AboutDavid Gross Expertise If you are truly seeking answers or information I will do my best to answer questions related to any aspect of the LDS Church.
Experience I have been a member of the church for 27+ years after being raised as a not very active Reform Jew.
Question I am not Mormon but my brother-in-law and his family are. (They live in another city.) I've invited them over for Fathers day (a Sunday) but the wife says that they can come over but they cannot fish or kayak on Sunday. I am wondering if there is specific direction in the Handbook or other LDS documents about what you cannot do on Sundays or is this just the view of the wife? I'm pretty sure that Jesus did fish on a Sunday - and shuck corn - and heal on Sundays. What is the guideline for what you can and cannot do on a Sunday for an active LDS family?
Answer Each member of the church is allowed to decide for themselves and their families what is an appropriate activity for Sunday. I happen to agree with the in-laws because fishing and kayaking are leisure activities that are best done the other six days of the week. I don't think that Jesus fished for fun on the Sabbath. We may shuck corn if we need to eat and healing people is certainly appropriate on the Sabbath.
The following are quotes from some church articles that address your question as well as a link to the page where I got them.
It is a day to get rid of selfish interests and absorbing activities (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball [1982], 215). Although we attended to essential chores on Sundaysuch as feeding the animals, milking the cows, and taking the water turns when they camewe never did farmwork on Sunday that could be done at other times during the week.
Because circumstances differ among Church members, the kinds of Sunday activities each of us may choose in order to gain spiritual strength and draw closer to the Lord will vary.
A partial list of Appropriate Sunday Activities
__ 1. Read the scriptures, conference reports, and Church publications.
__ 2. Study the lives and teachings of the prophets.
__ 3. Prepare Church lessons and other Church assignments.
__ 4. Write in journals.
__ 5. Pray and meditate.
__ 6. Write to or visit relatives and friends.
__ 7. Write to missionaries (friends, family members, ward members).
__ 8. Enjoy uplifting music.
__ 9. Participate in family gospel instruction.
__ 10. Hold family council meetings.
__ 11. Read with a child.
__ 12. Do family history research, including filling out pedigree charts and writing in family or personal histories.
__ 13. Sing Church hymns.
__ 14. Read uplifting literature.
__ 15. Develop an appreciation for the cultural arts.
__ 16. Plan family home evening study and activities.
__ 17. Plan other family activities.
__ 18. Visit the sick, the aged, and the lonely.
