preparing

Tomorrow is the Sabbath day. Often on Saturday I do not give the thought I should to the coming day. I sometimes wish I was an Orthodox Jew. Then, I think to myself, I would get ready. I would look forward to the ritual and the change of pace from daily life. I would prepare myself for worship and fellowship with similarly minded friends. My daughters and I would sweep the hearth and prepare food and press clothing. This thinking is silly of course. I could and should do the same thing now. The problem is Saturday is a day of play, of squeezing in extra chores, of running errands and seeing movies and seldom is it a day of getting ready.

Our Sabbath days are different than other days. We don't work, or shop and we always go to church. I just don't always feel it gets the reverence and thought it warrants. I need to do better.

Last week was our fast and testimony meeting. We forgot, since it didn't fall on the first Sunday of the month due to stake conference, and so we arrived and took our seats unaware and not a bit hungry (spiritual or physically? I don't know, hopefully we were still spiritually hungry). J leaned over to me and asked "is it fast Sunday" The we realized it was . Ooops.

Fortunately the week before that the kids were not too reverent in Sacrament meeting again and on the way home I told them 'this is it! no more drawing, whispering, squirming, sitting on my lap and kicking me in the shin with little hard black church shoes on your cute little feet. no more anything but sitting and listening. You are ALL old enough to behave.'. On the way to church I reminded them, this is it, last week was the last week you were wiggle worms. Today dawns a new era of reverence (cue majestic music). And, somewhat miraculously, they did sit still. The whole time. Which was wonderful and even more of a miracle considering the meeting ran over a half hour.

Early in the meeting the Bishop stood and said he felt there was someone who needed to bare testimony. That really opened the flood gates and we had many powerful, heartfelt testimonies. There were many good and important messages shared. At the end of the day I felt like we had been to conference, only it was our own brothers and sisters right in our ward, speaking by the spirit and sharing things they know are true. It was wonderful. Even a week later I am still pondering on some of the messages and trying to implement changes in my life. It made me think about the last days and seeking refuge in the stakes of Zion. We really have, right here, the strength and wisdom to follow the Lord. Of course I am so eternally grateful for a living Prophet who walks and talks with God and speaks on His behalf to the world, the church, and me individually. But we also have great strength and goodness right here. We need to rely on the spirit more and teach each other more and help each other more.

This week is stake conference. Beloved is at the priesthood leadership session right now, soon I will join him for the adult session and tomorrow our whole family will go to the general session. I am looking forward to some wonderful meetings, feeling the spirit and strengthening my testimony.

I love the gospel. What comfort it gives. What joy. The sweet assurance that our Heavenly Father cares about us and is involved with our life and leads the way is a priceless gift in a these tumultuous times.