The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(11/11/01)
"Now, I know it's hard, particularly for our young people, to
choose to observe the Sabbath day when athletic teams on which
they so much want to participate regularly schedule games on
Sunday. I too know it seems trivial to many who are in need of
just a few items on the Sabbath to quickly stop at a convenience
store to make a Sunday purchase. But I also know that remembering
to keep the Sabbath day holy is one of the most important
commandments we can observe in preparing us to be the recipients
of the whisperings of the Spirit." — H. David Burton, "A
Season of Opportunity," "Ensign," Nov. 1998, p. 9
(11/12/01)
"As another blessing, and a warning, I think of the counsel of
President George Albert Smith, when he said, 'Much of the sorrow
and distress that is afflicting... mankind is traceable to the
fact that they have ignored his [God's] admonition to keep the
Sabbath day holy.'" — Earl C. Tingey, "The Sabbath Day and
Sunday Shopping," "Ensign," May 1996, p. 12
(11/13/01)
"No matter where we live or in what position we serve, all of us
need to determine which way we face. God's commandments serve as a
standard against which priorities can be measured. Our respect for
the first commandment fashions our feelings for all the others.
Consider the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy, for
example. We live in a time when many people throughout the world
have transferred their allegiance on the Sabbath from places of
worship to places of amusement. Again I ask, 'Which way do you
face?'" — Russell M. Nelson, "Thou Shalt Have No Other
Gods," "Ensign," May 1996, p. 14-15
(11/14/01)
"May I mention two or three other messages which seem no longer
popular? One is to respect the Sabbath day. While the Savior
himself cautioned against extreme forms of Sabbath day observance,
it is well to remember whose day the Sabbath is. There seems to be
an ever-increasing popularity in disregarding the centuries-old
commandment to observe and respect the Sabbath day. For many it
has become a holiday rather than a holy day of rest and
sanctification. For some it is a day to shop and buy groceries.
The decision of those who engage in shopping, sports, work, and
recreation on the Sabbath day is their own, for which they alone
bear responsibility." — James E. Faust, "Unwanted
Messages," "Ensign," Nov. 1986, p. 9
(6/14/02)
"Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical
rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship." — James E.
Faust, "The Lord's Day" "Ensign," Nov. 1991, p. 34
(6/15/02)
"The Sabbath is the day the Lord has given us to rebuild,
retrench, fortify our spirits and rest our bodies so that we can
go out and live the gospel perfectly during the week." — Orson
Scott Card, "Sunday Meetings: A Preparation for Work," "Ensign,"
Jan. 1978, p. 63
(6/16/02)
"You do not have to patronize a store on Sunday. Let the
Latter-day Saints be in their homes, teaching their families,
reading the scriptures, doing things that are wholesome and
beautiful and communing with the Lord on the Sabbath day. He's
been very pointed in this day and time as set forth in the 59th
section of the Doctrine and Covenants concerning our observance of
the Sabbath day. I thank the Lord for Sunday. What a great and
marvelous blessing that is (fireside in Birmingham, England, 29
Aug. 1995)." — "Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon
B. Hinckley," "Ensign," July 1996, p. 73
(6/17/02)
"What lessons have we learned from our fathers? Years ago, a
father asked Elder ElRay L. Christiansen what name he could
suggest for his newly acquired boat. Brother Christiansen
suggested, 'Why not call it The Sabbath Breaker?' I'm confident
the would-be sailor pondered whether his pride and joy would be a
Sabbath breaker or a Sabbath keeper. Whatever his decision, it no
doubt left a lasting impression upon his children." — Thomas S.
Monson, "Becoming Our Best Selves," "Ensign," Nov. 1999, p. 19
(6/18/02)
"We have become largely a world of Sabbath breakers. On the
Sabbath the lakes are full of boats, the beaches are crowded, the
shows have their best attendance, the golf links are dotted with
players. The Sabbath is the preferred day for rodeos, conventions,
family picnics; even ball games are played on the sacred day.
'Business as usual' is the slogan for many, and our holy day has
become a holiday. And because so many people treat the day as a
holiday, numerous others cater to the wants of the fun-lovers and
money-makers." — Spencer W. Kimball, "The Sabbath-A Delight,"
"Ensign," Jan. 1978, p. 2
3/18/06
"From the beginning, God has instructed prophets to teach the
covenant people to honor the Sabbath day. God rested from His
creative labors on the seventh day. (See Moses
3:3; Gen.
2:2-3.) This day was blessed and sanctified as a holy day.
"The fourth commandment to Moses was to 'remember the sabbath day,
to keep it holy.' (Ex.
20:8.)
"Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that 'Sabbath observance was a
sign between ancient Israel and their God whereby the chosen
people might be known.' (Bruce R. McConkie, "Mormon Doctrine," 2nd
ed. [1966], 658; see also Neh.
13:15-22; Isa.
56:1-8; Jer.
17:19-27; Ezek.
46:1-7; Ex.
31:12-17.)
"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
recognize Sunday as the Sabbath in commemoration of the fact that
Christ came forth from the grave on Sunday, and the Apostles
commenced meeting thereafter on the first day of the week. (John
20:1-6; Luke
24:1; Mark
16:1; Matt.
28:1; Acts
20:7.)" - Earl C. Tingey, "The
Sabbath Day and Sunday Shopping," Ensign (CR), May 1996,
p.10
6/20/06
"But do not suppose that a strict observance of the law of the
Sabbath is alone sufficient to keep your spiritual bodies in good
health. Every day of the week must give nourishment to your
spiritual selves. Family and secret prayers, the reading of the
scriptures, love in your homes and unselfish daily service to
others are manna from heaven to feed your souls. Observance of the
weekly Family Home Evening is another strong force for
righteousness in the home." - "Teachings Of Presidents Of The
Church: Harold B. Lee," p.175
9/15/06
"Let me just mention a couple of things that will help us find joy
in sacrament meetings. There are many ways.
"First, come with an attitude of worshipping the Lord....
"Number two, teach your children the significance of the worship
service. We want our children there, and we also want them to
learn reverence, which is a form of love for the Savior. (If
babies are noisy, take them out of the chapel until they calm
down.)...
"Number three, sing enthusiastic praises to God. As we sing
wholeheartedly, reaffirming our love for the Savior, we can feel
the Spirit....
"Number four, when you speak to the congregation, include
scriptural references, your testimony, and the Savior in your
talk....
"And finally, remember the Savior as you partake of the
sacrament...." - W. Mack Lawrence, "Sunday
Worship Service," Ensign (CR), May 1991, p.30
1/5/07
"I will tell you how I feel on a Sabbath morning. I realize this
is a day set apart to worship Almighty God: now I ought to worship
God myself, and I ought to look after my family and discover
whether they are engaged in the same thing or not. For we are
commanded to keep holy the Sabbath day and to rest from all our
labors, as God did when He created the earth upon which we dwell.
He has given us six days to attend to the various labors and
duties of life, and if we [undertake] to keep the Sabbath, let us
do it acceptably to God our Father, dedicating ourselves to him at
least, for that day, and placing our feelings and affections upon
him." - "Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: John Taylor,"
p.107
3/18/07
"The Sabbath was blessed and sanctified as a holy day, a day of
rest (Genesis 2:3;
Moses 3:3; Exodus
20:9-11). But this sanctification and commandment of rest
was for a purpose—not that man should refrain from work in order
to pursue his own pleasure, but that man should serve God and
worship him. The prophet Isaiah taught that principle clearly:
"'If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy
of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own
ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own
words:
"'Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause
thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with
the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it. (Isaiah
58:13-14.)" - Dallin H. Oaks, "Pure in Heart," p.27
3/29/09
“There are a great many things that we can do on the Sabbath day
that would entertain, interest, and instruct our children at home,
between the hours of service. ... Let them have amusements at the
proper time, but let them be taught better things on the Sabbath
day.” – “Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: Joseph F. Smith,”
p. 230
6/20/10
"The Sabbath day is given throughout the generations of man for a
perpetual covenant. It is a sign between the Lord and his children
forever. It is a day in which to worship and to express our
gratitude and appreciation to the Lord. It is a day on which to
surrender every worldly interest and to praise the Lord humbly,
for humility is the beginning of exaltation. It is a day not for
affliction and burden but for rest and righteous enjoyment. It is
a day not for lavish banqueting, but a day of simple meals and
spiritual feasting; not a day of abstinence from food, except fast
day, but a day when maid and mistress might be relieved from the
preparation. It is a day graciously given us by our Heavenly
Father. It is a day when animals may be turned out to graze and
rest; when the plow may be stored in the barn and other machinery
cooled down; a day when employer and employee, master and servant
may be free from plowing, digging, toiling. It is a day when the
office may be locked and business postponed, and troubles
forgotten; a day when man may be temporarily released from that
first injunction, 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
till thou return unto the ground.' (Genesis 3:19.) It is a day
when bodies may rest, minds relax, and spirits grow. It is a day
when songs may be sung, prayers offered, sermons preached, and
testimonies borne, and when man may climb high, almost
annihilating time, space, and distance between himself and his
Creator." - "The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball," edited by
Edward L. Kimball, p. 215
7/28/11
Have we thought about the tremendous spiritual deterioration that
results from not keeping the Sabbath day holy? This commandment
involves much more than just resting from our labors. Keeping the
Sabbath day holy inherently builds spiritual character and
prepares us for what is to come. By observing this commandment, we
will have power over evil; we will be more capable of keeping the
commandments of the Lord and maintaining ourselves unspotted from
the sins of the world. (See D&C
59:9.) - Angel Abrea, "The
Little Things and Eternal Life," Ensign (CR) October 1981
9/23/11
Does the Lord love and bless
those who keep the Sabbath day holy? I testify that he does in
eternally meaningful ways. I further testify that when we
eventually see things through the proper perspective of eternal
truth, we will be amazed at how much we were blessed in
important—though often unperceived—ways through keeping the
Sabbath holy; and to our sorrow we may sense how many blessings
we kept from ourselves by not consistently keeping the Sabbath
day holy. -