Our answer came in a most remarkable yet typically Kiribati way. We found out last evening around 8:00 p.m. that there would be an Area Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City today at 9:00 a.m. So much for Sister Sumner's preparations to teach the Relief Society lesson!
Different sources told us different start times: some said it started at 9:00 a.m., other sources told us 9:30. It turns out they were both right. Fortunately, we decided to be safe and plan for the earlier time. At 8:45, as the IT people were checking broadcast connections, we noticed that the screen was showing 45 minutes to start. But at 9:00 or so, our Stake Presidency began the meeting in order to take care of some stake business and sustainings. The Area Conference video presentation started at 9:30. It is the message of that Area Conference that we wish to share in this blog.
Last Sunday, in our regular Sacrament Meeting we had a special guest speaker: Elder Johansson of the Seventy. Remarkably, the subject of his address was the same as the subject of the Area Conference. Maybe it's not so remarkable given that we were told today by former Area President Elder Hamula, that this is a Prophetic Priority that has been the subject of their recent training with the First Presidency.
You're probably wondering what this new, amazing priority is. Let us remind you of Nephi's words that by small means, the Lord can bring about great things. (1 Ne. 16:29) This is not a new commandment, but a reminder of a very old one, even one of the ten commandments. Have you guessed?
"Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labor and do all of thy work,
But the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,thou, nor they son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, not thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-12
In Exodus 31:16-17 the Lord said to Moses: "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."
All three speakers, Elder Hamula, Sister Burton, and Elder Cook, each spoke on this self-same topic. There was no question about the theme of this Area Conference.
We were reminded of Elder Nelson's talk "The Sabbath is a Delight", the very last talk of this past April General Conference. "How do we hallow the Sabbath day: In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn't until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude of the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of do's and don'ts's. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, "What sign do I want to give to God?"
As you can tell, we were very moved by the messages we received last week and this week. Elder Johansson even said, "Do you want a temple in Kiribati? Keep the Sabbath." What a powerful message of the importance of this commandment. We feel that it applies very directly to us. Even as we serve a full time mission, we are reminded that the Sabbath isn't for our pleasure, relaxation, or sleeping. It is a day to turn our thoughts and hearts more completely to serving our Lord and away from the cares of the world. We feel a strong desire to share that message with you, our family and close friends.
We don't often think of keeping the Sabbath as a covenant, but it is. We encourage you to consider this carefully and discuss it in your family home evenings. It is a priority of the Prophet. It is a covenant with the Lord that we do always remember him and strive to keep his commandments.
By the way, we finished reading the Book of Mormon again, today. How are you doing with your Book of Mormon reading? That was the topic of the Relief Society lesson Sister Sumner was preparing. The words of President Ezra Taft Benson still ring in our ears. He said the church as a whole was under condemnation for not reading the Book of Mormon. Are we helping lift that curse?
We love you and pray for you everyday. Here is another beautiful South Pacific Sunrise for you to enjoy. Love, Elder and Sister Sumner
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