Church Update

When we were in Panama, the Temple Matron and another ward member we met, urged us to write about our experience doing church on this little island by ourselves. So I thought I would share some of them.

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Terms:

General Conference=”semiannual worldwide gatherings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church members gather to receive guidance and encouragement from Church leaders about gospel living based on the teachings of Jesus Christ”

Mission President=Someone who presides over a “mission” and cares for the efforts and the missionaries within that area.

Mission=A geographical area in which many missionaries come to share about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Area Authority=Someone who presides over the members and church in a geographical area. He also presides over the Mission President.

Sacrament=”the sacrament is an ordinance in which Church members partake of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized.”  https://www.lds.org/topics/sacrament?lang=eng

Covenants=A sacred promise between God and ourselves. They help us become more Christ-like, and closer to God.

Sabbath= We honor the Sabbath day on Sunday. We consider this is the Lord’s day and it is for rest and worship. We choose not to work, or require others to work on this day.

Branch= A small congregation of members that gather together to worship, serve one another and the Lord, and to increase in gospel learning. 

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Right before the October General Conference I was prompted to contact the new Mission President and ask him if Matthew could administer the sacrament for our family. After General Conference we heard back! The Area President said that in light of the talks at general conference, “I don’t see why not”.

[Prior they had been hesitant because we and one other sister were the only members, there were no priesthood holders beside Matthew, and there was a mis-understanding about wanting to create a group/branch ourselves. 
        We and they, also had not yet realized how prohibitive the cost was to travel to the neighboring island. It averaged about $1200 and required an overnight hotel stay due to boat and flight schedules. Sometimes requiring us to not only to stay over Saturday night, but sometimes even Sunday night, which conflicted with Matthew’s classes/tests Monday.
        We were committed and felt the sacrifice was being asked of us by the Lord, so we made the commitment to go whenever classes, test schedules, and boat/flight fares permitted which ended up being about once every 6-10 weeks to partake of the Sacrament. ]

I don’t think I have stopped praying in gratitude that we have been blessed to partake of the Sacrament at home with our family. It has been life changing. I also strongly feel that we were meant to go through the sacrifice so that we may be more fully committed, more grateful for what we have, and to have literally felt, and seen a difference in our lives. I YEARNED for the sacrament. I was THIRSTY for it. We centered our lives around when we could travel to church.

When we were able to bring it into our home, it brought tears of happiness, joy and a bursting heart. I continue to pray in gratitude that we can renew our covenants (promises) with the Lord, and have that renewing, cleansing ordinance every week. What a difference it has made in our life! It is essential.

So this is what our Sabbath schedule usually looks like

Daddy makes breakfast, we play with the kids/spend time together and get ourselves ready for church.

Clear up the living room and set up chairs (we like chairs set up like benches. It just seems more like church, and less casual then just using our couches. Plus the kids can tell a difference and behave differently).

For church we have opening hymn and prayer, announcements, then a sacrament hymn. Matthew then blesses and passes the Sacrament to us. We follow either by a brief talk or testimonies from each other followed by a closing hymn.

Then we take turns giving the primary lessons and sometimes we do them together. “Primary” usually lasts about 20-30 minutes including songs and prayers.

Then it’s lunch time! We get the kids all tanked up, and then lay them down for quiet time.

This is when the adults attempt to have Sunday school. It is regularly interrupted by sweet… and not-so-sweet, calls and needs from the children. Haha. But it is always good, and we have a great discussion! Even just the 2 of us!

In the afternoon we spend more time together as a family. Sometimes it’s baking. Sometimes it’s playing a card game. Sometimes it being out in the sunshine, whether it’s on a walk or just in our own yard. Daddy doesn’t study this day, and this day only, so we soak up every minute.

Sunday is the best day of the week. Every week. The whole day is just full of happiness, peace, light, joy. I believe that is because it is the Lord’s Sabbath, and when we “honor the sabbath, to keep it holy” we are blessed, and it IS a special day.