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.
(Moroni 6:5-6)
This week, I’m studying what the Book of Mormon teaches us about the role of the church. In the passage above, Moroni lists four activities associated with church attendance:
- Fasting
- Prayer
- Teaching & counseling one another
- Partaking of the sacrament
It is possible to fast and pray alone, but when we meet with other people who are also fasting and praying, it adds another dimension to the experience. Counseling with each other enables us to get outside of ourselves and to identify areas for improvement that we might not have seen on our own. Partaking of the sacrament is a communal experience, and yet we remain silent so that we can each have our own worship experience during that time. Church meetings facilitate a sense of unity with other church members and enable us to strengthen one another, but they also provide a structure within which we participate in individual worship.
I’m grateful for the structure church meetings provide for my spiritual growth. Today, as I participate in church services, I will appreciate the opportunity to worship God with others who share my beliefs and values. I will also take advantage of the opportunities provided by church meetings to worship God individually.
Leave a Reply