We come to worship God through the sacrament, hymns, etc. 

3. To be able to "speak one with another concerning the welfare of [our] souls." 

4. To "unplug" from the world. (We must be fully engaged.) Pres Kimball says:

“We do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even solely to be instructed. We go to worship the Lord. It is an individual responsibility, and regardless of what is said from the pulpit, if one wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, he may do so by attending his meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating the beauties of the gospel. If the service is a failure to you, you have failed. No one can worship for you”

We then asked “How can we improve our reverence for the Sabbath?

1. Come on time, and early if possible in order to be “spiritually warmed-up.” =)

2. Prepare your mindset and prepare for all physical things on Saturday.

3. Remember that the chapel is a sacred place. Treat it as such.

How can we make the sacrament more meaningful?

1. Think of our specific covenants and commitments we have made, review the week and repent and commit to do better.

2. Think of the sacrament hymns lyrics.

3. See the sacrament administrators as stand-ins for the Savior, himself.