“How do I strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ if I can’t attend church?” Disability Services: Individuals (2020)
“How do I strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ if I can’t attend church?” Disability Services: Individuals
How do I strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ if I can’t attend church?
It is important to keep the Spirit in your home even when you are unable to attend church. Increasing your faith and strengthening your relationship with your Savior, Jesus Christ, and your Father in Heaven is a personal pursuit and should be part of your daily life (see Deut. 6:6–7; Acts 17:11).
There are many ways you can draw closer to your Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, and invite the Spirit into your home. Here are a few suggestions:
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Pray and study the scriptures daily. There are many blessings that will come into your life as you make prayer and scripture study a daily habit. President Thomas S. Monson said, “As we remember prayer and take time to turn to the scriptures, our lives will be infinitely more blessed and our burdens will be made lighter.”1 The scriptures and other Church materials are available in a variety of accessible formats:
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Make gospel study a personal pursuit. The new Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families resource is a great tool that will help you and your family to “learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship.”2
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Have the Church brought to you. Ask your local leaders if the sacrament can be brought to you in your home. You can also ask about the possibility of getting an audio recording of church meetings.
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Honor the Sabbath day. You can strengthen your relationship with your Father in Heaven and with Jesus Christ by keeping the Sabbath day holy even when it is difficult to go to church because of your disability. Prepare during the week so that you can reserve Sunday for uplifting activities appropriate for the Sabbath. Such activities may include studying the scriptures, reading or listening to general conference talks, writing letters, doing family history work, and spending quiet time with your family and loved ones. By keeping the Sabbath day holy, you will invite the Spirit into your home, and your faith and testimony will grow.
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Keep covenants. You will be strengthened spiritually as you strive to keep the covenants you have made. President Henry B. Eyring testified: “You and I are witnesses that whenever we have kept our covenants with God, especially when it was hard, He has heard our prayers of thanks for what He has already done for us and has answered our prayer for strength to endure faithfully. And more than once He has made us cheerful as well as strong.”