Reasons to go to Church

Have you ever been asked by a missionary, a friend, or your home/visting teachers to go to church on Sunday? Have you ever thought, "I am just too tired to wake up and go on Sundays", "I'd rather spend time with friends, family, and clean the house", or "I really just don't think it matters if I go to church on Sunday."

Well, I am pretty sure you're not the only one that has felt that way. But if I am going to be honest... you're missing out. I am serious. I love Sunday's, it's my favorite day of the week. Let me tell you a few reasons why it's important we go. 

First, it's a commandment. When your home or visiting teachers, the missionaries, or a friend invites you to church, they don't ask you out of obligation or because they'll gain something. It's because our Heavenly Father has asked us to attend church. In the Bible we read, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." Or in other words, Sunday is not our day, it is a day dedicated to our Heavenly Father. In the creation of the world, The Lord rested from his labors on the 7th day, or the Sabbath. So we too must set Sunday apart as a day from our world labors and worship Him. So when someone invites you to church remember that your Heavenly Father has already invited you through His scriptures. 

Second, the Sabbath is the day where we can renew our baptismal covenants. Have you ever gone to a baptismal service and thought to yourself, "Man, I wish I could be baptized again!" Guess what? YOU CAN! Every single Sunday through the ordinance of the Sacrament. The Sacrament is a renewal of the promises and blessings we made at baptism.  Just as we would never neglect our physical needs of hunger or thirst, we can not neglect our spiritual nourishment. Partaking of the sacrament worthily strengthens us and gives us power to overcome temptation. When we don't go to church and partake of the sacrament weekly, we are denying ourselves blessings. We can not renew these covenants at home, these blessing only come by partaking of the sacrament. For more blessings of the sacrament read here (http://becomingthegoodandfaithfulservant.blogspot.com/2014/03/one-by-one-and-sacrament.html)

3: One final reason it's essential to come to church is because there are those that need you, yes you, your personal testimony. In Alma we read, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed." We have a part to play in helping others prepare to meet our maker. President Spencer W. Kimball taught, "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. The people of the Church need each other’s strength, support, and leadership in a community of believers as an enclave of disciples. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read about how important it is to “… succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (D&C 81:5.) So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds! …"  During my final year at college I was called to be the Gospel Essentials teacher, I was passing through a time where I really struggled to make it to my Sunday services. When I received the call I felt completely inadequate and didn't feel like I had sufficient gospel knowledge to be a teacher. Over and over again at the end of each class I would feel that I didn't articulate well enough or that the Spirit wasn't present. Yet, almost every week I would find notes from the same person underneath my door that said my lesson were exactly what they needed. I felt needed and knew for whatever reason Heavenly Father knew that someone needed my testimony. And I know that's how it is for you, there are people waiting for your comments in class, your testimony during sacrament, your smile, or friendship. 
 
 When our priorities are in place we are happier and have more spiritual power. When we put the Lord first, everything else works out. I promise as we make the commitment to come to church every week we will be happier, more blessed, and be on the path to return to Our Father in Heaven. I have felt the emptiness that comes when we don't put our Lord first, I have seen the decay of my life as I haven't reguarly attended church. No other activity is worth it. No homework assignment, nap, clean house, or time spent with friends will feed you spiritually like attending church can. Sunday will come weekly but it is up to us to decide if we will be there to keep commandments, receive a remission of our sins, and help others.