The Book of Mormon: Another Witness

Stake Theme 2016: Sabbath Observance

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Peñasquitos Stake:

Our ultimate goal is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of the Peñasquitos Stake.  We share this objective with our loving Father in Heaven, who provided a way and instructions on accomplishing this goal.  One key instruction relates to the Sabbath, where “there shall be to you an holy day, …of rest to the Lord” (Ex 35:2).  In recent times we learn that Sunday “is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (DC 59:10).

How we choose to keep the Sabbath holy is an outward expression of our inner commitment to follow the Savior.  Clearly we are to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” by abstaining from things normally done on the other six days of the week, but we are also to “offer up [our] sacraments” on this holy day (DC 59:9).  We do this by yielding our hearts to God, by letting go of things that we want to do and doing what God has asked us to do.

Active participation in the sacrament each Sunday is a critical part of our Sabbath observance.  Sacrament is a time of reverence and reflection where we worship God, ponder on Christ’s atonement, and listen to guidance whispered by the Holy Spirit.  Recommitting ourselves to following the Savior through this holy ordinance is critical.  Reverence leads to gospel learning and personal revelation.  True reverence, for the sacrament and for the Sabbath, comes from within.  Reverence has no checklist, no reminder, no scale measuring our progress – it is simply in our hearts.  That is what we desire for each member of our stake, individuals with a heart yearning for true Sabbath worship.

We testify that as we seek a higher level of reverence and actively participate in the sacrament, God will accept our Sabbath worship.  With that heavenly acceptance we promise spiritual and temporal blessings bringing us closer to our ultimate goal of eternal life.  Perhaps then our desire to keep the Sabbath day holy will again become natural and “the fullness of the earth be [ours]” (DC 59:16).

Stake Theme 2015: The Doctrine of Christ

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Penasquitos Stake:

Doctrine is revealed truth from God, the source of all knowledge. We obtain doctrine either through scripture or a living prophet. Jesus taught us doctrine during His earthly ministry, saying, "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me" (John 7:16). Therefore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a tapestry of individual doctrines from God, each doctrine having rules or commandments to help us learn, understand, and live these eternal truths. Perhaps this is why Jesus taught, "If any man will do his will [keep the commandments], he shall know of the doctrine..." (John 7:17).

Understanding doctrine enriches our lives because as we internalize these eternal truths, they become woven into the very fiber of our being, the result  of which is improved personal attitudes and behaviors. In short, we become more Christ-like. This is the goal for our stake in 2015: to study and live the doctrines of Christ which help us become more like Him.

We promise in the name of Jesus Christ that as you understand and internalize the doctrines of Christ, you will feel your lives become  more enriched; your attitudes, behaviors, and outlook will become more positive; and trials and tribulations will be easier to endure.

The Savior specified faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost as foremost among his doctrines (3 Nephi 11:31-39). We testify of the truthfulness of these doctrines. May we learn them, live them, and teach them so that one day we might stand comfortably before God and hear Him exclaim, "well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).