BILLINGS, Mont. — Business was good, but the family was lacking. That was Steve Zabawa's assessment of his life just a few years ago, and he finally took a serious look at the Church.

He found answers in the Church to challenges in his life and discovered the blessings that come through keeping the commandments the Lord has given. Since he was baptized in June of 1997, he has striven to be valiant in keeping those commandments.

As co-owner of a large, new-car dealership in Billings, he has extended those efforts to keeping the Sabbath Day holy by closing his business on Sunday. To do so was a financial risk in a city where several competing dealerships remain open on Sundays, and required a "huge leap of faith," he said during a Church News interview.

Brother Zabawa, currently first counselor in the stake mission presidency of the Billings Montana Stake, wasn't a stranger to the Church before he became a member. He had married a Church member, Debra Kelley, in 1981 and, in his career as a salesman, had worked with several faithful members of the Church. But other priorities kept him aloof from the gospel influence that surrounded him.

Then 4 1/2 years ago, he was jolted by the realization that his family was in jeopardy. "My wife told me I was a good father, but that I was not a good husband," he recalled. "She said she didn't think I would ever quit drinking or join the Church."

At the time, he had recently moved his family from Arizona to Billings and was working long hours at the car dealership he and his partner intended to purchase.

His wife's comment led to a recognition of what was really important in his life — his wife and four children — and that he wasn't properly nurturing it, especially his relationship with his wife. He started attending Church and changing some things in his life.

Two and a half years later, he accepted the challenge to be baptized and said his life has been increasingly happier since.

After making the covenant to keep the commandments, he started enjoying blessings that meant a lot to him, including the opportunity to baptize two of his children. The ultimate blessing came when he, his wife and four children were recently sealed in the newly dedicated Billings Montana Temple.

His testimony of the principles of the gospel stirred Brother Zabawa to consider closing his business on Sunday. Shortly after he and his partner finished buying out the previous owner, he made his move.

To justify his position and to win the support of his partner, he knew he needed a rationale that would back up his stand. Basically, his business theory was that if employees had Sundays off, staffing on other days of the week would be stronger and more effective. Morale would also be boosted as employees could make Sunday a family day.

The biggest potential negative effect would be the loss of about 20 sales a month, a significant financial hit. But with the cooperation of his partner, the decision was made to close their five franchises in three locations beginning in February of this year and do whatever was necessary to make up for lost revenue.

While Brother Zabawa expected a financial downturn by closing Sundays, he had faith that obeying the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy would lead to compensatory blessings. In his own life, even when he didn't work Sundays, as owner he worried about what was happening when the business was open. Now he doesn't have those worries and can more easily focus on his family and Church responsibilities on the Sabbath. He also said that morale has improved among employees.

And the expected financial losses haven't occurred, he said. "I don't know why. I look back on it now and think that someone has been looking out for us."

Brother Zabawa said he knows that balancing temporal concerns with keeping the commandments isn't always easy, but it is worth it. He testified, "Once you learn how to do it, your life is great with the happiness and comfort you get from the spiritual side."