5 And now, behold, two hundred years had passed away, and the people of Nephi had waxed strong in the land. They observed to keep the law of Moses and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord. And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme. And the laws of the land were exceedingly strict.
...
10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land.
11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.
Now, I would like to talk about how the people prospered and survived during this era and notice how the People of the Lord understood the teachings of God and how they responded to the Commandment.
Verse 5 says,
- They observed to keep the law ...and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord
- And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme
- And the laws of the land were exceedingly strict
- the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God,
- the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence...
Why are we keeping the Sabbath day strictly?
There are reasons why we keep the Sabbath Day. One of them is to show our obedience to the Lord, others maybe to Grow Spiritually, to Learn the Teachings of the Saviour, to some maybe to meet their Friends and learn together. In Moroni 6 says
5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
In relation to that Spencer W. Kimball says -
When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is[?] It could be "remember." Because all of you have made covenants – you know what to do and you know how to do it – our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day. - Spencer W. Kimball
Why strictly?
The church we belong to is the Church of Christ and we follow the teachings of Christ with exactness. Sabbath of course was created for man and not man for Sabbath. We should keep it as sacred, reverent or holy. That is why we members of the church give the very best Sunday clothes as a symbol of our love, reverence, purity or modesty. We like Christ, are the sacrificial lamp representing ourselves to God, that we are willing to obey His will. And Sacrificial Lamps were pure, unblemished or flawless and were Best Selected.
We as members of the church must understand that either it will be a sacrifice or a blessing should be dedicated to our God as a way of obedience. To some getting up early to Church each Sunday is a sacrifice and to some, it's a blessing, either way, it must focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and his atonement.
Is it okay for the leaders, or do the Leaders accept and understand members who couldn't attend Church services have their Worship in their Homes, or maybe in other wards or Branches?
General Handbook 29.2.1.5 When members are traveling or temporarily living away from home, they should attend sacrament meeting in a nearby ward if possible. Sacrament services should not be held in conjunction with family reunions, vacations, or other activities that are not sponsored by the Church.
The church does not advise to go visit other wards or branches and attend meetings, but rather staying homeward and serving in the church. It's one way to show our support to locals and trust in their capacity to lead the church in our Home Wards or branches.
If we make a goal to go to a temple and obtain a temple recommendation. Then we should observe and keep the Sabbath day and support our local leaders as instructed by the temple recommend interview.
Doctrine and Covenants 132:8 Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
We belong to a church of order and everything is to be kept orderly.
How do we keep that day Holy?
Do we need to buy some Goodies every Sunday? (and Goodies what I meant is things unnecessary for needs). My plain answer is No, but there are things to be considered or exemptions, depending on the situation or scenario. But requires us to use our wisdom.
Nehemiah 10:31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
It's time for us to train our children to keep the Sabbath day. Just as it says "the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people", it's not a threat to scare them about how bad the commandments of God are, but rather it's the way we bring our children to truth and helps them understand that obedience is not just passive principles, perhaps someday it helps them in their generations.
The reason why God made such instructions is because we are too slow to obey and sometimes have fast feelings. He uses sometimes leaders to remind us of its importance. We should also consider God provided these people reminding us to choose the right path. It is a matter of choice and obedience.
[Story withheld for a personal reason]
Things we should do during Sabbath day must lead us to spiritual growth or activities that invite the spirit of the Lord. Spencer W. Kimball says -
It is a day for reading the scriptures, visiting the sick, visiting relatives and friends, doing home teaching, working on genealogy records, taking a nap, writing letters to missionaries and servicemen or relatives, preparing for the following week’s church lessons, games with the small children, fasting for a purpose, writing devotional poetry, and other worthwhile activities of great variety.
This I share with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Excerpt from my Talk this day Sept 25, 2022