The Blessing of Attending Church

One of the questions that I am repeatedly asked is, "Do I have to go to church?" or "Why is it important that I go." When I hear questions like this I often think, "You never have to do anything." As with all things we are never forced into anything, we are left to choose and then accept the consequences as they come. In the case of attending church services on Sundays, it isn't that I have to go, it's that I get to go. The importance of this commandment to worship on the Sabbath Day was made clear to the Moses. In Exodus chapter 20 the Lord says, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (verse 8)." The opportunity to come and worship my Heavenly Father one day a week is a gift that I will always cherish. The last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon, Moroni, included a few words about the members of Christ's church in his day. He said, "And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus (Moroni 6:5-6)." One of the central focuses of their services was the partaking of bread and wine, or the sacrament. In our day as well, the sacrament is the center of our Sabbath Day worship. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we meet every Sunday to partake of the sacrament and remember our Savior Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. As I do this from week to week, I find myself spiritually recharged and ready for the week ahead. As I learn about Christ and direct my thoughts on Him, I am able to refocus my life on His teachings and dedicate myself to following Him. I am also better able to handle life's trials and hardships when I remember to make church attendance a priority in my life. At times it may not be easy or convenient to go to church meetings, but I can promise that the blessings you will receive will far outweigh whatever sacrifices you made. Heavenly Father is eager to bless those who will serve Him and keep His commandments. I would invite everyone to take a minute and leave a brief comment about blessings they have seen in their lives from making church attendance, the sacrament, and Sabbath Day worship a priority in their lives. By doing so, I hope that we will be able to help and strengthen each other as we recognize the blessings in our own lives.