The Sacrament

Kalli,

Here is another long one! I spoke yet again…3 times in 5 months. I think this might be the closest I get to feeling like a high councilman 🙂 Anyway, as I thought about sharing this talk I thought about how the Sacrament probably has a new meaning for you over the last 6 months and that is something I can only imagine is wonderful and difficult simultaneously.

To start, I’m going to read a list of words. It is sort of long, but notice what comes to mind as you listen: Warm, power, comfort, happiness, mercy, forgiveness, personal, cleanse, pure, sweet, help, determination, sacred, strength, light, safety, transforms, gratitude, humble, blessings, reflections, covenant, renewal, worship, solemn, revelation, peace, change, rectify, resolve, enlightening, edifying, love and hope.

To me, this is a pretty powerful group of words and all of them have been used by apostles and prophets to describe the sacrament.

Elder David B. Haight said “The weekly opportunity of partaking of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is one of the most sacred ordinances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is further indication of His love for all of us.”

It is wonderful to me that something so sacred is offered freely to each of us every week.

For over a decade, at my family Christmas party, my mom has each of us write out a gift we will give Christ over the coming year. This gift centers around how we can become better and therefore be closer to our Savior and Heavenly Father. This last December, my gift was that I would better prepare for and utilize the sacrament. I don’t think there is any coincidence that I was asked to speak on the blessings of the sacrament today. The Lord always knows what he is doing! As a result it has been a week full of self-reflection and new determination.

In October 2014 general conference, Elder James Hamula or the 70, speaking of the sacrament said, “It needs to become more holy and sacred to each of us. Jesus Christ Himself instituted the ordinance to remind us what He did to redeem us and to teach us how we may avail ourselves of His Redemption and thereby live with God again.”

We all need reminders and I am grateful the Lord knows this and presented a way for this reminder to happen weekly. But the portion I really want to focus on is when he states the sacrament needs to become more holy and sacred to each of us. I love how he states each of us…it is individual…I will come back to this more later. I also love that there are no exceptions, showing that in some way each of us has work to do, regardless of where we are in our understanding and utilization of the sacrament.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “I sense that some…have not yet come to understand the significance of… (Sacrament) meeting and the importance of individual reverence and worship in it.”

As I was studying this week and came upon these thoughts from Elder Hamula and Elder Oaks, I asked myself, do I understand the significance of the sacrament and hold it as sacred as I can? My answer was yes & no. I wish that I could have given a resounding yes in response, but if I were to be honest, I couldn’t. As so many of us do, I fall into cycles in my life, this area included, hence my gift to Christ 5 months ago, I seek improvement in this area. Today, I invite each of you to honestly ask yourself the same question.

Also in my studying this week I found hope…that I could increase my understanding…that I could gain a closer relationship with my Savior through the sacrament…that I could utilize the enabling power of the atonement more frequently…and that the Lord will help me in the process.

I love the word hope and all that it holds in its meaning. It, obviously, continually stood out in my reading this week, the following few passages in particular.

Sister Cheryl Esplin, of the general primary presidency, said “(when Aaronic priesthood holders pass the sacrament) it is as if the Savior Himself were extending His arm of mercy, inviting each one of us to partake of the precious gifts of love made available through His atoning sacrifice—gifts of repentance, forgiveness, comfort, and hope.”

Elder Robert D. Hales said, “Our pondering (during the sacrament) helps us to recognize that through the Savior’s sacrifice, we have the hope, opportunity, and strength to make real, heartfelt changes in our lives.”

Elder John H. Groberg stated, “No matter what our problems, the sacrament always gives hope.”

And I am grateful that it does. The sacrament is also a very personal experience. Growing up I didn’t realize this aspect or the great blessings and experiences that come because of its personal nature.

Elder Groberg said, “The sacrament is an intensely personal experience, and we are the ones who knowingly are worthy or otherwise.”

Elder David B. Haight stated, “The sacrament is one ordinance that allows us to experience a personal relationship to God and enlarges our knowledge and understanding of Him and His Only Begotten Son.“

Taking advantage of the gifts and blessings of the sacrament are up to us, as it is a personal experience. We get to choose, which is sometimes hard to swallow because if we are not fully enjoying the blessings of the sacrament we only have ourselves to look to in understanding why we aren’t taking full advantage. On the flip side, it also means that no one can hold us back from increasing our understanding and use of this great power.

Elder Groberg said “All life as we know it comes about through the joining of two separate elements—each necessary. The Savior, through his infinite atonement, provides that vital element for us. He asks us to provide the other element—even a broken heart and a contrite spirit—for he will not force us.“

In 3 Nephi 9:14 the Savior says, “Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.”

So how do we, as individuals, come unto Him through the sacrament and take advantage of the many gifts and blessings that can come through partaking of the sacrament each week?

One aspect is preparation. In our ward the partaking of the sacrament begins at 11:10ish am each Sunday. But utilizing the power of the sacrament should begin well before that time.

Elder Don Clarke, of the 70, stated, “If we properly prepare for the sacrament, we can transform our lives. If we have spent time before sacrament meeting repenting of our sins, we can leave sacrament meeting feeling clean and pure.”

Elder Jay E. Jenson, also of the 70, said, “By coming humbly and fully repentant to sacrament meeting and worthily partaking of the sacrament, we may feel those arms (of mercy) again and again.”

It’s not a one time experience.

A second way is through singing the sacrament hymn. Granted, I might be a little biased towards this one, as I love most things musical. But there is power in song and there is power in community singing.

Elder David B. Haight shared an experience from his youth, outlining a sacrament service and what it meant to him. About the sacrament hymn he stated, “As we personally sang the words, our souls were better prepared to understand this sacred ordinance. At the Last Supper the early Apostles joined with the Savior in singing. Matthew records, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.(Matt. 26:30.)”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “The music of sacrament meeting is a vital part of our worship. The scriptures teach that the song of the righteous is a prayer unto the Lord (see D&C 25:12). How wonderful when every person in attendance joins in the worship of singing—especially in the hymn that helps us prepare to partake of the sacrament.”

Another aspect is in how we approach the time of the actual passing of the sacrament. If you are like me, it is frequently difficult to reign in stray thoughts during the this time.

President Howard W. Hunter described what these moments can be like when he said, “The solemn moments of thought while the sacrament is being served have great significance. They are moments of self-examination, introspection, self-discernment—a time to reflect and to resolve.”

Elder L. Tom Perry stated, “During the administration of the sacrament, we set aside the world. It is a period of spiritual renewal as we recognize the deep spiritual significance of the ordinance offered to each of us personally. If we were to become casual in partaking of the sacrament, we would lose the opportunity for spiritual growth.”

Elder Don Clarke of the 70 shared one way he works to keep his thoughts aligned to the Savior during the sacrament. When he was a teenager one of his teachers asked him and his classmates to take a small card to sacrament meeting. During the sacrament he asked them to write down every thought they had on the card. He stated, “I took my card and began to write. First on the list was a basketball game we had won the night before. And then came a date after the game, and so went the list. Far removed and certainly not in bold letters was the name of Jesus Christ.” He continued by saying this realization helped him to bring his thoughts to the Savior and over time his list drastically changed.

A few years ago I went through a period of time where during the sacrament I would walk through the final week of Savior’s mortal life in my mind. During this time, the sacrament, as well as the experiences and learning I had were amazingly sweet.

We can each find our own way of keeping our thoughts aligned to our Savior during the sacrament, but I hope we will not let fear or guilt keep us from evaluating where we are on this path and therefore leading us towards improvement.

If we are able to prepare, invite the Spirit through song and other means, then reflect on our Savior, repentance and the enabling power of the atonement, we will be blessed immensely.

Elder Oaks stated, “When we join in the solemnity that should always accompany the ordinance of the sacrament and the worship of this meeting—we are qualified for the companionship and revelation of the Spirit. This is the way we get direction for our lives and peace along the way.”

Elder James Hamula said, “Regular and earnest participation in this sacred ordinance helps us continue to embrace and live the doctrine of Christ after baptism and thereby pursue and complete the process of sanctification. Indeed, the ordinance of the sacrament helps us faithfully endure to the end and receive the fullness of the Father in the same way Jesus did, grace for grace.”

One of my favorite thoughts I came across this week is from Elder Don Clarke of the 70. He said, “It will always be a great sacrament meeting if the sacrament is the center of our worship.” The entire meeting will be great!

Elder Robert D. Hales said, “I testify that the sacrament gives us an opportunity to come to ourselves and experience “a mighty change” of heart—to remember who we are and what we most desire. As we renew the covenant to keep the commandments, we obtain the companionship of the Holy Ghost to lead us back into our Heavenly Father’s presence. No wonder we are commanded to “meet together oft to partake of [the] bread and [water]” and to partake of the sacrament to our souls.”

Partaking worthily of the sacrament gives us added strength and can be a protection. In D&C 59:9 it says, ““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;” It helps keep us unspotted!

Elder Melvin J. Ballard said, “I am a witness that there is a spirit attending the administration of the sacrament that warms the soul from head to foot; you feel the wounds of the spirit being healed, and the load being lifted. Comfort and happiness come to the soul that is worthy and truly desirous of partaking of this spiritual food.”

What a beautiful description. I love the phrase “warms the soul” and the images it conjures. The atonement and the sacrament hold great power, if we will but utilize it. Through it, we can be changed, we can become better, we can reach our potential and we can return to our Father in Heaven.

In closing I’d like to share one final thought from Elder Groberg. He said “Think of it. Think of what could and should happen in your life, in your ward, in your stake, in the whole Church, in the whole world, if every Sunday individuals—hundreds, thousands, even millions—under the authority of the priesthood of God, took the sacrament worthily and thus repented and sincerely determined to better follow the guidance of the Lord’s Spirit. The life that would be given, the forgiveness that would be obtained, the spiritual strength that would be received! The light that would thus be generated would cause Zion to shine forth brilliantly and would prepare a people pure in heart, ready for the Lord’s second coming in a way that would be marvelous to behold.”

I know Jesus Christ atoned for all our sins, I know that through Him we can withstand the storms of this life and return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again. I know that as we work to improve ourselves we have Their help! I know the gospel is the word of God and I am grateful for that knowledge. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hope you are doing well friend. Lots of love your way! Love,

Ashlee B. and Us