When we implement four simple practices, our homes can become holy places that invite the Spirit.
With a pandemic keeping people inside, many of us have had no choice but to work and attend school from home. We’ve even had to watch Church meetings from home. When we aren’t attending Church meetings in person, feeling connected to the Lord can be extra difficult. But Elder L. Whitney Clayton, in his talk “The Finest Homes,” outlines four ways we can turn our homes into places that invite the Spirit.
- Start with the people inside. Elder Clayton says, “Establishing the finest homes has everything to do with the personal qualities of the people who live there.” When trying to turn our homes into holy places, it’s best to work from the inside out by helping the people in our homes become spiritually healthy.
- Study every day. Studying the scriptures and the words of prophets is the best way to ensure our homes are filled with spiritually healthy individuals. These habits help foster an environment in which spiritual discussion is encouraged and practiced, inviting the Spirit to enter our homes.
- Follow the example of the temple. Elder Clayton encourages us to pattern our homes off the temple. Making our homes physically and spiritually clean, just like temples, can make us feel more at home in God’s house and can help him feel more at home in ours.
- Create a refuge. Life’s challenges and temptations are around us every day, but we can make sure our homes are safe spaces that help us to resolve these challenges and temptations instead of intensifying them.
Photo by Jeffrey Czum
Elder Clayton says, “The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect blueprint for establishing fine homes.” We can all take small steps to turn our homes into sacred, holy spaces when we follow the guidelines given in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To learn more about turning your home into a holy place, read Elder L. Whitney Clayton’s talk “The Finest Homes.”
Source: www.churchofjesuschrist.org
—Erin Johnston, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY KELLY LACY
Find more insights
To learn more about taking care of the people inside your home, read Elder L. Tom Perry’s talk “The Importance of Family.”
Read “Gospel Topics: Home Evening” for inspiration on how to implement these practices that invite the Spirit into your own home.