It was no surprise when the other day I received an email from an acquaintance who shared this compilation of council and prophecy from Latter-day Saint leaders about this very topic in relation to keeping the Sabbath day holy. This is a topic I have written about many times over the past several years, and I feel it's ever so important in 2018.
Here's a link containing two blog posts from 2017, in which I addressed drought and blessings:
https://allstandtall.blogspot.com/search?q=drought
Here is link containing several posts in which I have written about keeping the Sabbath day holy:
https://allstandtall.blogspot.com/search?q=sabbath+
https://allstandtall.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-three-types-of-tares.html
Here is a video in which I shared my thoughts last year about the drought in the Southwest connected to blessings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsqoUvELwcg&t=4141s
Here are the summarized points and council I took away from this friend's email. I would love to hear any additional thoughts.
Ucon, ID Stake conference, April 24 2016
(Anonymous Latter-day Saint) - Elder Sexton spoke and said, "I was recently taught by the first presidency a few weeks ago, just prior to General Conference and it's my responsibility to bring that spirit with me, to teach you the message they send to you. I'm not here teaching my own message."
The protections promised us when we keep the Sabbath Day Holy and obey the
commandments as laid out in Leviticus 26:1-13 (reading theses verses will help you understand the notes):
- Rain in due season = prosperous (scripture is talking in agricultural terms for the time period; but we can apply this to our day and whatever our needs are now or in the future).
- Eat your bread to the full
- Shall not want
- Dwell in our land safely (Stake wide or individually, community of safety)
- None shall make afraid - (5 shall chase away 100, 100 shall chase away 10,000)
- Take confidence
- I will make you fruitful and multiplied
- I will walk among you
Elder Sexton renewed theses blessings upon our stake, but said these promises are perpetual to ALL that keep the Sabbath Day Holy and obey the commandments.
If we choose not to keep it holy:
- I will appoint over you terror... terrorism (He asked if anyone had seen any terrorism happening in the world. He then said it gets worse and to read the rest of Leviticus (verse 14 & on) if you want to know... it's really bad but we don't want to dwell on that here today).
Faith will increase as we see the fulfillment of this promise. Sabbath observance is the great test of the faithful and shows the depth of our conviction.
The Blessings of Not Working on Sunday
A local sister bore her testimony about being in High School and wanting to do well. She said her father did not value education and if she was going to be able to go to college it was going to have to be on scholarships. She made the goal to do well enough to get as many scholarships as possible ensuring her a full ride to college. She also had made a promise to Heavenly Father early on to not do any work on Sunday, including homework. Her father owned a business and felt that hard work was
the only way to make it and the kids were expected to help daily with this business leaving little time to get homework done. In High School it was so hard for her to get all her assignments done, and she stayed up late many times so as to never miss one and never be late with one. One week in
particular her father kept them all very busy working long hours after school and it was this same week a huge report was due. One that was half the grade for the semester, not doing this report would give her a failing grade. Her heart ached as she went to bed very late Saturday night having
only finished the rough draft. She knew this particular teacher was a fair teacher, but that she was a teacher that did not budge on due dates. This sister kept her promise of never doing homework on Sundays, but went to school with a heavy heart Monday morning. When she got to this class she
was waiting for the teacher to ask for the reports to be turned in, but what she heard instead was,
"Wow, I’m not sure what’s up, but I’m in a terribly good mood today. I think I will give you all one more day to finish up and finalize those reports. They will be due tomorrow."
A Measure for Sifting the Saints?
Stake President said that the brethren taught that there is a great "sifting" going on right now - and that Sabbath Day Observance is the sifting - and that this is the sifting that was prophesied would happen just prior to the 2nd coming of the Lord. Also, they said that Sabbath day observance will offer protection - and those who do not honor it will, "see their faith disintegrate."
January 29th 2018 Raleigh North Carolina
(Anonymous Latter-day Saint) - I had a spiritual feast last night. I had some pretty cool dreams and some neat spiritual experiences. Before I went to bed though I was contemplating the Sabbath day and why such a huge push from the Lord on this. I know the brethren have pushed this as a very big thing and strait from the Lord. There are a couple things I have known and that are common sense.
1) The obvious blessing of taking the sacrament
2) The protection that comes from keeping the commandment
We all know that the Lord is using this as a tool to sift the saints. There will be great blessings and divine protection for those who do it. The old saying some people use for paying your tithing is like paying your fire insurance. So you don't get burned. Well with the Sabbath day it is like life insurance and will literally entitle people to divine protection.
As I was contemplating this the spirit also said. They will need to be independent and strong because there will be times when there are no church meetings. There will be great disturbances and chaos through out the world and times of sickness and distress. This will be the ultimate form of self-reliance. Those who don't have the foundation of strong Sabbath day observance will struggle and will fall. This gives them strength and a foundation to keep them focused on the savior as there are times away from church. It kind of surprised me.
"For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, honoring the Sabbath is a form of righteousness that will bless and strengthen families, connect us with our Creator, and increase happiness. The Sabbath can help separate us from that which is frivolous, inappropriate, or
immoral. It allows us to be in the world but not of the world. .....
The Spirit will help us avoid temptations and dangers, and comfort and lead us through challenges. 'The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.'
Adherence to sacred gospel principles will allow us to be temple worthy, enable us to find happiness in this life, and lead us back to our heavenly home.
My dear brothers and sisters, life is not easy, nor was it meant to be. It is a time of testing and trial. Like the old ships in Bristol Harbor, there will be times when the tide goes out and it seems as if everything in this world keeping us afloat disappears. .......
Amid such trials, I promise you that living and maintaining temple-worthy lives will hold together all that really matters. The sweet blessings of peace, happiness, and joy, along with the blessings of eternal life and celestial glory with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, will be realized."
"Two essential weekly signposts that mark our journey back to our Father in Heaven are the perpetual covenant of the ordinance of the sacrament and our Sabbath day observance. President Russell M. Nelson taught us last general conference that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to us. Our devoted weekly
observance of the Sabbath is our sign to the Lord that we love Him.
Each Sabbath day we witness that we are 'willing to take upon [ourselves His name], and always remember him, and keep his commandments.' In return for our repentant heart and our commitment, the Lord renews the promised remission of sin and enables us to “always have his Spirit to be with [us].” The Holy Spirit’s influence improves, strengthens, teaches, and guides us.
If, in remembering Him each Sabbath, we turn our hearts to the Savior through these two important signposts, our efforts are again more than matched by the Lord by His promised blessings. We are promised that, with devoted Sabbath day observance, the fullness of the earth will be ours."
"The world you're living in has some serious challenges. Today I want to emphasize a principle of the gospel that can* greatly bless your lives and protect you..........
I do remember what it was like to be your age. And I remember being confused a little about what I should or shouldn't do on Sundays. I want to speak with you about that for a moment, about understanding the Sabbath day and why it is so very important to keep it holy--more important than most of us ever realize.
In so doing, I plead with you not to see Sunday as a day of negative rules and stifling restrictions or a day of tedious duty or a day devoid of any pleasure or joy. Any such view could not be farther from the truth."
Spencer W. Kimball counseled,
"...To observe it [Sabbath], 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. [Failure] to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side.”
It's Our Covenant
Jesus taught, “The Sabbath was made for man. Wherefore the children of Israel [which includes all Latter-day Saints] shall keep the Sabbath … throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever.”
The Sabbath is More Than Just Church
John Taylor taught, " It is customary for men in the world from which we have gathered out, to
talk on Sunday about spiritual things, when they are dressed in their Sunday coats and at meeting, and then on Monday to pack up their religion with their Sunday clothes in their trunks, to have nothing more to do with it until next Sunday. … O, the folly of man in not acknowledging God in all
things, in laying aside God and his religion, and trusting in their own judgment and intelligence.
There is something that goes a little further than we think about sometimes; and that is, while we profess to be followers of the Lord, while we profess to have received the Gospel and to be governed by it, a profession will amount to nothing unless we have washed our robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is not enough for us to be connected with the Zion of God, for the Zion of God must consist of men that are pure in heart and pure in life and spotless before God, at least that is what we have got to arrive at. We are not there yet, but we must get there before we shall be prepared to inherit glory and exaltation; therefore a form of godliness will amount to but little with any of us, for he that knoweth the master’s will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many stripes [see Luke 12:47]. It is “not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but He that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 7:21.]
These are doctrines of the Gospel as I understand them. And it is not enough for us to embrace the Gospel and to be gathered here to the land of Zion and be associated with the people of God, attend our meetings and partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper, and endeavor to move along without much blame of any kind attached to us; for notwithstanding all this, if our hearts are not right, if we are not pure in heart before God, if we have not pure hearts and pure consciences, fearing God and keeping His commandments, we shall not, unless we repent, participate in these blessings about which I have spoken, and of which the Prophets bear testimony.
It is our business to be Saints. And to be worthy of that character it is our duty to live by the principles of virtue, truth, integrity, holiness, purity, and honor that we may at all times secure the favor of Almighty God; that His blessings may be with us and dwell in our bosoms; that the
peace of God may abide in our habitations; … and that we, as a people, may be under His divine protection.
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