Natalie started off the lesson sharing a story about her mother. She shared a discussion she had with her mother right before she passed away. Her mother wanted to be buried where she would get the most visitors. Her mother wanted to be remembered, just like the Savior wants us to remember him.
3 Nephi 18:7:
7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
We meet every week to partake of the sacrament, and by partaking of the sacrament we remember Him. This is the most important part of the Sunday meeting.
Bible dictionary: Sacrifice
"Soon after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, the Lord gave them the law of sacrifices, which included offering the firstlings of their flocks in a similitude of the sacrifice that would be made of the Only Begotten Son of God (Moses 5:4–8). Thereafter, whenever there were true believers on the earth, with priesthood authority, sacrifices were offered in that manner and for that purpose. This continued until the death of Jesus Christ, which ended the shedding of blood as a gospel ordinance. It is now replaced in the Church by the sacrament of the bread and the water, in remembrance of the offering of Jesus Christ."
How can we prepare ourselves each week for the sacrament?
different ideas were discussed, including taking advantage to prepare before hand.
The person who absents himself from a sacrament meeting week after week and month after month, and nothing prevents him from coming, is not loyal to the truth. He does not love it. If he did, he would be present to partake of these emblems—just a little piece of bread, a little cup of water. He would want to do that to show his love for the truth and his loyal service to the Son of God. (Joseph Fielding Smith manual)
What can parents do to help children prepare to take the sacrament?
Ideas given: try not to play with toys/draw with crayons until sacrament over, appreciate people who set a good example to children of being reverent during the sacrament, love kids and be patient
Why do we partake of the sacrament? To remember the covenants we have made.
The sacramental prayer discusses these 4 covenants.
1. We eat in remembrance of the body of Jesus Christ, promising that we will always remember His wounded body slain upon the cross.
2. We drink in remembrance of the blood which was shed for the sins of the world, which atoned for the transgression of Adam, and which frees us from our own sins on condition of our true repentance.
3. We covenant that we will be willing to take upon us the name of the Son and always remember Him. In keeping this covenant we promise that we will be called by His name and never do anything that would bring shame or reproach upon that name.
4. We covenant that we will keep His commandments which He has given us; not one commandment, but that we will be willing to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.” [D&C 84:44.]How have these covenants influenced your life?
Susan W shared her experience:
Susan discussed how she took sacrament prayer for granted for a while. She shared how her sons Timothy death has changed how she thinks of the sacrament.
She discussed how her son was really determined in blessing the sacrament. Before he was able to bless the sacrament , he was told he needed to memorize the sacrament prayers. 3 weeks later he had sacrament prayers memorized. He further talked to his bishop and got the blessing to recite the sacrament prayers. Of all the times he said the sacrament prayer (every week in whichever ward he attended) he never had to repeat the sacrament prayer. Since his death Susan listens to the sacrament prayer more closely every Sunday.
What do we learn from these verses? Keep ourselves as unspotted from the world as possible
9 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;
10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;
12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
The closing hymn was #185: Reverently and Meekly Now. This is the only hymn where Jesus is speaking to us.
