(4/29/99)
"We need to purge out of our lives the desire to come to meetings late and leave early.... I don't see any of the men that I prize most, leaving any meetings early except in an emergency. I believe they have the dignity to not offend God. I believe it is an offense to God when we leave meetings early, and when we come late to meetings." — Vaughn J. Featherstone, A Self-Inflicted Purging, General Conference, April 1975

(4/30/99)
"As we worship together, we more fully sense the power we are, and the added power that we might be, as defenders of the way of life preached and exemplified by the Master." — Carl F. Eyring, General Conference Reports, April 1939, p. 47

(5/1/99)
"The value of Church meetings is not in their frequency but rather in that coming together often in the spirit of fasting and prayer helps feed the spirit and keep one close to gospel principles. Just as it is unhealthy and physically dangerous to neglect one's health and nutrition, so is it spiritually life-threatening to go without the spiritual nutrition that comes from meeting together, serving one another, and being taught." — Robert L. Millet and Brent L. Top, Doctrinal Commentary on The Book of Mormon, p. 330

(5/2/99)
"There are some people that attend meetings year after year and listen to the servants of the Lord teach them in simplicity and humility the duties that devolve upon them, and they go away from those meetings and never put in practice what they hear; yet they take great credit to themselves for always going to meetings. Now, my friends, if you always went to your dinner, sat down and took a good look at the food, and never partook of any of it, it would not be long till you died of starvation." — Heber J. Grant, Collected Discourses, Vol. 3 November 6, 1892

(5/3/99)
"Cling together. Live as close together as you can, and maintain that intercourse that has been so delightful in the past." — George Q. Cannon, Collected Discourses, Vol. 4 October 7, 1894

2/9/07
"There is a physician in New York City who writes an interesting prescription to cure people of their most serious problems of tension, fear, inferiority, guilt, resentment, and anger. He prescribes that they attend church at least once each Sunday. If they say they do not believe in religion or that they do not like sermons, he asks them to go anyway, even if they don't listen to what is said. If they will just regularly sit quietly and absorb the healing atmosphere, their mental, spiritual, and physical health will all be greatly improved. The church is a place especially set apart in which to worship God, and we need to actually commune with him. The Lord himself said, 'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' (Matt. 18:20.) Then we will be able to say with Jacob at Bethuel, 'Surely the Lord is in this place..." (Gen. 28:16.)." - Sterling W. Sill, "That Ye Might Have Life," p.237

7/8/07
"I am afraid there is a carelessness manifest among us in attending our meetings. In some stakes we find that there is a much greater percentage attending the sacrament meetings than in others. Don't let us neglect this duty and stay away from the house of the Lord on His Holy day, but go there and worship Him, partake of the sacrament, and renew our covenant with the Lord, then we shall receive strength to perform our duties. Some excuse their absence from sacrament meetings by saying that they are afraid they might partake of the sacred emblems unworthily. Well, if you have any such fear in your hearts, see to it that you put yourselves in a condition that you know you can partake worthily, and remember also that it is a commandment to us that we shall go to the Lord's house and partake of the sacrament. If we stay away or avoid partaking of the sacrament, we are cutting ourselves short of the blessings we could enjoy; in fact such a course will cause spiritual starvation. Go therefore to the house of worship, pray for the man that speaks, and he will be able to convey unto you that which you desire to know, and to build you up in your holy faith. The Lord will be with him. I urge you to attend your meetings, and to the performance of the many other duties that rest upon a Latter-day Saint. It is the only way to feel happy and satisfied." - Anthon H. Lund., "Conference Report," October 1915, First Day—Morning Session, p.12

7/25/07
"I think the Lord had in mind our sacrament meetings when, in a revelation given to Joseph Smith August 7, 1831, he said to us and to all of the people of his Church:

"'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;

"'Remember that on this, the Lords day, thou shall offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.' (D&C 59:9, 12.)

"How shall our people keep themselves unspotted from the world unless they develop within themselves the spiritual strength and capacity to resist temptation that is so rampant everywhere we go these days? And where shall they develop such discipline? I think the meaning of this revelation is clear: they shall develop such discipline of self and such desire to live above the stains of the world in their communion with the Lord as worshipers in sacrament meetings." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Priesthood of Aaron," Ensign (CR), November 1982, p.44

6/21/08
"Weekly sacrament meeting attendance helps us strengthen our resolve to keep our personal windows of heaven free from the obscuring haze of earthly distractions and temptations. By partaking of the sacrament worthily to renew our baptismal covenants, we clarify our view of life’s eternal purpose and divine priorities. The sacrament prayers invite personal introspection, repentance, and rededication as we pledge our willingness to remember our Savior, Jesus the Christ. This commitment to become like Christ, repeated weekly, defines the supreme aspiration of Latter-day Saint life." - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Windows of Light and Truth," Ensign (CR), November 1995, p.75

8/7/09
“We come here twice each year, in April and in October, and have been doing so since 1867, the year this Tabernacle was dedicated, and each Conference since has been fraught with the splendid advice, the wonderful counsel and the lovely and beautiful testimonies which have been borne here in the past and given to us already in this great April gathering of 1941. We have had one hundred and forty-eight Conferences in this building since we started to hold Conferences here, and I think if there were gathered together that which has been expounded from this pulpit, the world would be greatly enriched as it never has been before, and we would know and understand better that which God desires us to understand, and feel assured of our future safety and of our daily and present actions.” - Rufus K. Hardy, “Conference Report,” April 1941, Second Day—Morning Meeting, p. 55

2/23/10
“I have learned to realize, my brethren and sisters, that when ye come together to worship the Lord, the responsibility is not all upon those who preside at the meeting, nor is all the responsibility upon those who address us. There is a responsibility upon each and every one of us. For if we come together with a real desire in our hearts to worship the Lord, our God, he will do his part and he will feed us with the bread of life though it may be through a stammering tongue.” - George W. McCune, “Conference Report,” October 1919, Third Day—Morning Session, p. 138

6/14/15
How can attending your meetings—particularly sacrament meeting—bless you and your family? Regularly partaking of the sacrament will help you keep your baptismal covenant. As you live worthily and renew this covenant weekly, you will qualify for the guidance of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will guide you and will teach you what you should do to bless your family. - Mary N. Cook, "Strengthen Home and Family,” Ensign (CR) October 2007

6/15/15
Sacrament meetings are really more than just meetings. They are sacred moments in a holy place. During these weekly moments, we reflect on the most merciful act of sacrifice this world has ever known. We ponder the love of God, who gave His Only Begotten Son that we might obtain eternal life. As we partake of the sacrament, we remember Him and express our willingness to take His name upon us and to keep His commandments. Careful personal preparation, including our own sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit, is prerequisite to the regular spiritual renewal offered through worthy participation. We must be willing and capable of slipping away from the world for just a few moments in order to reflect on holier things. Without this spiritual renewal, our faith is easily overcome by the secular and profane. - Dennis B. Neuenschwander, "Holy Place, Sacred Space," Ensign (CR), May 2003, p. 71