Keep Sabbath day holy
Render temple service
Reach out
Speaking Saturday morning, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton talked about "A Season of Opportunity," and used a statement from President Gordon B. Hinckley to set the theme of his address.
" This is a season of a thousand opportunities,' " Bishop Burton quoted President Hinckley. "It is ours to grasp and move forward. What a wonderful time it is for each of us to do his or her small part in moving the work of the Lord on to its magnificent destiny.'
"As we recognize and act on our opportunities, progress, happiness and spiritual growth follow. We need to be involved in moving the Lord's work forward," said Bishop Burton.
Though the opportunities to move the work forward are endless, Bishop Burton said, he offered three suggestions, urging members to fully observe the Sabbath day, render temple service and reach out to someone with love and fellowship.
"If we are not keeping the Sabbath day holy," he said, "today is a wonderful time to commit, to seize the opportunity, to receive the promised blessings that come from Sabbath day observance. Many have come to feel the terms Sabbath day' andplay day' are synonymous."
Bishop Burton related an experience that happened many years ago shortly after he and his wife were married. "On occasion," he said, "as we purchased groceries from a small neighborhood store, we observed President and Sister Joseph Fielding Smith in the same store making their purchases.
"After several such observations, I finally mustered the courage to inquire of President Smith why it was he traveled all the way from downtown, past a dozen grocery stores, to shop at this particular store.
"Looking over the top of his glasses he emphatically replied: `Son,
he had my immediate attention,T Sister Smith and I patronize establishments that keep the Sabbath day holy.'
"But," he said, "I also know that remembering to keep the Sabbath day holy is one of the most important commandments we can observe in preparing us to be recipients of the whisperings of the Spirit."
Referring to temples, Bishop Burton explained: "The season of opportunity that awaits us today in temple service is different from that of the past. We are not expected to pound nails, carve stone, mill lumber, pour concrete.
"We are, however, extended the opportunity to faithfully pay our tithes so temple construction work may continue to go forward. Our great opportunity is to see that the lights of our temples burn early and late in the day."
Bishop Burton concluded his remarks by modifying a once-popular advertising theme by saying, "We need to reach out and touch
othersT with love and fellowship; to reach out to those who are estranged with a touch of encouragement."
