We learn in the scriptures that many have listen the voice of the Lord (President Eyring talks about it on this First Presidency message on the January 2013 Ensign). I believe this is true and that it is possible for us to listen to His voice too, perhaps not face to face, or with the visit of an angel or through a clear and powerful voice, but often it is through feelings and impressions that the Spirit prompts to us. And this being a blog about Sundays, I want to talk about something that helps me to listen to the voice of the Lord on Sundays, and how that has being a huge blessing in my life.
I got my first cell phone 4 years ago! Yeah... I did survived until 2010 without a cell phone! Believe me, it's possible!!! :) A few months later I realized that I would get sometimes distracted by the vibration of my phone during inspiring messages at sacrament meeting, just when the Spirit was trying to teach me something. Think about it: how would you feel if you are talking about something really important with a friend, and at that moment someone texts your friend and he just turns his attention to his phone and don't listen to you anymore? I don't know about you, but I don't really appreciate when that happens. I understand that sometimes we need to text back or to call someone, but I think that most of times, it can wait. Now, imagine how the Spirit feels when he is preparing our spirit to teach us something important that could change our lives and make us gain knowledge and understanding, and then we ignore him because our girl friend is texting us about the new cute guy who just sat next to her... Don't you think the Spirit could feel offended or rejected?
This is how I felt about using my phone during church. When I understood that I was going to church to learn how to become a better version of myself and to repent, I realized that I needed to be ready to listen to the promptings of the Spirit at any time, because he often prompts us deep teachings when less expect them, and if we are not paying attention, we may lose the opportunity to learn something that could change our lives. Since then, I decided to turn off my phone as soon as I get to church, that I might not be distracted by it. I upgraded to my first smartphone in November, and I'm not turning it off anymore because I use it for lessons to read the manuals or scriptures on it, but I leave it on silence and I don't care how many calls, text, snapchat or facebook notifications I have, I just don't pay attention to it and use it only to read the lessons.
Since I started that, my Sundays have being better, despite that technology that could become a distraction! All my attention goes to those who are around me, to real people giving a talk in front of me, or sitting next to me. I feel that my relationships with these people is stronger... and my relationship with those from whom I get notifications is not weaker. Everyone understands that we can't always respond to a text message in the next seconds after receiving it. I don't think I will lose a friend because I didn't text back for three hours (there are some circumstances when we need it though, like once that I was the chorister and noticed a no-member coming in, but I couldn't go sit with him because I was already sitting at the front, so I turned on my phone and text a friend to tell him to sit with him, and I make signs to him from my seat to tell him to look at his phone). People are important! But not only the people who contact us on our phones, but also those who are next to us. If I leave my phone alone, I can focus more on those who are sitting alone and sit with them; I can talk to those who are new or visiting and make new friendships instead of focusing in a single friend behind the screen. My relationships with the members from my ward has being strengthen because I make an effort to notice them and to pay attention to them, and not to my friend on facebook who just tagged me on a picture. The "like" on that picture can wait until later. Our brothers and sisters in our wards and around you are more important that liking a picture or than sending a selfie through snapchat.
Since I started that, my Sundays have being better, despite that technology that could become a distraction! All my attention goes to those who are around me, to real people giving a talk in front of me, or sitting next to me. I feel that my relationships with these people is stronger... and my relationship with those from whom I get notifications is not weaker. Everyone understands that we can't always respond to a text message in the next seconds after receiving it. I don't think I will lose a friend because I didn't text back for three hours (there are some circumstances when we need it though, like once that I was the chorister and noticed a no-member coming in, but I couldn't go sit with him because I was already sitting at the front, so I turned on my phone and text a friend to tell him to sit with him, and I make signs to him from my seat to tell him to look at his phone). People are important! But not only the people who contact us on our phones, but also those who are next to us. If I leave my phone alone, I can focus more on those who are sitting alone and sit with them; I can talk to those who are new or visiting and make new friendships instead of focusing in a single friend behind the screen. My relationships with the members from my ward has being strengthen because I make an effort to notice them and to pay attention to them, and not to my friend on facebook who just tagged me on a picture. The "like" on that picture can wait until later. Our brothers and sisters in our wards and around you are more important that liking a picture or than sending a selfie through snapchat.
But the most important thing, my relationship with God is stronger. I pay attention to the things that are taught at church, I note the impressions I have from the Spirit. I feel closer to my Savior. I have the time to ponder without being disturbed. I learn so many things and my soul is filled! I have a great feast every Sunday! It's a delicious 3-hour-service-meal! I don't take any picture of that meal to post it on instagram, I don't do the check-in at church every Sunday, tagging all those who attend... ok, I probably share on facebook a quote or two from something I learned or shared something I liked from my day or just saying how much I love my ward... but I will do that only later, after my church meetings are over. Remember what Elder Randall L. Ridd taught at the Priesthood session of the April 2014 general conference: "Many of us immediately stop whatever we are doing to read a text message - should we not place even more importance on messages from the Lord?" I believe this is true! As much as we love our family and friends who contact us through our phones, remember that we must first love God. He wants us to listen to His voice! We must stop whatever we are doing... like texting, facebooking, snapchating, twitering, or any other distraction on our phones... and read or listen to his messages! Those messages will have a greater impact in our lives!
I'm not saying that cell phones are not good for Sundays! Actually, it serves me a lot on Sundays! I walk a lot and I don't want to bring my whole gospel library on my purse, and because I have my smartphone I can have all the books I need right there. When I need to go for a choir practice Sunday mornings or any other place where I haven't been yet, I use my phone for directions and to know how long it would take me to be there. I can contact my friends with my phone to ask them for rides to church, and when I need to contact a member from my ward I can look from their information on LDS tools. When I'm walking, I open the Mormon Channel app and listen to the inspired music or programs. And the list goes on. Cell phones and smartphones can be a great cherry on our Sundays, but we need to eat that cherry wisely! As said elder Ridd, "owning a smartphone does not make you smart, but using it wisely can". Since the light of Christ and the Spirit and the words of God can make us smarter, choose today to become smarter in your church meetings by using our smartphones wisely, to be able to listen to His voice, "for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3). And don't we all want to know the things that we should do?
I suggest you to watch or read this awesome talk by Elder Randall L. Ridd, that I'm quoting twice here, at the Priesthood General Conference Session on April 2014.
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