The Sabbath - A Day of Rest and Worship

Stake Conference today was beautiful.  We were in our seats in the auditorium of a large school at 10:15....so that we would be settled and ready to listen to the half hour prelude.  A combined stake choir sang several beautiful arrangements of hymns and childrens' hymns, and an outstanding pianist played arrangements of a couple of hymns.  By the time conference began, we were already spiritually fed.

Right after the preliminaries, Lea, our YSA co-chairman (who has received her mission call), and then Jonathan, who recently returned from France spoke.  Both are amazing...spiritually very mature and both articulate in expressing their faith and testimonies.

Another young wife of five years told about her courtship with her husband.  On the first date, he asked her how she felt about getting married, having a bunch of kids and staying home to raise them.  She responded that is exactly what she had in mind.  They have had to sacrifice much to have her stay home with their two little ones, but they count the sacrifice worth it.

Two of our outstanding young men have at various times mentioned that they were looking for a young woman who would be willing to stay at home and raise their kids.  As a rule, that just isn't done here in Denmark.  Women are on an equal par with men, and fill many key positions in society.  That is good.  But in the past generations, it has become necessary for women to return to the workplace.  Two wage-earners are needed to maintain the family.  So it is pretty normal to have young children in daycare.  I am certain they are excellent institutions, just like everything else is around here.

What our two young men have expressed is concern about what their children will learn and how well they will be cared for.  Both of them grew up in a home with a mother present throughout their childhood years, and both express great appreciation for fathers who were willing to work extra hard so that could happen, and for mothers who sacrificed their worldly careers to be able to guide and teach their children.  In this ever-changing world, with values that we hold dear spiraling downward, that may be our greatest hope....mothers who are willing to serve on the front lines of what seems like a thankless, glory-less battlefield.  But their impact is eternal.

After conference we came home and put our meal together for our friends.  We enjoyed a lovely candle-lit dinner with Elder and Sister Brookes, Sister Hamblin, and Lone.  We laughed a lot, talked about great missionary experiences and ate.

Lone told about an incident with a friend who was looking into the church.  Lone has been a member for about 20 years.  She told him about the very tender and strong feelings she has for the Book of Mormon and the Gospel.  He later got baptized.  Even the retelling of that experience left us knowing the power of her testimony.

I can't remember a time in my life when I have enjoyed the Sabbath more.  Everyone ought to be a missionary at least long enough to experience the Sabbath in that role.