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How Strictly to Obey the Sabbath? - Page 2

Good point. Reminds me of my grandmother scolding my mother for doing laundry on the sabbath. My grandmother was born around the turn of the century in the Mormon colonies in Mexico. Life was hard then. Most people worked very hard to sustain themselves. Doing laundry was a heavy chore. You had to gather all the laundry, walk a half mile to the river, wash the clothes by hand with homemade soap, then put them out to dry before finally walking the half mile back with the laundry in tow. Something you would not consider doing on the Sabbabth if you were a good member of the church.

Now fast forward 70 years. I'm a teenager in the 1970's. My grandmother who is aging, lives with us in the modern world with all the technology. Now, to do a load of laundry all you have to do is throw the clothes in the machine and push a button. One Sunday morning, my mom decides to wash a load of clothes and is severely chastised by Grandma who sees this as a violation of the Sabbabth. From her perspective, doing laundry was against the sabbath day because of the work required in her day to do it. As the world changed and the whole process became easier, she still held on to the belief that doing laundry was, is and always be wrong on Sunday.

But it wasn't really the laundry that was against the spirit of the day, it was the work that used to be required to accomplish it.

Sabbath Obey Strictly How

Gaucho, I understand what you are saying but I personally think it is not a matter of the work involved, even if we are using a washing machine and we just have to press a button, this is not something we should do on the Sabbath because it is not something 'needed' to dedicate to the Lord during that day. The Sabbath is not only about resting from all labor, but also our spirits and souls should be dedicated to the Lord. Now, I do understand that sometimes we have emergencies, but it should be the exception, not the rule.

How Strictly to Obey the Sabbath? Studies Doctrine Mormon

Another thought surrounding laundry or gas purchasing on the Sabbath is that we are supposed to make this a special day. If we do all the same things on Sunday that we do on Saturday or any other day because they don't involve the same amount of work as they have in the past, then how is it any different from the next? We have six days to work and one to rest. It might not be a lot of work, but laundry still is a chore. I have, on occasion done laundry on Sunday, but it is the exception not the rule. I even go so far as to avoid loading my dishwasher on Sunday. I don't like doing dishes, so maybe it is just an excuse, but my grandson has noticed and commented about how I don't do dishes on Sunday.

Page 2 Sabbath Obey Strictly How

I understand both the views of LDS and tenaheff and know many others in the church who feel the same way. I see it a little differently. I know sabbath observence is something we get reminded of often and we get councel from leaders to be sabbath observers and not follow after the world's habits. But I think we as a church sometimes go to far in our desire to obey the Lord. The Jews in Christ's day had the same problem and Jesus corrected them. To avoid buying gas, doing the laundry and dishes is ok, as long as we don't get up and preach to others that if they do this they are breaking the sabbath. Which by the way nobody here has done. But when you take the example I gave above from my grandmother, I think she went too far. Or my fictional example of not turning on the lights is of course too far. But on the other hand, if we race home from church and head to the lake or the football game, then we do not understand the law of the sabbath.

I think as a general rule, most LDS people I know do a good job of honoring the sabbath day.

Sabbath Obey Strictly How

I have to agree with farseer, if your situation is indeed the Ox in the mire situation then God will not punish you. BUT, if you were simply being lazy on a saturday and didn't want to go anywhere He might.

This reminds me of a story I read in the Ensign a great number of years ago. A father loaned his son the family car on a saturday night for a date with one stipulation, fill up the gas tank. Sunday morning came and the father was ready to go to priesthood (this is before our present Block meetings). When the father got in the car and looked at the gas meter and seen his son didn't fill the gas up. He got out and started walking to his meetings. His situation was not an ox in the mire situation so he seen that he could simply do it tomorrow.

How Strictly to Obey the Sabbath?

I have often found myself needing to go to the shop on a Sunday, even though I feel terrible, it was something that needed to be done. My brother lives with me (he's not a mormon) and doesn't always tell me when the bread and milk is done, this to me is an emergency, as I need milk for my 3 yr old child. If it is something that cannot be helped then I wouold not criticise someone. My freind once told me of her experience. Every other Sunday she drives 30 miles to have lunch with her 'mother' (like a 2nd mum) this time she forgot to prepare, she forgot to check her gas and half way there she realised she was running out, she said at this time she didn't want to have to stop at the petrol station so prayed for guidance. The emergency light on her gas panel went out and she had enough to get to her friends where they gave her enough gas from there cars to get home. I've always loved her telling this story (this friend is like my 2nd mum, as none of my family are baptised I look to this lady for guidance and inspiration as to how I should be).

I agree with farseer as I have found myself in this situation.

How Strictly Obey Sabbath - Page 2

I think it becomes a matter of how often does this happen. If it is a regular occurence, then perhaps it would be best to check on Saturday evening to be sure what is needed for the next day is present. Now, if, on occasion one forgets, then I think it is between them and the Lord whether or not it is an emergency.

For example, as I have said before, I have had to fill my vehicle with gas to get my grandson home on Sunday afternoons. I won't risk running out to avoid the stop. Yet, if every Sunday this happens, then I really am making too little effort, in my opinion, to observe the Sabbath, because I should make sure on Saturday that I have enough gas for Sunday. These days what is more likely is I didn't anticipate needing to make a trip some place and didn't fill up. Then come Sunday, something comes up requiring the trip. In that case, I believe I did all I could reasonably do to avoid the need to stop for gas on Sunday.

I don't understand people who run out of gas on the way to Church rather than stop to fill up. That seems to be a bit legalistic in their approach to the Sabbath. However, if I run out of juice or soda, I will just drink water.

How Strictly Obey Sabbath Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

Yesterday, our lesson in Sunday School was on sabbath day observance. It was pointed out that many years ago, the King of Tonga made a decree that the sabbath will be observed in his kingdom. It became law and even today, the bustling cities are quiet on Sundays. Tonga has definitely remained unspotted from the rest of the world when it comes to the Sabbath. Tonga also leads the world in church membership. A higher percentage of Tonga's citicens are members of the LDS church than any other nation in the world, including the U.S. I don't think it just happened. I thing the Lord has blessed this nation for their obedience.