Lately, I've noticed a frequently recurring topic on my mind. People sitting on their phones through all of church. Do I do this? Does it bother me when other people do it? Do people watch me when I do it? Is it such a terrible thing if I do?
I've spent a lot of time evaluating my own choices and habits since the last General Conference or so. I don't remember what triggered it, but I remember thinking that I was getting too distracted during church by my own phone and that I wasn't leaving church feeling very enlightened or uplifted. I spent a couple weeks of church completely phone-less to break habits - Well, except for using the scriptures, so I just put my phone on airplane mode. Over all, I have seen some definite improvement since then, but I still have some room for improvement.
At the beginning of the semester, I rededicated myself to this goal of focusing more and using my phone less. Then, I started noticing others around me making very upset comments about how fed up they were with people who spent all their time ignoring speakers and teachers and disrespecting them by using their phones right in front of them. It especially hit me when a guy I've been dating told me that the most annoying thing to him about church and singles wards is when people are on their phones during church and explained to me just how much he hates it. I had already made an improvement in my own habits, but this just pushed me again to do even better, because I never wanted to be one of "those people" that was distracting people around me (even though it doesn't usually distract me when others around me are doing it).
I have been pleasantly surprised about how much I have gotten out of church the past few weeks by staying off of all social media during church. I mean, I still check my texts and respond during the breaks between classes, so that I'm not sitting through three hours of class distracted by the thought that I might have important texts waiting for me, but that's a whole other problem of its own that I need to work on.
I've spent a lot of time evaluating my own choices and habits since the last General Conference or so. I don't remember what triggered it, but I remember thinking that I was getting too distracted during church by my own phone and that I wasn't leaving church feeling very enlightened or uplifted. I spent a couple weeks of church completely phone-less to break habits - Well, except for using the scriptures, so I just put my phone on airplane mode. Over all, I have seen some definite improvement since then, but I still have some room for improvement.
At the beginning of the semester, I rededicated myself to this goal of focusing more and using my phone less. Then, I started noticing others around me making very upset comments about how fed up they were with people who spent all their time ignoring speakers and teachers and disrespecting them by using their phones right in front of them. It especially hit me when a guy I've been dating told me that the most annoying thing to him about church and singles wards is when people are on their phones during church and explained to me just how much he hates it. I had already made an improvement in my own habits, but this just pushed me again to do even better, because I never wanted to be one of "those people" that was distracting people around me (even though it doesn't usually distract me when others around me are doing it).
I have been pleasantly surprised about how much I have gotten out of church the past few weeks by staying off of all social media during church. I mean, I still check my texts and respond during the breaks between classes, so that I'm not sitting through three hours of class distracted by the thought that I might have important texts waiting for me, but that's a whole other problem of its own that I need to work on.
I was asked to teach a lesson on reverence and I was able to watch a video clip showing several apostles and general authorities speaking on church attendance. Elder Christofferson said that he couldn't see any reason why anyone would need to use a cell phone during sacrament meeting. After I heard that, I realized that I should not use my phone as often as I do during church, and so I have also been making an effort to use my phone less. It really does make a difference!
ReplyDeleteLately I've been thinking about how I can get more out of church. I think that in addition to controlling our phone use we should look for ways to contribute to our meetings. Are we going to church for what we get out of it or for what we can give to others? When we think this way I think it is easier to be engaged in our lessons.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I am definitely one of the people who gets distracted and frustrated when people are on their phones during church :) But I've been trying to have more compassion for those people and have been trying to not get frustrated. Hearing your side of the story has really helped to soften my heart and bring me hope! I hope that more people will be like you and have an experience where they decide they want to get more out of church! I'm so happy that you've been getting more out of your Sundays recently!
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