Here it is:
Walk with me, if you will, through a typical day at church. When you enter the building, it is clean and orderly. There is no distraction from unkempt floors, dirty walls or smudged windows. You are greeted with wonderful artistic depictions of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Warm smiles and hugs from your friends, your brothers and sisters in Zion, are waiting to be given, and eyes light up when your face is recognized. You are asked of your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your family. If personal circumstances are known, inquiries are made regarding them. As you enter the chapel, soft music flows to your ears and into your heart. Some hymns you recognize and smile just a little more than you have been smiling because your spirit remembers the truth that those hymns express. But even if the hymn that is played is unknown to you, your spirit feels the spirit with which the hymn was written and you smile a little more than you already were smiling. The meeting is started with a hymn. As the congregation sings together, the words stir your heart. A prayer is given. A plea with your Heavenly Father to bless you with His spirit as you prepare yourself for the sacrament and the opportunity to hear others share their testimonies. Another hymn is sung, setting the atmosphere of reverence and reminding you of the great sacrifice that Christ made for you. The sacrament is blessed by members of the priesthood. In the prayer offered you are reminded of the covenants that you have made with God and His promise to you if you keep those covenants. You are able to reflect upon your personal worthiness to partake of the sacrament and offer a personal recommitment to keep His commandments. You eat the bread and drink the water, symbols to help you remember that the sacrifice that Christ made for you was real, that it really did happen. Then talks are given by your peers. Ordinary people speaking on subjects that “just so happen” to be what you needed on that particular Sunday. Another hymn is sung and another prayer offered. You go to Sunday school and have an opportunity to discuss with others the gospel and to glean understanding from them as well. Then you attend either your Priesthood or Relief Society meetings. There you discuss other gospel topics with your brothers or sisters, more testimonies are given, experiences shared and understanding and enlightenment occur. Sometimes you are asked to serve others in your branch by offering a prayer, teaching a lesson, or sharing a personal experience that has strengthened your testimony regarding the topic your class is discussing that day. After meetings are over you linger in the hallways making sure to say goodbye to all and offer an invitation for them to return the following Sunday with a simple “I’ll see you next week.” By then, your spirit is renewed to face another week in the world with its declining morals, subtle temptations, and sin-filled snares.
As this year comes to a close, we are brought to a place of reflection on the previous year and anticipation for the upcoming year. It’s a time for refreshing, rejuvenating, renewing. In the dead of winter some of us need help to find something, anything, to help us revive our spirits and find joy in what we have come to view as a miserable life.
It may come as a surprise to some and a reminder to others that attending your church meetings, especially Sacrament meetings, every week can be a great source of spiritual rejuvenation.
The command to attend all our church meetings has several purposes that are intended, by design, to help us renew our spirits.
During the week we are faced with many obstacles and trials that we must learn to overcome. Sometimes, our faith is so weak that our spirits suffer. Sometimes, we get to the point of depression and despair and begin to wonder if the things we had learned that had been confirmed to us as truth by the Holy Spirit are actually true. We long for the same feelings of hope and comfort and joy that we felt when we rose out of the waters of baptism or when we exited the temple after receiving our own endowments or being sealed to our spouse and children. Unfortunately, there are some, that when faced with despondency, choose to stay away from their church meetings instead of holding fast to those meetings as the lifeline that can rescue them from their own doubts and fears. And Satan jumps at the opportunity to drown the soul that begins to doubt.
President Thomas S. Monson reminds us that “we live in a complex world with daily challenges. There is a tendency to feel detached, even isolated, from the Giver of every good gift. We worry that we walk alone.” Many of us are thinking, “Don’t I know it,” or “No need to remind me,” or “I am alone.” But you’re not. You are never alone unless you choose to be alone. Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, tells us that “After we were baptized, hands were laid upon our heads and we were given the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we consciously and sincerely renew our baptismal covenants as we partake of the sacrament, we renew our qualification for the promise “that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77).” But, as Darin Cozzens, reminds us, in an article in the April 1993 Ensign, “human beings have spirits, and those spirits are as subject to fatigue as any muscle or backbone; [. . .] There are seasons in life that buffet and gnaw and deplete our spirit just as certainly as hard work grinds at our bodies. But with our spirits, the possible consequences are far more serious; if our spirits were to reach a point at which they were too beaten to rebound, we might begin to question our most basic religious convictions. It’s no surprise, then, that this unseen but very real dimension of our being needs its own kind of regular rest and strengthening.”
It is easy to attend all our church meetings and renew our covenants with the Lord when life is good, when everything is going our way. But how, in the midst of uncertainty, can we ensure that His spirit is with us to lift us up and pull us through? How can we rejuvenate our souls?
The answer to that is, at least in part, to attend your church meetings. But how does attending your meetings help you to refresh, rejuvenate and renew your spirit?
President Ezra Taft Benson, in an article written in the March 1987 Tambuli, said, “to help us from being overcome by the devil’s designs of despair, discouragement, depression, and despondency, the Lord has provided at least a dozen ways which, if followed, will lift our spirits and send us on our way rejoicing.”
A few of those ways are repentance, prayer, service, friends and music.
How does repentance renew our spirit? When we have made mistakes, or succumbed to temptation, or sinned, we have bruised our spirit and have chased away the Spirit of the Lord. We no longer have the light of His spirit with us, and the gloom of the devil slowly engulfs us. Elder Oaks tells us “For faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ, the companionship of the Holy Spirit should be so familiar that we must use care not to take it for granted. If we are practicing our faith and seeking the companionship of the Holy Spirit, His presence can be felt in our hearts [. . .] worthy men and women who have the gift of the Holy Ghost can be edified and guided by inspiration and revelation. The need to keep our personal temple clean in order to have the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost explains the importance of the commandment to partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath.” President Spencer W. Kimball elaborated on this theme: “Remembering covenants prevents apostasy.” So, when we repent, which is required in order to partake of the sacrament worthily, we remember our covenants, which include the blessings promised us when we keep them and we cleanse our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits to provide a holy place for the Spirit of God to dwell. With His Spirit, we are given the strength to endure to the end, we can see the healing beyond the pain, and we can feel the joy through the sorrow.
How about prayer? How does prayer renew our spirit? President Benson stated, “Prayer - persistent prayer - can put us in touch with God, our greatest source of comfort.” When we pray, we open the door to heaven and bid Him to come into our hearts. Prayer is our way to communicate with our greatest advocate, our biggest fan, the One who loves us most. And, as President Monson told us, “At times, the answers to our questions and the responses to our daily prayers come to us through silent promptings of the Spirit.” The pleadings of our soul expressed in our own words to our Father will not always bring what we want, or what we think is best, but Heavenly Father will bless us with the presence of His Spirit. And the presence of the Spirit can only be brought to those with clean hearts and pure souls. Clean hearts and pure souls are only made possible by and through repentance, which requires us to kneel in prayer and ask our Father for forgiveness.
Service is another source of renewal for our spirits. President Benson tells us, “To lose yourself in righteous service to others can lift your sights and get your mind off personal problems, or at least put them in proper focus.” How many of us have heard others testify that when they lost themselves in the service of others their own problems seemed to diminish, or when they carried out a teaching assignment that the lesson they prepared was meant for them, that the topic was an answer to their prayers? What is service but welcoming others as they come through the door, or preparing and giving a talk for sacrament meeting, or teaching a class? Service is also manifested through those callings that often go unnoticed, like those in charge of the music, or preparing the sacrament, or putting together the program. It is also the smile or hug or squeeze of the hand given to someone who really needed to know that they are loved, or cleaning the building during the week, or clearing the sidewalks of snow and ice during the winter and planting flowers in the spring. It is offering to hold a child for a mother who needs to tend to another child or passing the sacrament. It is repeating yourself several times without losing patience because someone did not hear your words or holding a door open for another or wiping the tears of a child. It is welcoming new faces into your heart and renewing relationships that span the decades. Most of these forms of service occur during our Sunday meetings. And though they may seem insignificant to some and everyday habits to others, they are still opportunities for your spirit to renew itself by serving others in ways that are usually unnoticed by the one who does the serving but is greatly appreciated by the one that is served.
Friends who share the same beliefs, values, morals, and goals with us can offer renewal of the spirit just by encouraging us to continue, by reminding us that we are not alone in our beliefs; by offering the physical reminder that we are loved and cared for and provide the means for our Heavenly Father to answer our prayers. President Benson advises us that “the fellowship of true friends who can hear you out, share your joys, help carry your burdens, and correctly counsel you is priceless [. . .] What a boon to be in the company of those who edify us [. . .] Friendship should begin at home and then be extended to encompass the home teacher, quorum leader, bishop, and other Church teachers and leaders. To meet often with the Saints and enjoy their companionship can buoy up the heart.” Too often the world is so caught up in competitive aspirations of being number 1 that people often get trampled, bullied and beaten, both literally and figuratively. We have a wonderful opportunity to meet with our friends every week at a scheduled time in a safe place where we can share our joys and sorrows, questions and experiences, and our inadequacies and strengths with others who love us and want us to be happy and successful, who are not competing to be the best or the biggest or the smartest, but are striving to lift others up as they climb so that all can reach the destination that offers the greatest blessings to everyone.
D&C 25:12 states: For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. Have you ever stopped to count how many times each Sunday we are supposed to sing a hymn or primary song? There are 4 in sacrament meeting, 1 in Sunday school, and 3 in Relief Society or 2 in Priesthood. That comes to a total of 8 or 9 spiritually uplifting songs that we should be singing every Sunday. Then we also have the prelude and postlude music before and after sacrament meeting and sometimes have people quoting phrases from the hymns or playing them as extra learning materials in their lessons. Heavenly Father has designed us to be appreciative of beautiful and spiritually uplifting music. When our souls are faced with trials or temptations the simple words of the hymns can refresh us and help us to conquer whatever obstacle stands in our way. Hymns can occupy the stage of our brains so that inappropriate thoughts have no place to present themselves in our minds. President Benson has said, “Inspiring music may fill the soul with heavenly thoughts, move one to righteous action, or speak peace to the soul.” Sometimes, a song is what brings a soul to accept the Word of God, or answers a prayer of a soul in need. It inspires us to do good to others and also ourselves. It reminds us of basic gospel principles that can help us overcome adversity. It can bring peace and comfort in the middle of upheaval and turmoil. On a personal note, last year, on Nov 2, I was told that my baby’s heart rate was dropping every time I had a contraction and that it was getting slower in recovering to a normal heart beat. I had opted to use a general anesthetic instead of an epidural. At one point, I was advised that if I wanted the epidural I would have to get it almost immediately because if my baby’s heart rate continued to behave as it was or got worse I would be rushed to the OR for an emergency c-section. If I got the epidural, they could just jack up the dose as I was being wheeled into the OR, otherwise if I chose not to get the epidural and an emergency c-section was necessary then they would have to put me completely under because they would not have time to wait for the delicate process of administering an epidural to take place. I opted for the epidural and within minutes, I was being rushed into the operating room. I was told that because they had to rush the procedure that, other than the doctors, I would be completely alone, no one from my family would be able to scrub up in time to be with me, not even Steve. I remember that at one point even my mid-wife was gone, I believe she was scrubbing up, and I could not see any of the nurses or other physicians that were to be assisting in the procedure. I was alone. The words to the hymn, How Firm a Foundation entered my mind and I started to sing them. I have no idea whether or not anyone could hear me, and I did not care. The words penetrated my heart and opened my spirit to receive the Spirit of the Lord who came down to give me strength, comfort and peace and allowed me to actually enjoy the birth of my son. I was calmer than I had ever been in my entire life. I was told that they had never had a woman that was rushed into the operating room for an emergency c-section stay so calm, most women scream or cry hysterically. During what should have been one of the scariest moments of my life, because of the potential to lose my baby boy, singing the words to How Firm a Foundation granted me a peace and calmness that amazed everyone in the operating room, including myself and brought joy to my heart during a time of great stress.
I gained an appreciation for that particular hymn when I was entering my senior year of college. I had to figure out how to balance work, classes, homework, exams, labs, required out of class meetings and assignments that could not be completed at home, church callings, homemaking, motherhood and wifehood. Add to that I just gave birth to my older son, Stevie. With my girls, then 5 and 3 years of age, and my newborn son, I had to figure out a way to provide a happy home. I already knew that if I did not find a way to refresh my spirit frequently that I would lose all hope and give up on everything. Because my husband was the ward music director, and then 2nd counselor in the bishopric, he was not able to sit with me throughout most of and then all of sacrament meeting, which left me to try to keep the children quiet and reverent. And they usually chose to act up and require massive attention when Daddy was unable to help. I knew, every Sunday, that I would not get to hear the talks given or testimonies shared in sacrament meeting, and lunch time for Stevie was during Sunday School and naptime was right after, but he never wanted to sleep and was too fussy to take to class, so I basically spent the second and third hours in the mothers’ lounge. Some people wondered why I even bothered to attend church at all since I “wasn’t getting anything out of it.” My response to them, “Just because I had no idea what the topics of the talks or lessons were does not mean that I did not get anything out of attending church.” I got to feel His presence in His house. I got to ensure that I was teaching my children that no matter how hard life gets, the gospel is never too much to bear. I got to renew my spirit by listening to the music, even if I didn’t get to sing the words.
By attending our church meetings, we show our faith in our Heavenly Father. Through that faith, we are granted the strength and nourishment needed to revive our commitment and renew our spirits. This I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The quotes come from the following:
Dallin H. Oaks, “‘Always Have His Spirit’,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 59
“I Have a Question,” Ensign, Mar 1995, 66–67
Darin Cozzens, “The Power of Renewal,” Ensign, Apr 1993, 7
Thomas S. Monson, “‘The Spirit Giveth Life’,” Ensign, Jun 1997, 2
Ezra Taft Benson, “Do Not Despair,” Tambuli, Mar 1987, 2
D&C 25:12
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