The Church Did Meet Together Oft

In April 2020, I found myself kneeling in my own living room to bless the sacrament for my family. The first national pandemic in 100 years had cancelled Church services indefinitely, but in that room there was only peace. As I passed a plate of broken bread and then small medicine cups of water to my children, I had a new understanding of the love God has for each member of his family. It was the first of many spiritual moments that came as I heard my children share their testimonies, provided sacrament service, and shared teaching the gospel with greater depth and breadth than most episodes of family scripture study had ever allowed.

Then churches began to open again. We were reminded of some of the drama that comes with any group of people. Friends and neighbors commented how nice it was to not have church at all for several months. Staring at the dress shoes we hadn't worn for months, we wondered: why does the Lord command us to go to church each week?

Perhaps Moroni knew something of what we were feeling. Hunted by his enemies, Moroni was the last of the faithful in the Book of Mormon. Isolated with only his thoughts, he wandered "whithersoever [he could] for the safety of [his] life" (Moroni 1:3). When he had evaded the Lamanites longer than he expected, Moroni decided to risk the noise of pounding a few more words into plates of gold "that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day" (Moroni 1:4).

After writing about how to perform certain ordinances, Moroni records that the names of those who were baptized and confirmed "were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith" (Moroni 6:4).

He continued, "And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak with one another concerning the welfare of their souls. And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus" (Moroni 6:5-6).

Moroni knew, by doctrine and by experience, that the gospel cannot be lived alone. It requires giving and receiving. It needs others to forgive and to ask forgiveness. Sometimes our ability to grow in the gospel will hinge on exiting the echo chambers of our own thoughts or pausing our own self-centeredness to serve someone else. Essential gospel ordinances can only be performed for others; we cannot baptize or confirm or endow ourselves. Indeed, the highest goals of the gospel are to become bound to our families, to the greater human family, and to our Heavenly Father.

Elder Robert D. Hales taught, "When you attempt to live life's experiences alone, you are not being true to yourself, nor to your basic mission in life." Just as we do not return to live with our Heavenly Father alone, the gospel intentionally gathers the faithful to learn, serve, rely, gather and strengthen one another.

In every generation, the Lord has taught his children that church attendance is an essential part of gospel unity and togetherness. The Law of Moses admonishes the Israelites to "keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary" with a promise that, in so doing, "I [the Lord] will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people" (Leviticus 26:1-12). Nehemiah described the children of Israel "assembled with fasting" to confess their sins and read the scriptures (Nehemiah 9:1-3). Joel relayed the Lord's commandment in his time to, "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land in to the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord" (Joel 1:14). King David also taught the Israelites to worship in congregations, "And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord" (1 Chronicles 29:20-21).

Those who walked and talked with Christ were no less diligent and "came together" on the first day of the week to "break bread" and partake of the sacrament (Acts 20:7). Paul wrote to the members of the ancient church in Israel that they should draw near to the Lord, hold fast the profession of faith without wavering, and "consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another" (Hebrews 10:22-25).

Just as Moroni was willing to risk his life to write a few words about the importance of gathering, the prophet Alma, who lived five hundred years earlier, risked his life for the right to gather the faithful. Alma believed the prophet Abinadi and fled with other believers from a wicked king. Once hidden, the scriptures record that "he commanded [the faithful] that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God... And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together" (Mosiah 18:25, 27).

Years later, out of hiding and rejoined with the Nephite nation, Alma resigned his post as chief judge to focus on his ecclesiastical responsibilities as the prophet and president of the church. In the capital city where he lived, disorganization and a lack of clear communication to the congregations had resulted in some members being "deprived of the privilege of assembling themselves together to hear the word of God" (Alma 6:5).

Alma reorganized church leadership, cleaned up the church records and ensured that "the word of God was liberal unto all" (Alma 6:1-5). Gospel messages were now in everyone's newsfeed, as it were, but it was not enough. These members also needed to be remembered, nourished by the good word of God, and concerned with the welfare of one another's souls. Alma records that, despite the accessibility to the word of God, "the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls who knew not God" (Alma 6:6).

The Lord has renewed his commandment for the faithful to meet together often "to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus". Describing these meetings as expedient to the organization of the Church (D&C 20:75), he expounds:

And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times; But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full. Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer. And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance-- Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours... to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." (D&C 59:9-19).

Moroni knew perhaps better than anyone that living the gospel is not something that can be done solo. We need to be remembered and nourished by the good word of God to keep us in the right way, continually watchful unto prayer, and relying upon the merits of Christ. We need the strength of others to help us flee from wickedness and find sanctuary in gospel truths. We need the ordinance of the sacrament, the opportunities to fast for each other, and even some encounters with sharp edges to help  smooth some of our own rough spots and keep ourselves more unspotted from the world.

The experiences our family had while worshipping at home will always be precious memories. We are grateful for prophets, seers and revelators that prepared us for these experiences by various means. In the tumult of the world, it seems possible that worshipping from home may be necessary again someday. Until then, it is a privilege to live the gospel more fully in the company of his disciples.

The Gift of Repentance

Early one morning, as Christ was teaching in the temple, a group of Jewish rulers approached. Their intentions were sinister. Introducing a woman taken “in the very act” of adultery, the rulers asked, "Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” (John 8:5).

The rulers' question was carefully conceived to trap Jesus between his own teachings about mercy and the law of Moses. He would have no choice, the rulers must have thought, but to contradict himself or defy the law of Moses. Either way, Christ's fraud would be exposed and the rulers could restore their own power and influence over the people.

Unbound by the limited options he was presented, Christ the Lawgiver responded: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7).

This was more than a general admonition. Under Jewish law, the first witness to an offense was required to throw or cast the first stone at an offender. Adultery is not a sin that can be committed alone. Christ, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead (Moroni 10:34, Acts 10:42), was calling out the rulers' hypocrisy: they claimed to be defenders of pure religion and yet they had allowed, or perhaps even enticed, a woman to sin at the peril of her own life. And though the rulers were focused on the sin of the woman, Christ knew she was not the only guilty party present.

With the spotlight shifted from the woman to the witness, the rulers abandoned the scene and left Christ alone with the victim of their unsuccessful scheme. After a moment, and seeing that they were alone, Christ addressed the woman with respect, saying, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:10-11).

Like the woman taken in adultery, each of us have "sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We sin when we think, speak or act contrary to the commandments of God. King Benjamin taught that “there are divers ways and means [to sin], even so many that I cannot number them” (Mosiah 4:29), therefore we must “watch ourselves” and our thoughts, words and deeds.

It is useful to remember that sins and mistakes are not the same. The Doctrine and Covenants clearly differentiates between sin or transgression and mistakes, errors or being "overtaken in a fault" (D&C 20:80). Mistakes, like crossing the street without looking or forgetting to turn off a burner on the stove, may have serious consequences. Supporting errant political philosophies, over-trimming a spouse's favorite shrub or sending a work report to the wrong person, if done with the best of intentions, are all mistakes rather than sins. Some mistakes may lead us to sin. Yet, we do not need to feel guilty for our mistakes. The remedy for our errors and weakness is learning and correction (D&C 1:25, 27).

Sins are the result of willful disobedience of laws we have learned through the scriptures, the teachings of prophets, or the Spirit, known colloquially as our conscience, which teaches all of us what is right and wrong (John 14:26). However watchful we may be, in our "lost and fallen state" (1 Nephi 10:6) we will sometimes fall into Satan's sinful traps or choose to do something contrary to God's commandments. When we do, our sins bring anguish and lingering remorse to our soul. They make us unclean and unworthy to return and dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father (Repentance. churchofjesuschrist.org).

Though we revere Nephi as a prophet, he also lamented his sins. "Notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord," he wrote, "my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins" (2 Nephi 4:17-19).

Nephi found solace through faith in Christ and faith-filled repentance. "If the Lord... hath visited men in so much mercy," he reasoned, "why should my heart weep... because of mine afflictions? And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh?... Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul... Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness" (2 Nephi 4:26-35).

Nephi understood that forgiveness of sin is always a gift given through the grace of Christ. We do not ever deserve to be forgiven. We are not entitled to it, nor can we earn it by our good deeds or following a step-by-step repentance formula.

Even so, the Lord does not want to condemn us. He is anxious to advance our learning and happiness. He taught the Nephites, "I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit... Therefore, come unto me and be saved." (3 Nephi 12:19-20).

Consider again the story of the woman taken in adultery. She must have felt completely humiliated. Disgraced and ashamed, she was thrust before the Lord to await his judgement. The Lord responded with mercy. He dismissed her accusers and removed the condemnation of the law with an admonition to, "go, and sin no more."

Our sins may be less public, and we may not be compelled to take our guilt and shame to the Lord, but genuine repentance can remove the condemnation of God's eternal law and provide lasting relief from anguish and remorse. It can also deepen our resolve to "sin no more" and abide in the presence of God.

In contrast, the ruler taken in adultery received no such blessing. He was condemned of the Lord and fled from his presence. Rather than confess his sin, he sought to exempt himself from the law and destroy the lawgiver. He self-righteously lived by his own judgement and so was compelled to deal with the consequences of his sin alone. For him there was no relief from guilt or shame.

We should not have to be compelled to repent in humility. King Benjamin taught that we should review our thoughts, words and actions regularly and be honest with ourselves and with God when we have sinned. If we are striving to follow Christ, recognizing the sins we have committed will lead to “godly sorrow,” which “worketh repentance to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow does not come from fear of punishment or disappointment with the natural consequences of sin, but rather because our behavior has displeased our Heavenly Father and our Savior. When we experience godly sorrow, we have a sincere desire to change and we are willing to submit to every requirement the Lord may give us to be forgiven.

Amulek invited those who had sinned to, “begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you” (Alma 34:17). As our sin is the result of our own pride and following our own will, the first requirement to overcome sin will often be to turn to our Heavenly Father, pray in faith, and act as He directs. We can only be forgiven on His terms. When we gratefully recognize our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement, and strive to do His will, He will begin to bless us with strength and healing.

Our desire to be forgiven will be apparent when we are willing to fully disclose to our Heavenly Father what we have done. "By this ye may know if a man [or woman] repenteth of his [or her] sins," the Lord has said, "behold, he [or she] will confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43). Our prayer of faith must include a confession of our shame and guilt as we humbly plead for divine help.

While only the Lord can forgive sins, some serious transgressions, such as violations of the law of chastity, need to be confessed to both the Lord and a priesthood leader like a bishop or stake president. Elder C. Scott Grow taught that when our sins make us feel “guilty, unsettled, unhappy, or even miserable,” we probably need to talk with our bishop. If we feel the spirit prompting us to go to our bishop, we should not try to excuse ourselves or rationalize our way out. Just as Christ helped the woman taken in adultery to repent rather than condemning her, a bishop's role is to help God's children access the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, to relay His love for us, and to serve as the Lord’s messenger of mercy while working with us to get back to the path that leads to Him.

Along with confession of sin, the Lord requires us to forsake them. We should do everything in our power to restore property or reputations we may have damaged, including rebuilding trust or faith in ourselves. We will certainly need to forgive ourselves and exercise kindness and mercy as we hold ourselves accountable. We can then resolve never to repeat our sin and avoid people, places and situations that may compromise that resolve. We cannot linger in temptation and expect to remain clean from sin.

Instead, we must fill our lives with righteousness and engage in activities, like daily scripture study, prayer and fasting, that bring spiritual power. We must strive to be obedient to all of the commandments of God, including things like paying tithing, serving others, attending our church meetings, and forgiving those who have offended us. Some of these may not seem directly related to our sin, but the Lord has taught that “he [or she] that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven” (D&C 1:32, emphasis added).

These actions are not a magic formula, but principles that govern or are generally present when we sincerely repent. The Lord may give us more personal direction as we go to him in prayer.

Christ, the Lawgiver and Eternal Judge, is bound by the covenants and promises he has given us (D&C 82:10). One of those sacred promises is that “he [or she] who has repented of his [or her] sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42). When we are striving to do all we can, the Lord will make us clean and sanctify us by the Holy Ghost. We can know that we have been forgiven of our sin when we experience the fruits of that Spirit: love, joy, peace, goodness, meekness, temperance, faith, and relief from guilt and anguish (Galatians 5:22-23).

King Benjamin invited his listeners to, “believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them” (Mosiah 4:10). The Lord extends the same invitation to those who would receive the gift of repentance: "go, and sin no more."