Anciently, Israel was known among her neighbors as a nation that set one day apart to worship and rest. "Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them" (Ezekiel 20:12).

Through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord counseled Israel about the importance of the Sabbath and the blessing that would come from keeping it holy. "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words:

"Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it]" (Isaiah 58:13-14).

Today, the Lord still wants to sanctify His people to be distinct from the world, to be a peculiar people.

We are instructed in modern revelation: "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

"Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

"But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

"And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-13).

Yet, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, to be sanctified by the Lord, remains a challenge. Nearly half a century ago, President Spencer W. Kimball lamented, "We have become largely a world of Sabbath breakers. On the Sabbath the lakes are full of boats, the beaches are crowded, the shows have their best attendance, the golf links are dotted with players. The Sabbath is the preferred day for rodeos, conventions, family picnics; even ball games are played on the sacred day. 'Business as usual' is the slogan for many, and our holy day has become a holiday. And because so many people treat the day as a holiday, numerous others cater to the wants of the fun-lovers and money-makers."

He cautioned, however, against making the Sabbath a day of lounging, remembering the Savior's counsel: "Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days" (Matthew 12:12).

"To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. To fail to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side" (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], pp. 96–97).

In 1993, the First Presidency offered the following: "We sense that many Latter-day Saints have become lax in their observance of the Sabbath. We should refrain from shopping on the Sabbath and participating in other commercial and sporting activities that now commonly desecrate the Sabbath.

"We urge all Latter-day Saints to set this holy day apart from activities of the world and consecrate themselves by entering into a spirit of worship, thanksgiving, service, and family-centered activities appropriate to the Sabbath. As Church members endeavor to make their Sabbath activities compatible with the intent and Spirit of the Lord, their lives will be filled with joy and peace" (Ensign, January 1993, p. 80).

Years ago, President Thomas S. Monson, then second counselor in the First Presidency, reaffirmed the need for us to keep the Sabbath holy. "The Lord has given the Sabbath day for your benefit and has commanded you to keep it holy. Many activities are appropriate for the Sabbath. Bear in mind, however, that Sunday is not a holiday. Sunday is a holy day" (Ensign, Nov. 1990, p.47).

In an October 1999 general conference address, President Monson spoke of a father, who "taught a son a never-to-be-forgotten lesson in obedience and, by example, to honor the Sabbath day."

"I learned of this at the funeral service of a noble General Authority, H. Verlan Andersen," said President Monson. "A tribute was paid to him by one of his sons.

"It has application wherever we are and whatever we are doing. It is the example of personal experience.

"The son of Elder Andersen related that years earlier he had a special school date on a Saturday night. He borrowed from his father the family car. As he obtained the car keys and was heading for the door, his father said: 'The car will need more gasoline before tomorrow. Be sure to fill the tank before coming home.'

"Elder Andersen's son related that the evening activity was wonderful. Friends met, refreshments were served, and all had a good time. In his exuberance, however, he failed to follow his father's instruction to add fuel to the car's tank before returning home.

"Sunday morning dawned. Elder Andersen discovered the gas gauge showed empty. The son saw his father walk back into the house and put the car keys on the table. In the Andersen home, the Sabbath day was a day for worship and thanksgiving, and not for purchases.

"As the funeral message continued, Elder Andersen's son declared, 'I saw my father put on his coat, bid us good-bye, and then walk the long distance to the chapel, that he might attend an early meeting.' Duty called. Truth was not held slave to expedience. In concluding his funeral message, he said: 'No son was ever taught more effectively by his father than I was on that occasion. My father not only knew the truth—he lived it.' ("Becoming Our Best Selves," Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 19)

Can we not all improve in our observance of the Sabbath? Can we not stretch ourselves in service and worship and avoid desecrating this holy day?

Who does not stand in need of sanctification?