“Yum!I love Sundays! It’s my favorite day of the week because of these great dinners,” declared fourteen-year-old Nate as he left the table after enjoying a delicious meal. “I look forward to Sunday all week,” he added.
“Yes!” I exclaimed to myself. My grandson had just reinforced what I have believed for years-by association a good Sunday dinner means a good Sunday and a good Sunday includes attending church. One positive experience enhances other experiences in a positive way, thereby, in this case, helping proper Sabbath observance become a desirable “package deal” in a child’s mind as he grows up.
We, as LDS mothers in a world rapidly ripening in wickedness, are anxious to put forth every effort to make the Lord’s offerings more attractive to our children than what the adversary tries to present to them. A wonderful Sunday dinner-the best meal of the week– is one effective way to encourage church attendance and gospel living.
It’s said that an army travels on its stomach. So does a family, especially where teenagers are involved. A good meal can do wonders for their attitudes, and linking good food to church can do wonders for how they feel about church as well.
With careful planning and prioritizing, I, too, am able to look forward to Sunday dinner as an important facet of a lovely Sabbath day. A carefully chosen menu, advance preparations on Friday and/or Saturday, and everyone helping combine to bring about a good dinner with minimum effort on Sunday.
Some families enjoy a set menu each Sunday and every member “specializes” in one aspect of the meal. For example, dinner could consist of pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, a vegetable dish, a green salad, hot rolls, and cake or pie alamode for dessert. Prior to Sunday someone peels the potatoes, someone else prepares roll dough to be refrigerated and quickly rolled out on Sunday, someone else sets the table, anotherfamily member makes a pie or bakes a cake. Sunday morning the roast is placed in the oven (or slow cooker) to bake. After the meal and a delightful around-the-table visit, everyone pitches in for the clean-up.
The pattern for faithful church attendance and gospel living is more likely to bein the making for your family when you hear a child proclaim, “Sunday is my favorite day of the week because of these good dinners. I look forward to Sunday all week.”
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