Sunday talk on Reverence

Good Afternoon brothers and sisters. My name is Elizabeth Roemhildt. My husband's name is James Roemhildt. We have two little girls, Lady Gwenevere who is 4 years old and lovely Grace who turns 2 on Saturday. If you can't tell by my massive watermelon stomach we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first baby boy who is expected sometime mid September. We moved into the ward back in May when we bought our first home on 39^th Street next to Brother and Sister Pike. We are happy to be in this amazing Dash Point Ward and look forward to getting to know more of you in days to come.

Over the past few months I have noticed that my 2 wild and energetic girls have had a difficult time being reverent at church. At first I thought, it's okay they're young and I have my hands full we're doing the best we can and that's okay. It made sense.

A few weeks ago while the sacrament was being passed Gwenevere leaned over to me and whispered to me that she wanted me to tell her a story about Jesus. Grace over heard the word Jesus and jumped up and down with excitement. She climbed on my lap and frantically started looking all over the sacrament meeting room. Then in her load and excited voice asked “Where's Jesus? I want to see Jesus. I want to see him Can I see Jesus Mama?”  I tried to quietly tell Grace that Jesus was in her heart and that if she was quite she could feel his love. I was happy to see my girls excitement and love for our Savior it reassured me we are moving in the right direction but the wiggles and noise that continued throughout the remaining meeting only confirmed my desire to teach them reverence.

If I wanted and expected my 14 year old to be reverent at Church then I needed to want and expect my 4 year old to be reverent as well. I know for my family something needs to change. I started thinking about reverence and how I could teach my girls the importance of this commandment.

It's funny how the Lord works. Last week I got a call from the bishopric asking to speak today on the topic of Reverence. Obviously my Heavenly Father is eager to help me and my family learn the importance of reverence.

When I think of the word Reverence, an early childhood memory comes to mind.

My Mom was the primary chorister at the time, She had been learning sign language to help my youngest sister who was mentally delayed. For some particular reason unknown to me, my mother decided to teach the primary children a primary song in sign language, the song she choose was titled “Reverence is Love”. Although I don't remember all the signs to this song I do remember all the lyrics.

Sign the song Reverence is love

this song has come to my mind a lot over my lifetime, I find myself humming or singing the words in my head when I'm trying to find and feel the spirit.

Like this song says. Reverence is LOVE.

We all have a desire to love our Savior but how we display our love is sometimes difficult to do.

Most Sunday my family frantically get ready for church maybe pushing back the time to get ready to the very last minute. When we arrive at the church building we are greeted with friends we are eager to see and to talk to. In our excitement and enthusiasm for church/ or for sometimes , lack of enthusiasm, we forget the important covenant and sacrament will are moments away from participating in. making it difficult to focus on our Savior.

I think we can all remember a Sunday school lesson, or stake conference talk or general conference talk on the subject of Reverence during the sacrament. We all know it's important to be reverent during the sacrament. But how do we accomplish this commandment.

I would like to share my two thoughts on this subject.

First, may I suggest, arriving to church 7 minutes early. 7 minutes early will give you enough time to get out of your car (weather you have 7 kids to herd or a sturdy can to battle with) walk inside the chapel, smile to a few friends, and find a place to sit. By the time you are seated you will notice a moment to spare a moment to take a deep breathe, release all your weekly cares, even the tension for the morning rush and inhale the breathe of life or the spirit of Christ. If we all came to church 7 minutes early and where seated quietly in our seats before the Bishopric stood up to open the meeting. I think we'd all be a little shell shocked. Especially the Bishop, but I'm sure you wouldn't hear him complain.

The second word of advice would be to simply think about the Savior during the passing of the sacrament.

I know someone who likes to use this time of the passing of the sacrament to review the ward sacrament program and announcements. although I encourage you all to stay up to date on ward activities, and announcements may I suggest you read your program flier during my boring talk instead of the passing of the sacrament. Please use the 15 minutes it takes to pass the sacrament to focus on our Savior.

When I think back on my life I can recall several situations where I have be given a Priesthood blessing: back to school blessings by my father each year, blessings of comfort when I was sick or confused in life, and blessing of ordinances like my baptismal and temple blessings. As I think of all the blessing my Heavenly father and Savior have willing given me, I can't help but think “ How hard should it be for me to give 15 minutes to my Savior.”

Because we use the Lords sacred name in Priesthood ordinances and daily prayers, we can see that it is through his name all blessings are given to us. Dallin H. Oaks said “There are no more sacred or significant words in all of our language than the names of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.”

When the names of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, are used with reverence and authority, they invoke a power beyond what mortal man can comprehend.

It should be obvious to every believer that these mighty names—by which miracles are wrought, by which the world was formed, through which man was created, and by which we can be saved—are holy and must be treated with the utmost reverence. 

I promise you (and myself) that if we strive harder to be reverent during our sacrament meeting, a time when we use the Lord's sacred name to preform the sacrament, we will feel an increase love for our Savior and ourselves. Each person is different and each family has different needs, I encourage all of you to think about your relationship with God and with him strive to find a way for you and your family to be more reverent at church. As we do so, we will be blessed.

I believe when we are reverent at church we will find that we can express reverence and love to our Savior more easily the other 6 days of the week. This thought was inspired by a talk given by Dallin H. Oaks in the 1986 April general conference session. The Talk is titled “Reverent and Clean”.

In Oaks talk he did not once mention being reverent in church, but rather he focused his thoughts towards being reverent throughout the week. He shares that when we avoid vulgar and crud language we are keeping ourselves clean and showing reverence to God.

Dallin H. Oaks encourages us to keep our language clean and reverent, to encourage our family, friends, co-works and other associates to do likewise. When we have the courage to make a friendly request we will often receive a respectful reply. We obviously cannot control all that goes on in our presence, if possible we should remove ourselves from those who speak vulgar and unclean things.

Just a few days ago I was talking to a young women who had just entered a diver ed class. She was expressing her discuss to the kinds of music and the language her divers ed teach would share. The diver's ed teach would often express he could use these words because he was exposing those in the car to the real world. After just one lesson this young woman decided to withdraw from the diver ed class. She was not going to spend hours on end listening to her teacher's vulgar language. Although she was anxious to get her divers license she was not willing to scarify her values. In D&C 38:42 it says “Go ye out from among the wicked. Save Yourselves.”

Sometimes we can remove ourselves from language that is vulgar or profane. And we should try to do so always, but sometimes it is not possible. When we are in an environment of uncleanliness weather it be school or work Dallin H. Oaks strongly encourages us to at least register an objection. We must not let other conclude that our silence means we approve.

When we keep our thoughts, actions and words clean we are showing reverence to God.

Again I encourage all to strive to be more reverent and clean at Church, at home, at work, and at school. As we work towards being reverent and honor our Savior's name we will be blessed.