Why Do We Go To Church?

The reasons people attend church vary greatly from loving it to feeling guilted into it. But why is church attendance needed?

One reason is to receive a confirmation of information we already knew, as a church leader told me in my youth. You won't necessarily learn something new every time you go to church unless you are new to religion. But there is a good chance you will get a confirmation of information you already knew that will reaffirm your faith and anchor your faith deeper and more reassured. 

We need to regularly plug in to the Spirit so our spiritual battery does not become completely drained. A cell phone can still function at 25% battery but it will not do so for long. Every time you plug back in to the Spirit, it will move your battery charge higher and higher.

A cell phone will also not work, or not work so well, when you are in a bad reception area. When you are at church, you are in one of the best spiritual reception areas you can find. Your line to the Spirit should be strong in a good reception area like church. Your home can be a good reception area, a safe place away from the worldly influences that block reception.

Another reason to go to church is to get a new perspective on topics we thought we already knew well enough. It is good to study the gospel at home, and it is good to study the gospel with others. When we discuss gospel topics with others, they share their own unique perspective of the same topic because of their own personal past experiences. Sometimes they share a perspective we would not necessarily have come to on our own, but which we can understand with shared human empathy.

Each flower represent a gospel topic like faith, hope, charity, tithing, worship, prayer, etc.... This first picture shows my perspective and current knowledge of each topic. The next picture shows another person's perspective and current knowledge as well, and as you can see, we have quite different views and depths of knowledge on each topic. Imagine how much wisdom we could share with each other to strengthen each other's faith! Even those who do not have a varied and seemingly full knowledge of gospel topics will have some deep extensive knowledge and personal experience in a few select areas that can enhance your own personal understanding in new ways.

The next time you feel discouraged and want to stay home from church, dig deep into the understanding that you need someone else and also that someone else needs your unique perspective and love.

I'll See You Again

 September is the beginning of lovely fall and the month of my birthday! It's also a sad reminder of the struggles I've been through as it's Childhood Cancer Awareness month, the month that our angel baby was stillborn, as well as two nieces who have passed on. 

By sharing my struggles with others, others have shared their own with me in unity and shared grieving. I know of many parents who have also had stillbirths, miscarriages, and children pass away too early. I know of many parents whose children have battled cancer, surviving or dying. The knowledge is a heavy burden but made easier to bear in the sharing and understanding of others, as well as the belief that those who have died have truly passed on to another stage of life.

I believe that we lived as spirits in heaven before we were united with a body at birth. I believe that our spirits live on after we die and will be reunited with our perfected bodies forever. We pass from a mortal realm to an immortal realm at death. Those who have passed on are aware of us and watching over us. When we also die and pass on, we will be greeted by many loved ones in a joyous reunion. We will be able to help those still on Earth in a way never before possible. This belief gives hope and joy in the midst of heartbreak. 

Grace and Peace

"May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." 2 Peter 1:2 NLT

There's a special peace and grace that a person can obtain that comes only as a gift from God. A gift bestowed when we follow Jesus Christ's teachings which are God's teachings. It's beyond self confidence- it's godly confidence. Confidence not in your mortal body but in having a godly spirit. We are all children of heavenly parents and as we live up to our spiritual potential, our spiritual confidence grows in grace and peace.

For God So Loves Us

 

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

Through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost, I know God loves me- I have a Heavenly Mother and Father that love and care for me. I have a heavenly brother, Jesus Christ, who loves me so much that He suffered for my sins, died on the cross, and was resurrected. He did all that so I may be forgiven and have eternal life- life with God and my family forever.

I've always known this since I was little, so it was a bit of a shock and a momentary setback when I was challenged to pray to know God loved me and at first received no answer to my prayer. 

At a religious youth conference, the speaker challenged all of us teenagers to pray to know God loved us. I thought it would be so easy since I knew God loved me already, I almost didn't do it. That night as I sat down to my daily scripture reading, I started with a simple prayer asking if God loved me. I received no answer. I asked again, and again, nothing. I started to get concerned because this was supposed to be a sure thing, a thing I had based my life on and relied on many times. I kept asking and started crying at the complete lack of feeling, like I was in a spot void of God's love, like God didn't exist so I was praying to nothing so how could I receive an answer.

At this point I had to make a choice- do I continue with my usual nightly routine of scripture study for a God who wouldn't give me the simple answer I already thought I knew, or do I go to bed unsatisfied and disbelieving. After a few minutes of indecision I decided to fall back on trusted habit and give God another chance. I pulled out my patriarchal blessing, a personal blessing with direction for my life, and in the first main paragraph, two sentences stood out to me.

"Your Heavenly Father know who you are. He loves you as a special daughter."

As I read that line, I felt the full force of my Heavenly Parents' love rush into my soul and fill me with peace. I knew they loved me, I always had. As Moroni in the Book of Mormon said, "... faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6)

All the spiritual work I had previously done kept me on a good path, a path of God's love.

I have had their love and the love of Jesus reconfirmed to me many times since as I strive to stay on a covenant path, working at doing the things I should because they bring me peace, comfort, and safety.

I know Jesus Christ loves me and you, I know our Heavenly Parents love me and you and are mindful and caring of all we do. I know you can also receive this testimony over and over throughout your life if you choose to work through the trials of your faith and continue to make good choices.

Faith

 

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

I can't give you proof that God exists. I can give you examples of the influence of God's power in my life but those aren't solid evidence for you. For me they are evidence of things not seen and things that are hoped for. 

I have faith that God exists, hope that I can return to live with God again, and that leads me to have charity- the pure love of God and Christ that leads to good works.

I can't prove God exists to you. My faith is my own, and I hope you take time to make your faith your own.