The most important day of each week is Sunday. This day, we rest from our labors and daily work because it is the Lord ’s Day. It is the day that we offer our oblations and sacrifices to Him. It is a day of worship and gratitude. However, for some, Sunday has become more of a regular play day. So what can we do to improve our Sunday worship?
Prepare ourselves to worthily partake of the sacrament. Partaking of the sacrament worthily is the most sacred part of our Sunday service because it is the act of renewing our covenants with the Lord. It is a way of spiritually recharging our souls. This is our opportunity to feel the peace and sweet companionship of the Holy Ghost, reflect on the Savior’s atonement, and offer our broken hearts and contrite spirits to the Lord.
Preparing for Sunday takes conscious effort, both temporally and most importantly, spiritually. It requires a recollection of our sins, repentance, and the desire to forsake them. It also requires going to church, both to be cleansed from sin and to renew your commitment to follow the Savior. We should go to church early enough to not be rushed, and be reverent throughout the service.
Prepare ourselves to receive inspiration from the speakers. Listening to the speakers during the service can enlighten our minds and strengthen our souls. To fully attune ourselves with the Holy Ghost, we must listen with our spiritual ears and understand the principles that the speakers are trying to teach. Avoid criticizing the speakers. The inspiration we receive is not based on how eloquent the speakers are, but on how well we listen to the voice of the Spirit through the speaker’s message. Our daily prayers and daily scripture study can also be a big help as we prepare for the Sabbath.
Prepare to participate in Sunday School, Relief Society and Priesthood Classes. Sunday school is a time for us to share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This is a time for us to comfort and to be comforted, uplift and to be uplifted. It is a time to strengthen those with feeble knees, enlighten those who are confused, and counsel together to bring back to the fold those who are lost. It is a time to learn the principles of the gospel through the lives of prophets and apostles recorded in the scriptures and to learn of the Savior.
To fully prepare for these classes, it is important that we study and ponder the lesson in advance so we are prepared to share our insights about the lesson. It is also important that we are willing to share our experiences if they could potentially help or inspire others. In addition to our spiritual preparation, we must also make sure that we are well rested so that we can be alert and focus on the things Heavenly Father would have us learn in our classes.
Our Sunday worship will have a greater positive effect on our lives as we continually seek to improve our physical and spiritual attendance on Sundays. The Lord will be happy and pleased, and abundantly bless us beyond our expectations if we put our best efforts toward preparing for our Sunday worship.
