The Lord's Day

The article of the week has to do with a commandment which I believe to be one of the least-followed commandments: remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I hope to have a Sabbath-day post up soon so I won't elaborate much on the Sabbath day right now. For now, read "The Lord's Day," a talk given by President James E. Faust in the October 1991 General Conference.

President Faust was an apostle of Jesus Christ and counselor to the prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley. In his talk, he discussed the different ways we can and should keep the Sabbath day holy and emphasized why this commandment is so very important.

Another prophet, President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) said, “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.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, pp. 96–97.)

I know from personal experience that life is better, smoother, and less stressful when we keep the Sabbath day holy. Living this commandment may appear as a giant sacrifice to some and completely impossible to others, but because it is a commandment, the Lord prepares a way that we may accomplish the things He commands us and we are blessed and happy when we keep the commandments.

Jeremy