Questions & Answers

“Some of my friends think that going to church is a waste of time. How can I help them see that it can be a great blessing?”

A comparison might help your friends. You could explain that just as your body needs to eat and drink and sleep and your mind needs to learn, your spirit also needs to be fed. Attending church helps you feed your spirit.

You do this by learning the gospel and taking the sacrament, renewing the sacred promises you have made with Heavenly Father. This reflection and recommitment help you receive the promised blessing to “always have his Spirit to be with [you]” (D&C 20:77). Having His Spirit with you strengthens your faith and helps you become more Christlike.

You can also talk to your friends about other blessings you receive. You might tell them about the peace that you feel at church, share something helpful that you learned at church, tell about an opportunity you had to serve, or testify that going to church helps make the Sabbath day a delight (see Isaiah 58:13–14).

Perhaps the most powerful way to help your friends is to invite them to come and see for themselves. As they attend sacrament meeting and the other meetings with you, they will be able to feel the power of the Holy Ghost, learn the gospel, and see its blessings in members’ lives.

Let the Spirit Guide

You could bear your testimony about going to church. You could explain how good it makes you feel and how special the things you learn about are. As you bear your testimony, the Spirit will help you know what to say, and your friends will know that what you’re saying is true. The more they know, the more interested they might become. You can even invite them to come to church with you.

Mikelle M., 13, Utah, USA

Invite Them to Church

It’s hard to have friends who think that going to church is a waste of time, although we can feel happy for them as we help them come to know what our Father in Heaven has in store for each one of them. We can help them by inviting them to church so they can feel the joy of being in a dedicated meetinghouse and by having faith that they can feel love toward Heavenly Father and become aware of the blessings we receive by attending church.

Oscar Y., 19, Monagas, Venezuela

Focus on the Sacrament

Coming to church is important because it is the place where we can renew our baptismal and all our covenants through the sacrament. The Lord promises that His Spirit will always be with us if we partake of the sacrament worthily and fulfill our side of the covenant. The protection, direction, and comfort that we get from the Spirit are essential for our day-to-day lives. These unique blessings cannot be received any other way besides showing up at church and partaking of the sacrament.

Diana R., 16, Oregon, USA

Be Bold

You can help them understand by simply talking to them, inviting them, giving them scriptures, or even inviting the missionaries over to their house. Don’t be shy. Be happy because they just might join the Church.

David H., 12, New Mexico, USA

Do Your Part

Going to church is not a waste of time if you actively participate and try to learn and understand what is being said or taught. You can feel the Spirit, and sometimes you can meet new people.

Ethan H., 15, Utah, USA

Keep the Eternal Perspective

Knowing that the Church is the kingdom of God on earth, we go to church every Sunday to take a step toward perfection and toward the celestial kingdom. By going to church every Sunday, we get closer to Heavenly Father by renewing our covenants (taking the sacrament), and we evaluate ourselves to see how we are doing spiritually.

Esther M., 17, Kasai-Oriental Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Let Your Light Shine

As members of the Church, we shine with the things that we’ve learned in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Setting a good example and showing your friends that you’re happy with the blessings that you’ve received through going to church can possibly teach them that going to church is worth it.

Johanna R., 20, Surigao del Sur, Philippines

Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as official pronouncements of Church doctrine.

A Day of Delight

“The wards and branches of the Church offer a weekly gathering of respite and renewal, a time and place to leave the world behind—the Sabbath. It is a day to ‘delight thyself in the Lord’ [Isaiah 58:14], to experience the spiritual healing that comes with the sacrament, and to receive the renewed promise of His Spirit to be with us.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Why the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 2015, 109.

Upcoming Question

“How do I make time for weekly youth activities, family home evening, and family and personal scripture study when school and homework take so much of my time?”

Send your answer and photo by March 15, 2016.

Go to newera.lds.org, and click “Submit Your Work.” Sign in with your LDS Account, and then select “New Era” under “Choose Magazine.” Click “Add File” to select your file and photos, and then click “Submit” to upload and send us your file.

Responses may be edited for length or clarity.