My Mormon Third Eye: I See... Your Sunday Best

Thursday, October 27, 2016

I See... Your Sunday Best

I grew up in the model mormon home with six lively brothers and sisters and parents who let their actions and teachings show how much they loved us. Of all the gifts they left us, perhaps one of the most precious was love and respect for the Lord's Day. One distinct memory was the requirement to wear our “Sunday best;” my brothers and I put on faded white short-sleeved shirts with clip-on ties, and my sisters wore their best dresses. Since then, I've always tried to look my best on Sunday; it's a symbolic outer reflection of my inner commitment to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, last Sunday I attended a special sacrament meeting where virtually no one, not even myself, were wearing their Sunday best. I should have been appalled and offended. Approximately 240 priesthood holders of all ages from two stakes in North Carolina were crammed into the LDS Chapel in Conway, South Carolina dressed in their “Sunday worst;” dusty work boots and dirty jeans with ripped leather work gloves hanging out the back pockets; stained, worn teeshirts decorated with the remnants of chainsaw dust; unshaven faces gloriously topped with creatively positioned bedheads. We were a mess.

But where were our hearts? We had all volunteered to spend a whole weekend in hurricane-damaged portions of Conway and Florence South Carolina clearing downed trees and destruction off of the properties of some of the poorest, disabled, and disadvantaged residents of the area. Like the Savior did for us, we did something for them they could not do for themselves; most likely the dangerously downed trees would have lied around their properties indefinitely had we not offered our help.

So... there we were, 7:30 am on a crisp sunny Sunday morning, taking a 30-minute break from our labors to partake of the sacrament and receive brief reminders from a general authority about the blessings of service and sacrifice. And then we left to complete a few more work orders.

The Savior was challenged by Pharisees and scribes: “Is it ok to heal on the Sabbath?” In this case, I claim that while we were not wearing our “Sunday best” clothes, we were certainly giving our Sunday best.

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The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.