Perfecting the Saints: Why is Church attendance important?

Jan/ Feb 2010, Chesapeake Ward Newsletter, Relief Society Article, Laura Kimball

Sacrament meeting is the most important portion of our Sunday services; “The sacrament is one of the most sacred ordinances in the Church. Partaking of the sacrament worthily gives us an opportunity for spiritual growth.” L. Tom Perry, “As Now We Take the Sacrament,” Ensign, May 2006, 39–42.  As we partake of the Sacrament, we renew our baptismal covenants to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and keep His commandments. We have been commanded to “… more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (D&C 59:9). However, Sacrament Meeting is not the only meeting we attend on Sunday - in keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world”, we receive much needed continued instruction and spiritual uplifting, we support, serve, and fellowship each other, and have the privilege to participate in our church services through church assignments and callings. Elder Oaks shared with us:

Some years ago I enjoyed a newspaper cartoon that showed a clergyman in conversation with a hippie-dressed couple astride a motorcycle. “We are church goers,” one was saying to the clergyman. “We’ve been going for years … we just haven’t got there yet.”

Many of our extended family and friends haven’t yet gotten to church either. They may attend sporadically, but they are not yet enjoying the full blessings of Church participation and service. Others may attend regularly, but refrain from commitments and from seeking the personal spiritual rebirth that comes from yielding our hearts to God. Both kinds are missing some unique blessings in this life. And both are in jeopardy of missing the most glorious blessings in the life to come.

Paul taught that the Lord gave prophets and apostles for “the perfecting of the saints, … the work of the ministry, … [and] the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). Persons who are not fully participating in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also seeking a personal spiritual conversion are missing out on experiences that are essential under the divinely established great plan of happiness. The teachings and the work of the Church are essential to bring to pass the eternal life of man (see Moses 1:39).

About a decade ago, I was introduced to a member who had not participated in the Church for many years. “Why should I return to Church activity?” this member asked me. Considering all the Savior has done for us, I replied it should be easy to offer something in service to Him and our fellowmen. My questioner considered that idea for a moment and then voiced this astonishing reply: “What’s He done for me?”

This astonishing answer moved me to ponder what people expect to receive from Jesus Christ, from His gospel, and from participating in His Church. I thought of some others who said they stopped going to Church because the Church was “not meeting their needs.” Which needs could they be expecting the Church to meet? If persons are simply seeking a satisfying social experience, they might be disappointed in a particular ward or branch and seek other associations. There are satisfying social experiences in many organizations. If they are simply seeking help to learn the gospel, they could pursue that goal through available literature. But are these the principal purposes of the Church? Is this all we are to receive from the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Someone has said that what we get depends on what we seek. Persons who attend Church solely in order to get something of a temporal nature may be disappointed. The Apostle Paul wrote disparagingly of persons who “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly” (Rom. 16:18). Persons who attend Church in order to give to their fellowmen and serve the Lord will rarely be disappointed. The Savior promised that “he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:39). “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41). Dallin H. Oaks, “The Gospel in Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2002, 33

The message is simple: “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moro. 10:32). Striving for perfection is a process; diligent church attendance helps to keep us unspotted from the world and more focused on Christ, our Lord and Savior. May we all make Church attendance a priority in this New Year, may we have the increased desire to seek after the teachings of the Spirit. As always, we look forward to our opportunity of worshiping together at our Church services.