what to do on the Sabbath?


dahlia
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I think part of my issue is that as a professor, I don't work a full week in a workplace. I do my classes and meeting, and then much of what I do is from home. This is typical for our faculty - especially in winter, as no one wants to go in when there's a ton of snow, etc. unless you have to. If I worked 9 hours a day on my feet or handling call center complaints all the time, then yeah, I'd be ready for a restful Sabbath.

I have downtime during the week, so it's not like I have to wait until Sunday to sleep late or have time to myself. And, with no little kids, there's just nothing outside of myself, so to speak, laying claim to my time. Reading LDS study aids, etc. is OK, but I'm not going to do that for 6-9 hours.

I don't know how people take naps. Seems like a waste of daylight to me.

On Mother's Day, my son took me to dinner. That is what we've always done and I didn't think anything about it. When I mentioned it when people asked what did I do that day, I kinda got the message that I wasn't supposed to go to a restaurant. On Mother's Day! My day of all days not to cook and to be pampered. My son isn't a member, so when I mentioned it, he was a little miffed - why shouldn't he take me out, which we have been doing for many years? We do so little these days as a family (there's just the 2 of us), that I don't want to spoil those things that bring us together and have such happy memories.

Taking a nap isn't always doing what we should on the Sabbath. We should be anxiously engaged in spreading the gospel and serving others. If a nap is a service I don't see the problem. If going to a restaurant on the Sabbath is a service too then I don't see the issue.

Family first is my response to your son taking you to dinner on Mother's Day.

We get to choose what is best for us in applying the gospel to our lives. Everyone is at a different place in their journey to be perfect. I'm sorry you're got some disapproval from other members.

We usually nap on Sunday, but then we nap every other day of the week also. My grandson needs a nap and my old body does too after trying to keep up with him. I understand your feelings about napping being a waste of daylight. Isn't it nice we all get to choose what is best for ourselves. Isn't agency wonderful! :)

I was at a youth fireside several years ago. The speaker talked about consciously choosing to not see R rated movies. Then she talked about how that change affected her attitude and her spirituality to the point that eventually she stopped seeing PG-13 movies too. Eventually she did't even waste time on movies unless they were rated G and even then rarely. Now, before somebody gets all out of joint about this or that movies aren't about this thread let me get the point connected-----

By deciding to live a "higher" law or the "spirit of the law" she felt she got closer to the Savior. It wasn't about movies it was about obedience to be anxiously engaged. Its how we fill our time as much as what we're doing or not doing.

Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is about a lot more than not going to a restaurant on Sunday or resting (napping). I remember hearing "a change is as good as a rest" a lot when I was growing up. And its very true. If we are working to further the Kingdom of God on earth on Sunday then we are keeping the Sabbath day holy. Another aspect in keeping the Sabbath Day holy is sacrifice. Christ sacrificed everything for us, so sacrificing one day to do more of what He would have us do is another way to Keep the Sabbath holy.

I wish you all the best in finding the way the Lord wants you to observe the Sabbath.

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I think part of my issue is that as a professor, I don't work a full week in a workplace. I do my classes and meeting, and then much of what I do is from home. This is typical for our faculty - especially in winter, as no one wants to go in when there's a ton of snow, etc. unless you have to. If I worked 9 hours a day on my feet or handling call center complaints all the time, then yeah, I'd be ready for a restful Sabbath.

I have downtime during the week, so it's not like I have to wait until Sunday to sleep late or have time to myself. And, with no little kids, there's just nothing outside of myself, so to speak, laying claim to my time. Reading LDS study aids, etc. is OK, but I'm not going to do that for 6-9 hours.

I don't know how people take naps. Seems like a waste of daylight to me.

On Mother's Day, my son took me to dinner. That is what we've always done and I didn't think anything about it. When I mentioned it when people asked what did I do that day, I kinda got the message that I wasn't supposed to go to a restaurant. On Mother's Day! My day of all days not to cook and to be pampered. My son isn't a member, so when I mentioned it, he was a little miffed - why shouldn't he take me out, which we have been doing for many years? We do so little these days as a family (there's just the 2 of us), that I don't want to spoil those things that bring us together and have such happy memories.

First of all, as some here seem to think, taking a nap on the Sabbath is not a waste of time, nor is it a sin. For some, due to heavy work schedules or medical issues (such as for myself) it is a NECESSARY rest, and yes, we are allowed to do such on the Sabbath. I'm not talking about being slothful or skipping church or callings, etc. I am talking for some it is about taking care of one's body.

I don't get the complaints about the Sabbath. If you want to be uber-busy on the Sabbth, then knock yourself out. I know people who are busier on the Sabbath than on any other given day...church...meetings....callings...study...scripture reading. There are a lot of things one can be busy with and still follow at least the law of the Sabbath.

As for the "can'ts"....again, there are six other days in the week to do such things. Heavenly Father is asking for one day out of seven. He is asking us to follow his example. I don't think that is too much to ask. I can assure you that you will not 'lose' time by observing the Sabbath. I knew a rabbi who challenged people - people who insisted they didn't have time to observe the Sabbath - to do so. They found that they did indeed manage to do everything they needed to.

If people don't want to observe the Sabbath or follow the teachings of the Church about it, then don't. That's your agency to do so. But I know you will miss out on some amazing blessings.

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I think it depends on who you ask. When I was younger my parents divorced and I was only able to see my dad on the weekends. My dad was not a member. He always took us out to eat or to the mall or something. I asked our home teacher if it was bad that we were not observing the Sabbath, he said family comes before church. I never felt pressure from leaders to attend Sunday firesides or activities because they knew that was the time we spent with our dad.

I don't see a problem with you spending time with your son on Mother's Day at a restaurant, because you are spending time with your family.

Truthfully the only difference in my Sunday is I go to church and I don't go out shopping. I usually lay around watch TV, surf the web, take a nap. I've heard other people who choose to stay in their Sunday dress all day to remind them of the Sabbath. I've heard others say they don't watch TV.

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I still exercise on Sundays. This may be the wrong choice, but my parents never had any issues with me exercising on Sundays as long as it doesn't interfere with church. Do you live by family you can visit?

There's nothing wrong about exercising on Sundays just like there is nothing wrong about eating on Sundays. Your body is a temple after all. It needs care.

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I still exercise on Sundays. This may be the wrong choice, but my parents never had any issues with me exercising on Sundays as long as it doesn't interfere with church. Do you live by family you can visit?

The concern wasn't about exercising on the Sabbath. The concern was about going to the gym. Going to the gym entails requiring someone else to work on the Sabbath, which is against Church teaching. It's the same thing that applies going out to eat, shopping, and other things which require someone else to work on the Sabbath.

Edited by pam
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Going to the gym entails requiring someone else to work on the Sabbath, which is against Church teaching.

I keep hearing this, but I have my doubts. It seems like it's just one of those things like "only marry an RM" that isn't an actual teaching, but rather a cultural thing that has consistently crept in. Is there anywhere you know of in lesson manuals (or the like) that actually teaches this idea?

(Not that I necessarily disagree with the idea, but I'm not sure it can accurately be classified as a "Church teaching.")

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I remember in college having disagreements with a roommate over appropriate Sabbath activities. Several times I wanted to go fly kites or go for a hike--in my mind, enjoying God's creation. She thought those were inappropriate.

One time she wanted to go to a small party--play games, talk to people, visit. In her mind it was okay. I thought it was inappropriate.

Funny how perspectives are different.

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I keep hearing this, but I have my doubts. It seems like it's just one of those things like "only marry an RM" that isn't an actual teaching, but rather a cultural thing that has consistently crept in. Is there anywhere you know of in lesson manuals (or the like) that actually teaches this idea?

IMO, the primary problem with it is that it fails to recognize the fact that not everyone's Sabbath is on Sunday. Why would it be wrong to cause a Jew or Seventh Day Adventist, for example, to work on Sunday? (Of course, this assumes you know the religion of the person you're causing work for, but especially in a small town like mine, that's not really a stretch.)

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Sabbath for us is a day off and a day of rest and relaxation from the day to day life of our very busy careers.

My husband and I go to church and before we go home from church we go out and have a nice dinner in a restaurant which for us is a relaxing treat and a chance to be together to enjoy a dinner . Our children are grown and we are too busy with our professions to have dinner out during the week so this is rest and relaxation.

Some Sunday evenings we enjoy dinner theater. We don't go to the movies but theater is something we love and it's a luxury.

Since we generally work out at our gym in the mornings before starting a work day, Sunday doesn't work for a gym workout before church; however we have been known to go to the gym on a Sunday evening for a swim or sauna, (more relaxation).

I don't think the church dictates what your personal activities are. And we don't feel that going to a restaurant or a health club is "making" anyone work. People that work on Sundays choose to do so. I know a number of people in our ward that do work on Sunday's after they attend church.

My suggestion is that the Sabbath is a day of rest. Rest to some may be different than others, but it is to me restful and relaxing to do things that you would not have the opportunity to do during a busy work week.

Enjoy your Sabbath.

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People that work on Sundays choose to do so.

I disagree with this. It may be for some but making a blanket statement like this as if it is for everyone is a fallacy.

There are just some jobs that require people to work on Sundays. It's either work Sunday or don't have a job. Also for those in public service that requires 24/7 staffing there isn't any way around it. Do you know for a fact that everyone that had to work to serve you dinner wanted to work on Sunday or chose to? You don't.

I had to work Sundays for the last 12 years. It's only in the last few months that I finally have Sundays off. It was not my choice to work Sundays. But with three kids to support I needed a job.

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I do agree that people who work on Sundays choose to do so. We truly are a product of our all our choices in life. I have been required to work Sunday before, too, though. I can choose to quit and find another job. I have interviewed before where I have stated that I would not work on Sundays. I work the graveyard shift so I only end up working two hours Sunday night, which is technically my Monday. I avoid working overtime on my Sundays, though. I very strongly believe that nothing is impossible; extremely difficult at times, but never impossible. My intention is not to judge anyone else. I'm only expressing my own life choices.

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I do agree that people who work on Sundays choose to do so.

Let me rephrase that for you...

People who work on Sundays choose to do so because the alternative would put their lives in more peril than they have the capacity to overcome.

Lucky for you, you had a better alternative. Not everyone is as lucky.

Trust in God. Sure. But, as each individual spiritual journey is unique, it is quite possible that the Christian who chose to work on the Sabbath over the perilous alternative placed his trust on God's mercy.

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Thank you, Anatess. I agree that we are all at various stages of our journey. What is most important is taking the Holy Spirit for our guide. I apologize for offending anyone. It was not my intention. The Sabbath truly is something different for each of us.

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Let me rephrase that for you...

People who work on Sundays choose to do so because the alternative would put their lives in more peril than they have the capacity to overcome.

Lucky for you, you had a better alternative. Not everyone is as lucky.

Trust in God. Sure. But, as each individual spiritual journey is unique, it is quite possible that the Christian who chose to work on the Sabbath over the perilous alternative placed his trust on God's mercy.

Thank you, anatess. In my 40+ years on this earth I have always trusted in God. From my childhood through today, I cannot count how many times I have opened the door to an empty fridge. I know what it is like to have my power shut off, my gas shut off, my water shut off. I know what it is like to lose a job. I know what it is like to be unemployed for months at a time. I understand all those things. I also know what it is like to lose my house, one which I built with my own hands. I can testify to the brutal difficulties of life and of deprivation. I can also testify that I am alive and well today and yes, I suppose that makes me lucky. I survived it all. And I may yet live to see greater difficulties and trials as the Lord sees fit to give me. I only hope and pray that I am strong enough to grow from them.

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Thank you, anatess. In my 40+ years on this earth I have always trusted in God. From my childhood through today, I cannot count how many times I have opened the door to an empty fridge. I know what it is like to have my power shut off, my gas shut off, my water shut off. I know what it is like to lose a job. I know what it is like to be unemployed for months at a time. I understand all those things. I also know what it is like to lose my house, one which I built with my own hands. I can testify to the brutal difficulties of life and of deprivation. I can also testify that I am alive and well today and yes, I suppose that makes me lucky. I survived it all. And I may yet live to see greater difficulties and trials as the Lord sees fit to give me. I only hope and pray that I am strong enough to grow from them.

Skal, it's admirable what you have gone through and rose out of.

I am Filipino. I can't really relate to the "empty fridge, months-long unemployment, etc." as a qualifier for "brutal difficulties". From everything I've seen of the United States, there is no such thing as "brutal difficulties" here other than those who suffer from the hands of others (like that child locked up in a closet to sit in his own feces for 12 years... or some such). Growing up, I spent summers in a place where generations of families live their entire lives on the whims of the sea. They cast their nets in the morning - they catch a fish, they eat that day. They don't catch a fish, they starve till the next cast produces some. If the net breaks, they starve for a longer time until they find the means to fix the net.

But, at the same time, because of my background, I am more inclined to see challenges in a different perspective as far as God's principles are concerned. I have seen children dying because their parents "trusts God to heal them". My godmother herself takes all her physical ailments and suffers through them in her belief that she is taking on MY sins... and saving me from eternal damnation. So yeah, if I ever get in "brtual difficulties" and a way out of it is working on Sunday, I'm working on Sunday and offering those labors to God, instead of risking my children's lives in the balance.

Edited by anatess
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I agree with Pam and Skalenfehl.

I worked 12 hour shifts on Sundays many times, more often than not. There's no way around it, especially in the medical field, you just work the shift. If I refused to work weekends I'd probably be let go before I could gain enough experience in clinicals. Bottom line, in the health care field, you just can't avoid working Sundays. I wanted to be a nurse, and I knew that getting there (even after), would require me taking on unfavourable job duties and scheduling. But if I was picky about it, I would have never made it and got my license. I don't know anyone that is in nursing that has never worked a Sunday. If it's happened, they probably haven't worked in the field very long.

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Anatess, the brutal difficulties was more about the dysfunction of my childhood years in an abusive home. I kinda generalized and lumped lots of things into one post. Anyway, my post isn't meant to judge anyone else. Just sharing bits and pieces of my own story. Back to the topic at hand, for me, the Sabbath has become something truly hallowed. It's much more to me than it was last year or even five years ago. I aim to make it something even more meaningful in years to come. I think I'm finally beginning to scratch the surface of something very special and personal. On a side note and relating to my previous post, I learned that being strong also means being able to let go. It's ok to lose a job. It's ok not to eat. It's ok to lose my house. It's ok to lose everything that I've ever held on to in the world. It's not ok to lose what I have with the Lord. I have learned to clearly draw that difinitive line in my own life. I never want to go back to who I was last year or five years ago or any time before today.

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The Sabbath is as day of rest in the same manner that we enter into the rest of the L-rd when we are resurrected. Thus the Sabbath is a day we practice and get use to eternity. If you want to watch the Superbowl for eternity then it is a good activity to choose as part of your sabbath worship.

The one perhaps exception is what is called the ox in the mire - that is when we take care of earthly things that for one reason or another cannot be accomplished on or at any other time.

One thing for sure - whatever we are doing on the Sabbath we should do with the attitude that we intend to have for eternity. We we wish to be happy in eternity then we should practice being happy on the Sabbath - regardless if we are getting an ox out of the mire or attending church meetings or whatever. If we want to have a chip on our shoulder and be critical of people and things (church included) then as we go about whatever we are doing that should be the attitude we practice on the Sabbath.

The Traveler

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