Sabbath-Day Observance

Recently, Church leaders have placed an emphasis on better observance of the Sabbath.  Local leaders here in Wisconsin encouraged us to go home and discuss ways we can better observe the Sabbath as a family.

In our family, we already tried to make the Sabbath special by not watching sporting events on Sunday.  We decided to even further limit our television time on Sundays to only inspirational shows, eliminating our usual diet of shows like NCIS, The Flash, and Agents of SHIELD.  We felt that this would make the Sabbath stand out even more in our minds every week.  To help make this crazy goal more successful, we thought of alternate activities that would better help us remember the Savior on Sunday.  Here it is:

1. Read scriptures
2. Go to Church
3. Write in your journal
4. Call grandparents
5. Take a nap
6. Write a letter
7. Read a book
8. Have friends over for dinner
9. Plan the rest of the week
10. Do service
11. Blog
12. Play a board/card game
13. Watch BYUtv
14. Home teaching/visiting teaching
15. Call a friend (yes, on the telephone)
16. Draw a picture
17. Bear your testimony
18. Take a drive
19. Listen to sacred music
20. Bake cookies
21. Write a story
22. Be creative
23. Work on family history
24. Sing hymns & Primary songs
25. Crochet

Do you have any ideas to add to our list?

Mormon Response: Please explain the part prayer plays in your life.

Recently I've been determined to expand my Mormon.org profile.  Part of this involves answering questions about my faith in 2000 characters or less.  I've decided that these might also be good to post here, since I don't really have time for a lot of writing anymore.  I've decided to call these Mormon Responses, since I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka a Mormon) and I am responding to something people might potentially ask me.
Please explain the part prayer plays in your life.

Prayer plays a large, huge, enormous role in my life.  I strive begin every morning with prayer.  I try to do this after I'm a little more awake, usually after I've taken a shower.  I also try end each day with prayer, hopefully before I'm so tired that I'm falling asleep.  I'm not perfect at this, but I'm trying.  I also try to pray with my family both morning and night, which goes better or worse depending on whether my one-year-old is trying to get into something.

We also pray at every meal, thanking God for providing for another meal.  I pray when I'm feeling good, I pray when I really need help.  I thank God for the many ways he blesses me: a loving family, constant nourishment, a living prophet, a safe home to live in.  I ask Him for I things I think I need, keeping in mind that He knows what I really need and will give them to me if I ask in faith.

Prayer seems to be inextricably alloyed into my soul.  It's a part of me.  The best part: knowing that He hears my prayers.

Thank You for Tithing

Tithing is one-tenth of our income.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we have the opportunity to pay tithing. Tithing is mentioned in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. As revealed in modern times, the law of tithing requires members of the Church to "pay one-tenth of all their interest [or income] annually." These funds are used by the Church to pay for meetinghouses, temples, help support missionary work, manuals and publications, and even subsidizing the education of those attending Church universities, like BYU. None of these funds are used to pay or compensate local Church leaders for their service.

Now, ten percent may seem like a large commitment, but the blessings of the Lord are equally as large. As we read in the Old Testament, the Lord promises He will, "open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)

I believe the Lord in this promise. I have seen great blessings come because of my paying tithing. Recently, I have been blessed with the opportunity to have a job while I am between finishing my bachelor's degree and starting my Ph.D. program. I was busy finishing my finals, so I wasn't able to very actively search for jobs. I just sent my résumé into the void with a little prayer. I now realize that the opportunities I have been given are because the Lord is blessing me for paying my tithing.

So I don't see tithing as a tax or a burden. I see it as an opportunity to receive some of the best blessings Good promises his children. And I only have to pay 10% of my income! For these blessings, I would be willing to give all. I am thankful for tithing.

Listen to a Living Prophet

It's been a while since I've posted anything.  I've been busy with school, trying desperately to balance schoolwork with my numerous site visits to potential graduate schools.

Life is still busy, but should be getting easier (I know that it never really does, but I'll pretend) at the end of April when I graduate.

I just wanted to take the time today to invite all my friends to listen to a modern-day, living prophet.  Just as God called prophets in the Old Testament, like Moses, Abraham, and Noah, He continues to do so in our day.  And just as Christ ordained apostles in the New Testament, like Peter, James, and John, He continues to do so in our day.  This Saturday, those men will speak to the world.  What an amazing opportunity!  The video below explains what the meeting, which we call General Conference, is all about.

Click on this link to watch it live on YouTube (in English, Spanish, Portuguese), or on LDS.org (in 19 languages).