Devotional Practices In The Lds Church

[MiserereNobis]

Hello!

One aspect of my Catholic faith that I treasure are the many devotional practices that bring me closer to God, such as praying the Rosary daily, the Stations of the Cross on Friday, litanies (Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), the Angelus, Eucharistic Adoration, stopping in a church to light a candle and pray, meditating before sacred images (statues, pictures), etc.

I was wondering what types of devotional practices (or whatever the LDS term might be) you engage in, how they help you, and how they fit into the overall LDS scheme.

I look forward to a good discussion. Thanks!

[Darren10]

Family Home Evening is a great devotional practice.

We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest

http://www.lds.org/topics/family-home-evening?lang=eng

[ERayR]

Hello!

One aspect of my Catholic faith that I treasure are the many devotional practices that bring me closer to God, such as praying the Rosary daily, the Stations of the Cross on Friday, litanies (Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), the Angelus, Eucharistic Adoration, stopping in a church to light a candle and pray, meditating before sacred images (statues, pictures), etc.

I was wondering what types of devotional practices (or whatever the LDS term might be) you engage in, how they help you, and how they fit into the overall LDS scheme.

I look forward to a good discussion. Thanks!

Family Prayer (recommended for morning & evening)

Personal Prayer (recommended for morning & evening or oftener as needed)

Scripture study (daily)

[Saints Alive]

I think regular temple attendance is worth noting as well.

[ksfisher]

Hello!

One aspect of my Catholic faith that I treasure are the many devotional practices that bring me closer to God, such as praying the Rosary daily, the Stations of the Cross on Friday, litanies (Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), the Angelus, Eucharistic Adoration, stopping in a church to light a candle and pray, meditating before sacred images (statues, pictures), etc.

I was wondering what types of devotional practices (or whatever the LDS term might be) you engage in, how they help you, and how they fit into the overall LDS scheme.

I look forward to a good discussion. Thanks!

Temple worship is the thing that comes into my mind first. I find that being in the temple tends focus my mind on God and the Savior. The ordinances that we participate in, in the LDS church, seem designed to take the individuals focus off of themselves and see those around us as children of our Heavenly Father.

[Kenngo1969]

1. Baptisms on behalf of the dead in our temples

2. Confirmations on behalf of the dead in our temples

3. Sealings (both for the living and on behalf of the dead) in our temples

4. Initiatories and endowments (both for the living and in behalf of the dad) in our temples

(Are you seeing any kind of a pattern here ... )

[guerreiro9]

The devotional practices of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints tend to be more personalized and less structured than what you have described above (great links!). Each member is encouraged to pray and study the scriptures daily, but the subject of the study and the wording of the prayers is left to the individual. We are encouraged to daily remember our savior and his life and sacrifice, but how one chooses to accomplish this is left to the individual.

One devotional practice that is very common in our Church is the use of music to remind us of our savior. We do not have many structured prayers in our church, but we do have a number of hymns and other music that take on that role.

In the Doctrine and Covenants which we consider to be scripture we find the following verse:

"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

In my home especially on Sundays, which we consider to be the Sabbath, we try to avoid watching television and other worldly things, but we usually have devotional music playing which reminds us of our savior.

Some other practices are family home evening as mentioned by Darren, and attending our worship services each Sunday which can be described in more detail if you have questions.

For many members of the Church the most important devotional practice is worshiping at the Temple. Temple attendance is encouraged as often as possible, but it is left to the individual when they actually attend (although most congregations plan regularly recurring visits such as once a month). More information about temples can be found here http://www.lds.org/topics/temples?lang=eng. We do consider temple worship to be very sacred and we do not discuss much of it outside the temple but we can discuss the overall purpose and are willing to do so if asked.

[Storm Rider]

Hello!

One aspect of my Catholic faith that I treasure are the many devotional practices that bring me closer to God, such as praying the Rosary daily, the Stations of the Cross on Friday, litanies (Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), the Angelus, Eucharistic Adoration, stopping in a church to light a candle and pray, meditating before sacred images (statues, pictures), etc.

I was wondering what types of devotional practices (or whatever the LDS term might be) you engage in, how they help you, and how they fit into the overall LDS scheme.

I look forward to a good discussion. Thanks!

This is a great topic and I too home that it evolves as a wonderful, respectful exchange of personal sharing on how we each draw closer to God. The Catholic practices that you described above reflect an approach that is solemn and sacred. It also reflects a more high church approach to personal reflection, contemplation, and worship.

As Latter-day Saints we are taught to pray both morning and night with our families and as individuals. This can be seen in personal prayer, prayer with our spouse, and then prayer with our children. In addition, we are taught to pray before each meal we have. These prayers are used in many ways and each of is to prepare us to partake of the Sacrament each Sunday. We are also taught to have a weekly Family Home Evening where a devotional lesson is taught and discussed. Many of us serve in the temple each week, which means that we serve for approximately seven hours assisting temple patrons (those who attend the temple) in temple ordinances. The temple is a place not only of performing ordinances for ourselves or as proxies, but a place of meditation and contemplation.

We do not have formal prayers such as the Rosary or litanies. It is fair to say that we have a very low church approach to worship. We do not teach the benefits of memorized prayers, rather we encourage individuals to approach God as one would their father or grandfather; to share what is in their heart and on their minds. Prayer is taught to be more than just talking to God, but listening intently for his replies.

I find much beauty in the form of worship that Catholics enjoy. I also appreciate the simple approach that LDS teach. Each approach teaches methods and practices that aid the individual to draw closer to God.

I find great comfort and the Spirit in listening to hymns and in singing them. I listen to everything from chants & polyphony, gospel, sacred choral, hymns from several denominations, to primary music sung by children. Hymns open me to the Spirit and its influence so strongly regardless of where I am.

Thank you again for opening the topic. May you be blessed with His Peace always.

[BlueDreams]

As someone mentioned LDS devotional practices are heavily personalized or familial based. For me personally, I enjoy temple work, personal daily study, pondering/meditation, and prayer. These are probably my mainstay. To specify with daily devotional a Patriarchal Blessing is also very important for study and guidance, which is an individual blessing received usually once in a person's life that is meant for specific guidance and councel for the individual.

I also personally enjoy symbolism and painting/sketching. Sometimes scriptures and their imagery will make a deep impression on me that is image oriented. i aslo have paintings that are strongly spiritual for me.

With luv,

BD

[Vance]

I like the temple because I can let my horns hang out.

I just don't like the chicken blood and the other secret stuff that only the antis know about.

[Gervin]

I've been lately enjoying the daily devotional put out by Alistair Begg. If you're not familar with him, he has a church in Cleveland and a radio and print ministry. The devotionals are not long or overly theological, allow for greater scripture study, and arrive early in the day to put my thoughts in order. Today's was from 1 Kings 18:

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of response, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when His people are serious about a matter that concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God and never for a moment gave way to the fear that he would not be suited for Jehovah's courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but "Go again."

We must not dream of unbelief but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel's peak, and if nothing is seen, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is quickened to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled but not crushed: Her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive and to find it good to wait

for

as well as

upon

the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: Deadly blows are then struck at our corruption, and the sinful images are cleansed. The great danger is that men should faint and miss the blessing.

Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue to watch and pray. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain; and even so with you, the token for good will surely be given, and you will rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man with passions just like us: His power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing persistence, and it will be with you according to your desire.

edit to add for MiserereNobis, I'm not LDS so probably shouldn't have replied. Oh well.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Gervin

[DH]

Fasting.

Partaking of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper weekly.

Personal and public prayers.

Bearing one's testimony.

Home teaching.

Acts of service to other people.

Sacrificing virgins.

Performing sacred music.

Scripture study.

[Flyonthewall]

Fasting.

Partaking of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper weekly.

Personal and public prayers.

Bearing one's testimony.

Home teaching.

Acts of service to other people.

Sacrificing virgins.

Performing sacred music.

Scripture study.

I've been feeling out of sorts lately, maybe I should sacrifice a virgin to bring me up...

[mfbukowski]

Temple, then there is the Temple. Oh- and did I mention the temple?

As someone said, there are many things to do in the temple each of which involves a separate kind of activity, different clothing etc so each is unique.

And then you can also serve in the temple and actually perform the ordinances (pretty much synonymous with "sacraments") for the living and dead as well- so you become "the priest leading the people" or "celebrating mass" as it were as well. All it takes to do that is the desire and a Temple Recommend and one can perform ordinances for others- and both men and women do this.

That's what I do one evening a week. Some do it more often, others don't do it at all. It's all voluntary. It's an incredible feeling to actually be allowed to help individuals receive the saving ordinances they need and that they cannot do for themselves.

But that's about all we do. If you want ritual, we have it in spades. Imagine saying the rosary where each Hail Mary sent another soul to paradise or out of "purgatory" if you want to think about it that way, provided of course the individual decides to accept the ordinance. We do not know who accepts or who does not of course, but it is our belief that most do accept it.

Pretty cool stuff.

And the words are fixed, so it is rather like a litany actually when you perform the same ordinances many times for the dead, each time for a different deceased person. There is one ordinance which takes about 5 minutes and three workers, each of whom say their part in giving different blessings- so you say your part, and then the other two say theirs, and then you are on to another person to do their ordinances for them.

And I must admit that when doing work for the dead it can become rather like a mantra - or not unlike a rosary type of experience. One can get tied up in just the sound of the words because they are so well memorized after saying each hundreds of times. Of course we try not to, and we try to concentrate on the individuals we are blessing, but humans are human. I know that happens with the rosary as well.

And then you go do another kind of ordinance for others- maybe this particular ordinance lasts 2 minutes, or maybe it lasts nearly 2 hours depending on the type of ordinance. So there is constant variety and at the same time a mantra-like rythm to it all.

So yes, we definitely get our fair share of ritual if we want it.

[mfbukowski]

And then there is Home Teaching.